inform-residents-newsletter-winter-2016 (2)

Inform Winter 2016 03 Contents Chairperson’s Welcome 2 Chief Executive’s Message 3 A district for everyone 4 In brief 5 Keeping safe & well this season 6-7 How much do you value your environment? 8-9 Active lifestyles 10-11 Update on Council’s new functions 12 Having your say on local issues 13 Investing in Fermanagh & Omagh 14 In brief 15 Christmas in the district 16-17 In brief 18 Preparing for severe weather 19-20 Fermanagh & Omagh District Council The Grange, Mountjoy Road, Lisnamallard, Omagh, BT79 7BL Townhall, 2 Townhall Street, Enniskillen, BT74 7BA Tel: 0300 303 1777 Textphone: 028 8225 6216 E: info@fermanaghomagh.com W: www.fermanaghomagh.com fermanaghomagh fermanaghomagh This newsletter is available in alternative formats on request. Requests can be made to the PR & Customer Service team using any of the contact details listed above. All information correct at time of going to print however may be subject to change. Throughout this newsletter we have directed you to the Council website for further information. Please use the search facility on the website to find the information that is of interest to you. Please recycle this newsletter once finished with it. Front cover photo: QMAC / Jim Kerr Photography It is my great pleasure as Chairperson of Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, to introduce the Council’s third edition of Inform. Since the Council came into existence we have made significant progress towards meeting the aims and objectives set out in the inaugural Corporate Plan. The Council has also developed its first Corporate Improvement Plan. The district has much to offer residents and visitors. We have a vibrant business community, a tremendous tourism product and a strong and dedicated voluntary and community sector and I take every opportunity, as First Citizen, to promote our district as an excellent place to work, live and visit. I recently officially opened the renovation project at Enniskillen Castle and Fermanagh County Museum which represented a total investment of £3.5 million. The new facilities will undoubtedly attract significant numbers of tourists to the district. I was also delighted to open two new workspace projects in Roslea and Kinawley, further tangible evidence of our continued commitment to supporting small businesses throughout the district. A programme of community consultation on the district’s draft Community Plan and Local Development Plan Preferred Options Paper (POP) has just closed. Both Plans are extremely important for setting the future direction and development of the Fermanagh and Omagh district and I thank you for your participation in this process. I encourage you to get involved in the next stage of the process for both, with more information on this available later in the newsletter. The Council is committed to engaging with its residents and partners. The Council’s Customer Service, Communications and Community Engagement and Involvement Strategies set the direction on how best to interact with and actively listen to you. Effective communications is a two-way process so I invite you to contact the Council with your views on any of the initiatives outlined in this publication or on the content and format of the newsletter. Indeed, if you have a general comment to make about any aspect of the work of the Council we would like to hear from you. In conclusion, as we approach the festive season, I would like to take this opportunity, on behalf of Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, to wish you all a very happy, healthy and peaceful Christmas and New Year. Councillor Mary Garrity Chairperson Local Government Reform is a project which will be delivered in phases. As we draw towards the end of 2016 the Council has completed the preparatory phase regarding the transition from 26 councils to 11. As we begin to move into the ‘transformation’ phase the Council will undertake detailed strategic reviews of its provision of services and management of assets to improve the quality and effectiveness of the services provided by the Council to our residents. The first Corporate Improvement Plan was published in June and just recently the Council published its Annual Report detailing how it performed in the first year of Fermanagh and Omagh District Council. Work on Community Planning and the Local Development Plan has continued throughout the summer and autumn with the Fermanagh and Omagh Community Plan 2030 and the Local Development Plan Preferred Options Paper, having both just finished an 8-week period of consultation. Together, these documents will guide the long term development of the district. We acknowledge and appreciate the partnership working with the statutory, community, voluntary and business communities and the significant contribution they have made in getting us to this stage in the process. You can find out more about both plans in this newsletter. The immediate priorities for the Council are to develop a detailed action plan to support the delivery of the Fermanagh and Omagh Community Plan 2030, to review its own Corporate Plan to ensure that it aligns with the Community Plan and to continue to progress through the various stages of developing the new Local Development Plan. I hope you find this newsletter interesting and informative in updating you on the work and initiatives of the Council. As the year draws to a close, may I, on behalf of all of the Council staff, extend Season’s Greetings to you and wish you well for the year ahead. Brendan Hegarty Chief Executive Annual Report The Council recently published its first Annual Report, covering the 2015/16 year. The report reflects on the Council’s progress during a period of transition as a newly established Council, and relates directly to year one of the Council’s Corporate Plan 2015-19 and its first Corporate Improvement Plan 2015/16. It illustrates what the Council set out to achieve, its key achievements, an overview of its financial report, and information on how it performed against statutory and corporate indicators. Performance Improvement The Council continues to deliver its Corporate Improvement Plan for 2016/17. The plan outlines three performance improvement objectives and six associated improvement projects which are due to be completed by March 2017. Further information on these is available in the Corporate Improvement Plan on the Council’s website. We will publish information on our performance in relation to the Plan by September 2017. The process of identifying our performance improvement objectives and associated improvement projects for 2017/18 is underway and the Council will conduct public consultation on our proposals, by March 2017, to allow you to provide feedback on our plans. If you have any suggestions on how we can improve our services please contact Ryan Tracey on 0300 303 1777 or email ryan.tracey@fermanaghomagh.com . Chief Executive’s Message Chairperson’s Welcome The Annual Report is available to view on the Council website - www.fermanaghomagh.com . It is also available in hard copy, by contacting a member of the Community Planning and Performance team on 0300 303 1777 . www.gpscolour.co.uk www.gpscolour.co.uk www.gpscolour.co.uk www.gpscolour.co.uk

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