Update
I would like to take this opportunity to provide you all with an update on the progress of the People and Place Review and a brief overview of our plans regarding future engagements. We have recently completed our Locality Group Session 3 engagements. We are currently collating the outputs from these sessions, which will be made available in our next Newsletter, as well as being published on our website. The intention is that any successor Strategy will build on the successes of the existing People and Place Strategy (2003) whilst retaining the key elements of being a place-based, community lead strategy aimed at targeting deprivation through objective need, as defined by the NISRA statistics. In parallel with this we intend to continue working on collaboration with our colleagues from other Government Departments, including DAERA to look at how rural deprivation can be best targeted.
Our next round of engagement sessions is due to begin 26 September, starting with a full day workshop involving our Strategy Development Planning Group and Regional Advisory Group. This will be followed by further Locality Group sessions in mid-October, to continue the conversation. It is intended that these sessions will offer an opportunity to consider a very initial draft of the new successor Strategy. I would stress we are still very much at the exploration stage and of course any decisions on a successor strategy are for an incoming Minister.
Timelines
In preparation, at this point we would plan to have a draft successor Strategy ready for submission to Minister by January 24. We would then hope (subject to an Executive being in place) to seek Executive approval in Spring 2024, with a public consultation Summer 2024 along with transition and implementation planning taking place until the end 2024. It is anticipated that the successor Strategy would then be in place for April 2025, followed by phased implementation.
NRP’s
Given the key role of the NRPs, I am keen to continue engagement with the Partnerships and would welcome the opportunity to come and meet with your Partnership Boards. If you think this would be helpful, please either contact us at PeoplePlaceReview@Communities-ni.gov.uk or liaise with your development officer.
Further information can also be found at People and Place Review | Department for Communities (communities-ni.gov.uk)
Yours Sincerely
Nichola Creagh
Head of People and Place Review
