Rural Needs Impact Assessment - Performance Improvement Plan 2025-26
Section 1: Defining the activity subject to Section 1(1) of the Rural Needs Act (NI) 2016
1A. - Please provide a short title which describes the activity being undertaken by MEABC that is subject to Section 1(1) of the Rural Needs Act (NI) 2016.
Performance Improvement Plan 2025/26.
1B. - Please indicate which category the activity specified in Section 1A above relates to.
Revising a Plan.
The Performance Improvement Plan 2025/26 relates to revising a plan.
1C. - Please provide the official title (if any) of the Policy, Strategy, Plan or Public Service document or initiative relating to the category indicated in Section 1B above.
Performance Improvement Plan 2025/26.
1D. - Please provide details of the aims and/or objectives of the Policy, Strategy, Plan or Public Service.
Our Improvement Objectives for 2025/26 are:
- People: We will help to prevent violence against women and girls.
- Place: We will help boost our local economy and town centres.
- Planet: We will all play our part in making Mid and East Antrim a great place to live in and visit.
Improvement Objective 1:
People - We will help to prevent violence against women and girls.
Aim:
- Roll out of the Ending Violence Against Women and Girls Change Fund.
- An awareness and training programme to ensure everyone understands what violence against women and girls is, including its root causes, and plays an active role in preventing it.
- Our organisation will know how to recognise and respond to domestic violence and abuse.
Improvement Objective 2:
Place - We will help boost our local economy and town centres.
Aim
- The submission of the Mid and East Antrim Local Economic Partnership Action Plan.
- A range of events within our town centres to boost footfall and support our local businesses.
- Installation of town centre information notice boards to improve communication and awareness of opportunities.
- Jobs promoted through business start-up interventions.
Improvement Objective 3:
Planet – We will all play our part in making Mid and East Antrim a great place to live in and visit.
Aim
- A communications campaign to encourage everyone to play a part in making Mid and East Antrim cleaner, safer, and more attractive.
- Simplified recycling.
1E. - What definition of ‘rural’ applies in respect of the Policy, Strategy, Plan or Public Service.
Population Settlements of less than 5,000 (Default definition).
Details of alternative definition of ‘rural’ used.
Not applicable.
Rationale for using alternative definition of ‘rural’.
Not applicable.
Reasons why a definition of ‘rural’ is not applicable.
Not applicable.
Section 2: Understanding the impact of the Policy, Strategy, Plan or Public Service
2A. - Is the Policy, Strategy, Plan or Public Service likely to impact on people in rural areas?
Yes.
2B. - Please explain how the Policy, Strategy, Plan or Public Service is likely to impact on people in rural areas.
This is a strategic plan that will deliver high quality services for our citizens within both urban and rural areas.
2C. - If the Policy, Strategy, Plan or Public Service is likely to impact people in rural areas more or less than people in urban areas, please explain how it is likely to impact on people in rural areas differently.
This strategic plan will impact people living in urban and rural areas equally.
2D. - Please indicate which of the following rural policy areas the Policy, Strategy, Plan or Public Services is likely to primarily impact on.
Rural policy areas the Plan is likely to primarily impact on are:
- Rural Business
- Rural Housing
- Rural Tourism
- Rural Jobs or Employment
- Rural Health or Social Care Services
- Other: Waste Management in rural areas
2E. - Please explain why the Policy, Strategy, Plan or Public Service is NOT likely to impact on people in rural areas.
Not applicable.
Section 3: Identifying the Social and Economic Needs of Persons in Rural Areas.
3A. - Has MEABC taken steps to identify the social and economic needs of people in rural areas that are relevant to the Policy, Strategy, Plan or Public Service.
Yes.
3B. - Please indicate which of the following methods or information sources were used by MEABC to identify the social and economic needs of people in rural areas.
Following methods or information used by MEABC were:
- Consultation with Rural Stakeholders
- Consultation with Other Organisations
- Surveys or Questionnaires
- Published Statistics
3C. - Please provide details of the methods and information sources MEABC used to identify the social and economic needs of people in rural areas including relevant dates, names or organisations, titles of publications, website references, details of surveys or consultations undertaken etc.
Council launched a public consultation on 3 proposed Improvement Objectives from 17 January to 4 April 2025.
A survey was conducted in the Council’s leisure centres, and within Ballymena, Carrickfergus, and Larne town centres, published online, and displayed at main reception areas.
We also reviewed and considered the following information:
- The Mid and East Antrim Borough Council’s Citizen Survey (2022) which consisted of a representative sample of 810 people across the borough; 42% of responses were received from people living in rural areas.
- Regional statistics, for example, data from the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency, the Northern Ireland Executive, and the Department of Agriculture, Environment, and Rural Affairs.
- The Programme for Government Northern Ireland – “Doing What Matters Most” (2024-2027).
- The Mid and East Antrim Community Plan – “Putting People First” (2017-2032, and 2022 review).
- The Mid and East Antrim Borough Council Corporate Plan (2024-2028).
- Findings from previous public consultations on the Council’s prior Performance Improvement Plan and Corporate Plan.
- A review of legislation and statutory guidance.
- Self-analysis from our annual Performance Self-Assessment Reports, audit results (Northern Ireland Audit Office), and business plan performance.
- Benchmarking with other councils.
- Engagement and feedback from the Council’s management and officers.
3D. - Please provide details of the social and economic needs of people in rural areas which have been identified by MEABC?
This is a strategic plan that will deliver high quality services, and improve the quality and life of our citizens, in both urban and rural areas.
Information sources revealed the following social and economic needs of people in rural areas.
- Citizens in rural settlements were more likely to be ‘satisfied’ than urban areas for the following:
- Their local area as a place to live: 80% versus 66%.
- The Council’s cleansing service: 73% versus 62%.
- Council events: 81% versus 72%.
- The Council’s parks and green spaces: 77% versus 71%.
- The Council’s leisure centres: 70% versus 68%.
- The Council’s recycling services: 89% versus 85%.
- Citizens in rural settlements were more likely to be ‘dissatisfied’ than those in urban areas for the following:
- Bin collections: 91% versus 84%.
- Planning: 45% versus 32%.
- Citizens from rural areas were more likely to ‘agree’ that the Council treats residents of the Borough fairly than those in urban areas: 50% versus 37%, and that the Council consults with and listens to the views of local people: 41% versus 24%.
- Citizens in rural areas were more likely to prefer not to use the Council’s website than their urban counterparts: 36% versus 23%, and were less likely to want to use the Council’s website to book activities, classes, tickets, pay for services, apply for funding, pay a bill, or report a problem.
- The most popular ways that citizens in rural settlements would like the Council to let them know what is going on across the borough is via Facebook (27%), by leaflet (25%), and by letter (20%), compared to those living in urban settlements, whereby Facebook (31%), leaflets (23%), and email (10%) were the preferred options.
- Citizens from rural areas indicated that they see less dog mess and fouling, and less rubbish or litter lying around than their urban counterparts.
- Citizens from rural areas were more likely to ‘agree’ the borough is good for starting and growing a business than their urban counterparts: 60% versus 34%, for job opportunities: 31% versus 26%, and for attractions and tourism: 64% versus 44%.
- Citizens from rural areas were more likely to ‘agree’ that Mid and East Antrim is a borough that supports healthy living than their urban counterparts: 49% versus 38%, that supports the needs of all people: 46% versus 28%, and is a borough with a skilled and adaptable workforce: 58% versus 42%.
- More people in rural areas felt ‘very safe’ when outside in their local area during the day as opposed to those living in urban areas: 68% versus 49%, and after dark: 53% versus 27%.
- People in rural areas were more likely to ‘agree’ that Mid and East Antrim is a borough where most people value and behave responsibly towards our natural environment and built assets than people from urban areas: 60% versus 42%.
3E. - Please explain why no steps were taken by MEABC to identify the social and economic needs of people
Not applicable.
Section 4: Considering the Social and Economic Needs of Persons in Rural Areas
4A. - Please provide details of the issues considered in relation to the social and economic needs of people in rural areas.
This screening exercise relates to the Performance Improvement Plan document at a strategic level.
Any instances where rural communities may be impacted will come to fruition in the actions emanating from the Improvement Objectives.
It is the responsibility of the project Senior Responsible Officers to ensure that a Rural Needs Impact Assessment screening is carried out, if they have not already done so.
Section 5: Influencing the Policy, Strategy, Plan or Public Service
5A. - Has the development, adoption, implementation or revising of the Policy, Strategy or Plan, or the design or delivery of the Public Service, been influenced by the rural needs identified?
Yes
5B. - Please explain how the development, adoption, implementation or revising of the Policy, Strategy or Plan, or design or delivery of the Public Service, has been influenced by the rural needs identified.
This screening exercise relates to the Performance Improvement Plan document at a strategic level.
Any instances where rural communities may be impacted will come to fruition in the actions emanating from the Improvement Objectives.
It is the responsibility of the project Senior Responsible Officers to ensure that a Rural Needs Impact Assessment screening is carried out, if they have not already done so.
5C. - Please explain why the development, adoption, implementation or revising of the Policy, Strategy or Plan, or the design or the delivery of the Public Service, has NOT been influenced by the rural needs identified.
Not applicable.
Section 6: Documenting and Recording
6A. - Please tick below to confirm that the RNIA Template will be retained by MEABC and relevant information on the Section 1 activity compiled in accordance with paragraph 6.7 of the guidance.
I can confirm that the RNIA Template will be retained, and relevant information compiled.
| Rural Needs Impact Assessment undertaken by: | |
|---|---|
| Position/Grade: | Corporate and Support Services Officer (Level 7) |
| Department | Citizen Focus – Policy and Performance |
| Date: | 2 July 2025 |
| Rural Needs Impact Assessment approved by: | |
|---|---|
| Position/Grade: | Policy, Performance and Partnership Manager |
| Department: | Citizen Focus |
| Date: | 2 July 2025 |
This is the end of the document.