Performance Improvement Plan 2025-2026 document p3

People: We will work with partners to improve the lives of citizens.

Health and wellbeing

• In our Citizens Survey (2022), citizens indicated relatively low levels of satisfaction with both their physical and emotional health (average ratings of 5.8 and 6.4 out of 10 respectively).
• 1 in 4 of our citizens’ activities are limited by a long-term health problem or disability.
• 1 in 4 of our citizens do not do any weekly exercise. 
• ‘Health’ is cited as the main reason for economic inactivity in Northern Ireland.
• The population is ageing, with loneliness and isolation identified as key issues amongst older age groups, but this can affect anyone.
• Support for and engagement with older people is welcomed.
• There is a lack of awareness among older age groups of our existing offering of health, wellbeing and social opportunities.
• We must consider the needs of people with disabilities to ensure equal access to all buildings, venues and events, including the provision of quiet spaces. 

Financial health

• In our Citizens Survey (2022), citizens indicated low levels of satisfaction with their financial health (average rating of 5.2 out of 10).
• More concessions are welcomed for leisure and arts and cultural programmes for people on lower incomes.
• Positive feedback was received on our leisure centre membership rates for older people and families.

Skills and employment

• Rates of employment and economic activity in the borough currently fare well against the Northern Ireland average.
• Our citizens would like the opportunity to develop their skills and improve their employment prospects.
  They felt any opportunities to do so should be open to all age groups.
• Reasonable adjustments should be made for people with disabilities to apply for jobs within the Council and the local area.
• We should hold job fairs and ensure they are accessible to all.

Safety

• Insufficient leisure and recreational provision for young people can lead to loitering, littering, vandalism and anti-social behaviour, which can result in people feeling unsafe within the borough’s parks, playparks, town centres and sporting facilities.
• Evidence shows most women and girls in Northern Ireland have experienced some form of gender-based violence.
  The prevention of violence against women and girls is an immediate priority of the Programme for Government.
  There is citizen support to take action to address this.

Partnership

• Our citizens recognise the benefits of us working in closer partnership with the statutory, community, voluntary, and sporting sectors.
  This can help to maximise resources (and avoid increasing rates), address local issues (such as drugs and anti-social behaviour), ensure access for all (by engaging with people with lived experience), and achieve better outcomes for citizens.

Communication

• Feedback indicates a lack of awareness of our offerings, such as programmes for leisure, socialising, nature and outdoor recreation, arts and cultural activities, town centre events, skills development, employment academies, volunteering opportunities and poverty support.
• People of all ages do not use social media and would like us to use some more traditional forms of communication.
• All information should be provided in alternative formats to ensure equal access for everyone.

Place: We will maintain and improve our local areas.

Leisure and recreation

• The need for safe and accessible outdoor space was noted, within both urban and rural areas.
• There is a demand for more sports, recreation and play provision for children and young people, particularly ages 12+, including indoor facilities that can be supervised or locked (to deter anti-social behaviour), and investment in our leisure centres, sporting facilities and playparks.
• Parks should be wheelchair friendly and have ample disabled parking.
• Our leisure centres are well used by a variety of different age groups.
  Users would like an extension of opening hours, the opening of facilities on bank holidays and more cleaning.
  Feedback indicates an excess in demand for our MEAqua Programme and Summer Schemes.
• We should ensure adequate and accessible toilet provision across the borough, including indoor and outdoor venues, during events and within our town centres.
  We should also consider the provision of Changing Places toilets.
• A few respondents requested dog parks.

Local economy and town centres

• As a whole, Northern Ireland has the lowest discretionary income of all UK regions and the median pay in Mid and East Antrim is lower than the Northern Ireland average.
• Our citizens would like to see more inward investment, higher value jobs, and support for businesses to start up and grow in the area. 
• To create an economy that works for everyone, the Northern Ireland Executive plans to address four key challenges, including productivity, good jobs, decarbonisation and regional balance.
  The Sub-Regional Economic Plan will rebalance economic growth across Northern Ireland and will see the creation of Local Economic Partnerships within each council area.  
• Citizens would like to see improvements within our town centres, with high operating costs, businesses closing, dereliction, vacant units and cleanliness stated as some of the key issues.
• There was a general feeling that the Ballymena area was prioritised over Carrickfergus and Larne, with some specific locations of concern raised.
• Support to help sustain town centre businesses was welcomed, such as a reduction in business rates and the removal of car parking charges.
• There was support for actions to help drive footfall and improve the attractiveness of our town centres.
  These included shop front improvements, well-publicised events, town centre markets, incentives to shop locally, the development of an evening/night-time economy, and lighting, seating and planting schemes.
• Some ideas to improve town centre accessibility included more pedestrian areas for safer and more enjoyable events, and for more seating and toilet provision, particularly for use in the evening and during events.
• Closer partnership working with other government departments is needed to ensure a holistic approach, for example street lighting, gritting and potholes, and speed awareness and enforcement.

Tourism

• Around half of our citizens think the area is good for attractions and tourism.
• There is a demand for more focus on developing and promoting the borough’s history and heritage, and for the development of linkages between our tourism assets.
• People living in Carrickfergus would like to see greater use and promotion of the castle, such as opening on bank holidays, aligning with cruise ship schedules and creating better linkages with the town centre.
• Some citizens of Larne would like to see the promotion of the town as a gateway to the Causeway Coastal Route.
  Some noted the need for a Tourist Information Centre.

Planet: We will reduce our environmental impact and improve sustainability.

A cleaner borough

• The Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful Street Cleanliness score for Mid and East Antrim is 70%, which is an ‘acceptable’ level.
• Feedback indicates that dog foul and litter are key issues throughout the borough.
• People would like to see more bin provision, including general waste, recycling and dog foul bins.
• Citizens would also like more cleaning of the borough’s town centres, parks and playparks, pitches and housing developments.
  They would also like to see a greater Dog Warden presence.
• The value of volunteering groups within our local areas was noted.
• Everyone has a part to play.
  We should work closely with local community and voluntary groups, and schools on green initiatives.
  The importance of working with young people was also stressed, as was the Council leading by example.

Waste management and recycling

• There are currently two dry recycling household collection models operating within Mid and East Antrim borough, a twin-stream blue bin and kerbside boxes.
• Our citizens have indicated that they would like recycling to be simpler.
• ‘Cost’, ‘convenience’ and ‘time’ were citizens’ top reasons for not making environmental improvements (Citizens Survey 2022).
• Amendments to the Waste and Contaminated Land (NI) Order 1997, introduced in 2020, impacts the statutory recycling targets for local councils.
  Municipal recycling rates must reach 55% by 2025, 60% by 2030, and 65% by 2035.
  There will be a 10% cap on landfill waste by 2035, and by 2028, there will be a ban or restriction on biodegradable waste sent to landfill.
• Our household recycling performance is currently 50.67% and falling, for dry recycling and organic waste.
• Our kerbside recycling rate is 17.7%, one of the lowest of all the Northern Ireland councils.

Consultation Outcome

All of our research and findings have been carefully considered.

Our Senior Management Team have recommended the Performance Improvement Plan for 2025/26 addresses the following needs and issues:

• Preventing violence against women and girls.
• Boosting economic productivity.
• Supporting our town centres.
• Improving communication with our citizens.
• Making the borough cleaner.
• Simplifying recycling.

Although the Plan does not address every need and issue identified, the results of the consultation and research will be shared within the Council to inform service-level improvements.

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