Strategic Theme 2: Community Safety and Cohesion
Strategic Theme 2: Community Safety and Cohesion
Our strategic objectives were:
We will work alongside partners:
- To encourage good relations, civic pride and a sense of belonging by creating vibrant, shared, cohesive and inclusive communities across the borough.
- To build the capacity of local communities to improve resilience and self-sustainability.
- To improve community safety and confidence, enabling people to feel and be safe by providing early intervention and supporting those most at risk of becoming involved in crime.
- To provide support to vulnerable people who need it.
At the end of the year:
- 69% of our measures were achieved.
- 31% were not achieved.
Our performance is explained in the pages that follow.
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Action 1 |
Through the delivery of various programmes, support our local communities to improve their resilience and build self-sustainability. |
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Measure 1 |
Continue to support the Regional Community Resilience Group (RCRG) to identify, review and shape proposals for the next phase of the RCRG priorities by 31 March 2024. |
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Status: Achieved |
Our Corporate and Community Resilience Officer and local groups have developed a resource toolkit aimed at improving community preparedness for extreme weather events. As the strategic proposals for the RCRG extend into the 2024/25 period, there are no further inputs required from the Council at this stage. Our involvement in the pilot ensures that the Council can significantly contribute to regional resilience planning. |
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Measure 2 |
Review the existing MEA Community Resilience Framework and requirement for an MEA Community Resilience Action Plan in tandem with the RCRG proposals by 31 March 2024. |
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Status: Achieved
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In collaboration with Community Resilience groups across the borough, the Council engaged in a joint study funded by the RCRG alongside Derry City and Strabane District Council. This study successfully identified five key elements that characterise a resilient community and underscore the pivotal role these communities play in ensuring preparedness, response, and recovery from severe disruptions. The findings are set to guide the future strategies of the RCRG as it aligns more closely with the broader objectives of the Civil Contingencies Framework. The Council secured funding that enabled the Mid and East Antrim Community Resilience groups to develop a resilience toolkit and framework via community workshops. |
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Action 2 |
Deliver comprehensive Good Relations activities, with the aim of influencing positive changes to attitudes and knowledge. |
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Measure 1 |
Deliver the agreed Good Relations Action Plan by 31 March 2024. |
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Status: Achieved |
During the year, the Good Relations budget was reduced by 47%, which prompted a reprofiling and resubmission of the Action Plan. Two key initiatives, the Beacon project and the Integrate project, were prioritised and delivered, leading to the fulfilment of the revised Action Plan. |
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Measure 2 |
Deliver at least 2 Good Relations projects by 31 March 2024. |
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Status: Achieved |
The Beacon project and the Integrate project were both successfully delivered. It should be noted that both were single identity projects, which affected the achievable percentages in the following measures. |
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Measure 3 |
At least 50% of participants in Good Relations activities stating that their attitude towards people from different religious backgrounds has improved by 31 March 2024. |
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Status: Not achieved |
38% of participants stated that their attitude towards people from different religious backgrounds had improved. |
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Measure 4 |
At least 50% of participants in Good Relations activities stating that their attitude towards people from different ethnic backgrounds has improved by 31 March 2024. |
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Status: Not achieved |
30% of participants stated that their attitude towards people from different ethnic backgrounds had improved. |
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Measure 5 |
At least 50% of participants in Good Relations activities stating that their knowledge of cultural traditions or backgrounds has increased by 31 March 2024. |
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Status: Not achieved |
31% of participants stated that their knowledge of different cultural traditions or backgrounds had increased. |
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Action 3 |
Work in partnership with the Poverty Action Group to progress initiatives to support the most vulnerable across the borough. |
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Measure 1 |
Conduct a review of the Safe, Warm and Well Programme delivery model by 31 March 2024. |
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Status: Achieved |
The review of the Safe, Warm and Well Programme was completed, and the report was presented to the Council’s Neighbourhoods and Communities Committee in December 2023. Despite Elected Members' support and the Council engaging with the Public Health Agency (PHA), no additional budget has been allocated for 2024/25, leading to scaled-back targets for the delivery of PHA initiatives. A process of continuous review will be implemented to prioritise spending and maximise the impact of the programme moving forward. |
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Measure 2
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Deliver 90% of the Public Health Agency target for the over 65s home safety checks by 31 March 2024. |
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Status: Achieved |
Between April 2023 and March 2024, 397 home safety checks were carried out, equating to 168% of the target. |
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Measure 3 |
Deliver 90% of the Public Health Agency target for energy efficiency support by 31 March 2024. |
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Status: Achieved |
Between April 2023 and March 2024, the Health and Wellbeing team received 391 referrals, equating to 134% of the target. |
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Measure 4
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Support the Poverty Action Group by ensuring continued presence and contribution to meetings by 31 March 2024. |
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Status: Achieved |
During the summer we once again ran the highly successful School Uniform Scheme. The scheme was delivered in partnership with Mid and East Antrim Community Advice Services (MEACAS) and was supported by the Mid and East Antrim Poverty Action Group (MEAPAG). MEAPAG act as our vehicle for the delivery of the Hardship Fund and in partnership with the Affordable Food Club, they have been able to deliver several support schemes. In addition to the new work within the scope of the Hardship Fund, the members of the MEAPAG continue to support each other and act as referral agents for available support. |
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Action 4 |
Through the Loneliness Network collaborate with statutory and voluntary partners and community groups to promote and deliver initiatives to tackle loneliness in the borough. |
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Measure 1 |
At least 40 partner organisations engaged in the network by 31 March 2024. |
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Status: Achieved |
We have engaged with over 40 partner organisations. |
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Measure 2 |
At least 40 support programmes delivered by 31 March 2024. |
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Status: Not achieved |
The Loneliness Network in Mid and East Antrim was launched in 2019 to create coordinated action, raise awareness, share best practice and encourage learning and prevention across the borough. The network brings together the Council and the Northern Health and Social Care Trust, alongside other statutory, voluntary and community groups. Although resource constraints prevented the target of 40 programmes being delivered, 27 programmes aimed at enhancing community engagement and support were successfully delivered. These initiatives included:
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