Smaller villages funding plea after Poyntzpass & Acton Village Care Group visit

The DUP representative met group members Barbara Best, John Waddell and Yvonne Gaffney as part of a delegation of Banbridge DEA and Cusher DEA councillorss.

Speaking at an ABC Council meeting held on January 27, Alderman Greenfield commented: “This matter follows on from a meeting which all Banbridge and Cusher DEA councillors were invited to attend in Poyntzpass.

“I know many did go and engage with Barbara, John and Yvonne, who were representing businesses and the community of the Poyntzpass area.

“This community is a small area with approximately 600 residents, but has a busy community group of volunteers who do a great job in the area, and regularly do litter picks, clean-ups, and I want to commend this group who, like many across our borough, make such a difference.

“The meeting did highlight to all of those who were in attendance the issue around small villages like Poyntzpass, and how they fall outside any potential funding from the Department for Communities (DfC).

“Could the council, with the appropriate department, carry out an audit of our smaller towns?

“An audit could be carried out of the number of small villages that do fall below the threshold, so the council could move forward with a joint application for funding, if available for these villages and small environmental projects, which would enhance and improve these areas.

“I know we have been successful in applications for some of our larger towns, like the recent one with Rathfriland, Gilford and Richhill.

“The information, we probably have it all. If it could be pulled together and an audit done, so that if opportunities do avail, that something could be done for areas like Poyntzpass.”

Director of Development, Community & Wellbeing, Paul Tamati explained that the matter would be raised: “Thank you Alderman Greenfield for bringing this proposal forward.

“We know that a number of the funding criteria around small towns and villages, etc, relate to central government and central government departments.

“That is the feedback we have been given by our colleagues in central government about being able to expand that funding criteria, to be able to encompass the likes of small towns and villages.

“They set very clear thresholds around their Tier 1 towns, Tier 2 towns, and then in Tier 3, which is everything below 2,500 population.

“So your items is quite timely. We have a meeting with the Department for Communities (DfC) Shaping Sustainable Places programme coming up on February 6.

“That is about identifying potential funding for similar types of projects around small towns and villages, and that’s something we plan to bring forward at that meeting.

“We will hopefully bring back some information around how we can shape that. We’ll certainly complete that audit information and come back to you on that as well.”

Alderman Greenfield expressed his appreciation to the senior council officer: “Thank you Paul for that update. I suppose it will also encompass other smaller settlements like this here, so I think that’s good. I appreciate your work.”

Cllr Kevin Savage (Sinn Féin, Banbridge DEA) was pleased to hear that funding opportunities are going to be explored to support community groups like Poyntzpass & Acton Village Care Group: “Thanks to Alderman Greenfield for bringing that forward. I know most of the Banbridge and Cusher councillors met with the group out in Poyntzpass, and we all did highlight the funding criteria that a lot of our smaller areas face.

“It’s very welcome to know that the officers are taking that forward, because when you do have active community groups like that, it’s really important that we do support them going forward.

“We were in Poyntzpass, we saw the work that they do in terms of litter-picking, we saw that the streets are clean. So anything we can do to assist them, I would be very grateful.”

Cllr Keith Ratcliffe (TUV, Cusher DEA) praised the village group as well: “I was at the meeting with Alderman Greenfield, and I would just like to echo all his comments there.

“It’s a fantastic group of people there, and they really do want to make a difference to that local community, so I’m happy to support that.”