Ardglass Challenge Strategic Plan

Strategy & Action Plan

2004 – 2007
Foreword

This plan has been developed by a collective effort of the Ardglass community through a series of meetings and significantly through two Round Table Workshops (RTW) – one on 16^th February 2004 and the second on 12^th May 2004.  At the first exciting community event over 70 local people came along to discuss how to improve Ardglass for the betterment of the people who live there.  In the second RTW 32 people attended the workshop and ratified this plan. 

Representatives from the statutory sector also attended the RTW and contributed to the thinking on the plan.  A major government sector consultation exercise will be undertaken in early June 2004 to look at how the statutory sector can contribute to the implementation of the plan. 

Six sub groups have been established to move the strategy forward and in total so far 43 local people are involved in the plan delivery process.

This is an exciting time for the Ardglass area as this is the first big plan that has been developed for the whole area for many years.  It links specifically into The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development’s Fishing Villages Initiative which will hopefully allow the groups in the area to access some significant resources to action some of the proposals in the plan.   

The Ardglass Challenge –  under the auspices of Ardglass Development Association - looks forward to implementing the plan and ultimately improving the quality of life for those living in the Ardglass area.

The Sub Committee

Ardglass Challenge

                                                          

Contents

 

 

 

 

1.0		Introduction
2.0		Internal and External Analysis of Area
3.0		Socio-Economic Profile
4.0		Vision, Mission and Values
5.0		Strategic Issues and Priorities
6.0		Aims and Objectives
7.0		Action Plan 2004 - 2006

 

 

1.0  Introduction

 

 

Background to Ardglass Challenge

The Ardglass Challenge was initiated through a programme funded by Down District Strategy Partnership.  Down District Strategy Partnership was keen to improve the business and management skills of local groups in the Down area and commissioned Venture to deliver a capacity building/ social economy support programme to do this.

Groups from the Down area duly applied to Venture and the Partnership and both Ardglass Development Association and Ardglass Community Centre accessed places on the programme.  Both Ardglass Development Association and Ardglass Community Centre were keen to improve the quality of life in the area and it was agreed that the best approach would be a joint programme in which they could both take part.

They were assigned a Venture mentor to work with them to develop their business and management skills.  The groups agreed that they would

• Learn how to consult the community and get more volunteers involved in developing the area
• Develop a strategy for the improvement of the area
• Go on a field trip to see how another fishing village area has been regenerated
• Learn how best to work in partnership with others – linking with other existing groups in the Ardglass area and with external agencies
• Learn how to market the new strategy to the communit

A significant strategic planning exercise involving the entire Community was then put into place.  One of the initial issues identified in the area was the lack of volunteers working on community issues in the last few years.  This was a huge challenge to the Ardglass community in terms of getting people involved and keeping them involved.  It resulted in the use of a new consultation technique to the area – the Round Table Workshop and the use of a unique engagement method – a photographic exhibition for and by young people.  The following exercises were undertaken from January to June 2004

• In order to energise the community a photographic project with the local Primary Seven school children which aimed to depict their view of Ardglass was undertaken.  This was subsequently exhibited at the Round Table Workshop in February.  This aimed to get young people from the area into the process and also to entice their parents to the Round Table Workshops. 
• A Round Table Workshop on the 16^th Feburary 2004 to which all the community was invited.  In total over 70 local people attended.  This was also videoed.  The event was facilitated by external facilitators.
• The write up of a draft strategy by Venture and the establishment of an interim Ardglass Challenge Committee
• A series of meetings to agree the strategy with the Ardglass Challenge Committee
• The establishment of seven sub groups with over 43 volunteers whose role it is to action the plan across the six main themes and an implementation strategy to move these forward.
• A second Round Table Workshop on 12^th May 2004 to which the entire local community were once again invited.  In total 32 local representatives were in attendance.  The role of this meeting was to feed back the results and get more “buy in” from the community for the implementation of the strategy
• The running of an AGM for Ardglass Development Association, the aim of which was to build the volunteer base for the implementation of the strategy and the ratification of this organisation as the main conduit for resources for the strategy from external funding sources
• An Interagency Forum meeting with external statutory sector stakeholders to start implementing elements of the strategy.  The aim of this is to link to The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development’s Fishing Villages Initiative and to get things done and to secure external resources.
• Go on a field trip to Carlingford to see how their fishing village area has been regenerated as a result of tourism and economic development in the area

 

As a result of this work the following sub groups have been established to move the strategy forward and the list of volunteers for each is listed below.  This list is continuously being added to.  The leader of each sub group is highlighted in bold

Theme	Sub Groups
Education	·        Gerry Murtagh ·        Mary Mc Cargo ·        Elaine McCormick ·        Alice McDaniel ·        Dougie Semple ·        John Owens ·        Brian Fitzsimmons ·        Gerry Casey
Employment and Tourism and Development	·        Gerry O’ Shea ·        Fred Curran ·        Billy Finnegan ·        Gerry Murtagh ·        Ricky Le Bloss ·        Liz Williams ·        Ivan Nesbitt
Crime and Vandalism	·        Mary Mc Cargo ·        Michael Howland ·        Michelle Holland ·        Jack Wynn ·        Tommy Cunningham ·        Ann Murphy
Youth	·        Billy Finnegan ·        Raymond Burke ·        Mary Mc Cargo ·        Chris Fleming ·        Gerry Fallon ·        Kate Linden ·        Fr Fleck ·        Joanne Devlin ·        Raymond Ross ·        Sally Owens
Environment	·        Brendan Lenaghan ·        Gerard Feenan ·        Andy Beattie ·        Carmel Doherty ·        Margaret Ritchie ·        Cathy Mc Guinness ·        Jack Mc Gee
Estates	·        William McBride ·        Padraic Murphy ·        Bernard Forward ·        Gerard Feenan ·        Olive Stapleton

 

The Ardglass Challenge Strategy will only work if the Statutory Sector becomes involved in the development and the implementation thereof.  The strategy cuts across a range of different sectors including tourism; economic development; education; health; crime and vandalism; youth; play and  sport; housing; the environment; traffic and sewage issues.  The issues within these sectors are most effectively addressed through an interagency approach.  The Ardglass Challenge has now decided to present its strategy to an interagency forum which it hopes will meet in June.  This will hopefully take the strategy to a very different level and ensure that the strategy links to the Fishing Village Initiative promoted by DARD.  Below is a list statutory sector representatives who have been identified as part of the interagency forum which Ardglass Challenge hosted on 15 June 2004.

·               Chief Executive Down District Council – John McGrillen

·               Environment & Heritage Service – Patricia McCall, Caroline McGuire

·               Play – Patrick McCluskey

·               DARD – Ronnie McBride

·               PSNI – Constable Kenneth Allen, RConstable Roland Adair

·               ELB Youth – Dan McHugh

·               NIHE – Owen Brady, Mabel Gimore

·               Oaklee Housing Association – Ursula May

·               Water Board – David McClean

·               Road Service – Laurence Craig

·               EDI – Patricia Short

·               Invest Northern Ireland – Jane Dawson

·               EGSA – Denis Maguire

·               NIACRO – Aisling Cartmill

·               British Telecoms – Michael Spear

Ardglass Challenge Interim Committee

The Ardglass Challenge will require resources to make it work.  In order to access these it requires to be led by a Community Development Organisation.  Ardglass Development Association has agreed to take on this role but has in the last few years had dwindling numbers.  It was decided to hold an AGM in the middle of the second Round Table Workshop when a captive audience was in place.  At the AGM the following members were elected and the following committee roles were also elected.  This was a great boost for the Ardglass Challenge and for the future role of the Ardglass Development Association

 

 

 

2.0  Internal and External Analysis of Ardglass

 

 

Introduction

 

As part of the Ardglass Challenge an internal and external analysis was undertaken.  This was undertaken through:

·        a SWOT analysis which looked at the area from an area perspective, in respect of the strengths and weaknesses of the area and the opportunities and threats to the area

·        an external analysis which looked at external influences to the area over which Ardglass has little influence

·        a stakeholder analysis which examined who the main stakeholders in the area were and what their influence and interest was in the area

 

SWOT of Ardglass

 

Ardglass Challenge has identified a number of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats for the Ardglass area as outlined in the table below:-

 

Strengths		Weaknesses
·
·        Tourism potential ·        The people ·        Housing ·        Education of the young people ·        Attractions in the area including the castles ·        Coastal location ·        Peaceful location ·        Coney Island ·        Craft sector ·        The Fishing sector ·        Economically active population of 1170 people ·        Higher self-employment percentage in Ardglass (13%) rather than N.I. average (8%) ·        Excellent community associations with good track records ·        Golf club ·        Tourist location on the shore ·        Self employment tradition – 232 people ·        Architectural quality of buildings in the village		·        The demise of the fishing sector ·        The demise of the farming sector ·        Lack of tourism accommodation in the area ·        Lack of attractions in the area ·        Crime and vandalism ·        Lack of things for young people to do ·        Traffic and the environment ·        The environment in the estates ·        Lack of opportunities for self employed people ·        Rubbish in the area ·        Higher levels of dependents in Ardglass (43%) than for N.I. or Down District (42%) ·        Higher percentage of births to unmarried mothers in Ardglass (54%) (N.I - 33%) ·        Higher unemployment in Ardglass 2.8% (N.I. – 1.9%) ·        Higher unemployment in the 30-34 and the 50-54 age group (2.7% higher) ·        Lower percentage owner occupation ·        Lower percentage full time employees in Ardglass ·        Higher numbers with a limiting long term illness (12% - N.I. 8.5%) ·        43.8% of 16-74 age group with no formal or recognised qualifications (N.I. – 41.6% Down – 38.1 %)

 

 

Opportunities		Threats
·        CAP reform ·        ICT - Broadband ·        Fishing Villages Initiative of DARD ·        Working with statutory agencies ·        Tourism growth and income generation from tourists ·        Fishing and farming diversification ·        Common Fisheries Policy		·        CAP reform ·        Reorganisation of local government ·        Competition from the other three fishing villages ·        Assembly not operational ·        People coming to the area and not respecting it

 

 

External Influences in Ardglass

 

Ardglass communities activities are influenced by a number of outside forces.  The table below outlines the key influences that politics, the economy, social, technological, legal, environmental and equality issues (STEEPLE) have on the Ardglass area and its future development.

 

Political
·        Assembly  not operational at present ·        EU policies and influence in relation to the fishing and farming sector ·        EU enlargement ·