Mid Ulster District Council Chair, Councillor Frances Burton has appealed to Mid Ulster District Council (MUDC) and partner organisations to fast-track planned improvements in Caledon, two-and-a-half years on from the publication of a village plan detailing what is being envisaged for the locality.
Speaking at a recent development committee meeting of the local authority, the DUP councillor commented: “The village of Caledon had worked with one of our officers, and it would be probably a couple of years ago now.
“They had submitted what they thought was their village plan into council.”
Referring to Costa Local Rural Support Network, and CWSAN (Cookstown and Western Shores Area Network), the council Chair continued: “I had contact from some of the people that asked where it’s at.
“You know the way CWSAN and Costa are leading on the village planning updates, and they were actually going out, almost as if they were starting all over again, which sends out a bit of a negative message.
“[The Caledon residents] had already been consulted two and a half years ago, whenever the meeting was taking place, and our staff were involved in it.
“A really good number of people had turned out and were really engaged in it, so I’ve been asked the question, where is it sitting now, and what is happening?
“So, I would like a wee update on that, that would be good to ensure that it moves ahead.”
Head of Community Development, Claire Linney told the Clogher Valley representative: “That’s the one the Prince’s Trust was involved in, or they were leading on it.
“Now, I know [a council officer] was involved in it from a Community Planning perspective, and we also had [another council officer] involved from our Heritage Planning, and I know the village plan was finished.
“What I can do is a wee update to [the relevant officers] to let them know that there’s one [plan] there, in terms of follow-up.
“But I suppose the concept was it’s left for the villages, and then they drive it and get the key people when and if the priorities come into place.”
The council Chair continued: “I think they’re sitting waiting, thinking ‘Who’s taking the next step?’, so maybe there should be some chat with the community as well, to try and move it forward, and obviously [see] if there is some resources coming through this CWSAN and Costa.
“But any meeting I’ve been at involving those future plans, they keep saying at the minute there is no money, but they’re hoping that something will come at some stage.
“So it’s all the departments coming together, but there’s no guarantee as far as I can make out that there is money available.”
The senior council officer confirmed that securing funding for individual villages was difficult: “I suppose CWSAN and Costa have got money through DAERA, but they’ve [only] got so much for so many villages per year, so they’re actually prioritising the villages as the villages come through.
“Now, obviously, at the minute we’ve 50 village plans, and they’re conscious that we maybe have to start pulling groups together, but the villages aren’t keen to come together just yet.
“They are prioritising Clogher Valley at the moment.
“CWSAN and Costa are the facilitators of the engagement there, and what they’re trying to do is get all the village plans up to speed first and foremost, and then identify an action plan where they’re looking at all the village plans in terms of having one plan for Clogher.
“Now, the plan is nearly there but they want to go out and do a final engagement and consultation session with all the departments and key stakeholders, and that’s in the planning.
“Once that’s in place that goes back to DfC, and then DfC look in terms of seeing where there’s any potential regeneration monies that can support some of the initiatives.”
Councillor Gael Gildernew (SF, Clogher Valley) felt strongly that Caledon had been left out: “CWSAN and Costa have done village plan meetings in Clogher, in Augher, in Aughnacloy, in Fivemiletown, in Castlecaulfield, in Benburb, in Eglish, in Ballygawley. They haven’t done any in Caledon.
“And I don’t see anything in the calendar for Caledon. They do seem to have been missed in it. Maybe it’s something to follow up on.”
The head of Community Development replied: “I assumed Caledon was in that mix, but I’ll do a wee follow up [to make sure] that that’s looked at.
“There is already a plan, so it’s just doing a wee touch base with the community.”
