Debate contribution: People and Place Review
Debate contribution by Mr Gordon Lyons on .
- MLA
- Mr Gordon Lyons
- Party at the time
- Democratic Unionist Party
- Date
- 29 September 2026
- Type
- Debate contribution
- Business
- Oral Answers to Questions
- Heading
- People and Place Review
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 5761346
Read the official Assembly record
Text
I continue to see at first hand the excellent work delivered by community-sector partners through the neighbourhood renewal programme. In the past year, I have committed more than £21 million to the programme, and that is making a tangible difference to people living in our most deprived communities. That funding has enabled support for over 2,660 local community organisations and more than 340,000 volunteer hours in communities, helped over 2,266 people into employment through targeted training and employability initiatives and assisted community groups in securing in excess of £27 million in additional external funding. While the neighbourhood renewal programme's achievements are significant, I am keen for it to deliver even greater benefits for disadvantaged communities in the future. I intend for the review of the Executive's People and Place strategy, which has now concluded with the development of a draft strategic framework, to help in that process. As the existing strategy has been in operation for more than 20 years, time must be taken to ensure that the draft strategic framework has been thoroughly considered to ensure that that it can address our communities' needs and be implemented as a cross-Executive framework that aligns with the draft anti-poverty strategy. Once I have considered the draft strategic framework, the next step, subject to the agreement of my Executive colleagues, will be a public consultation exercise.
224 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
Assessment
Awaiting analysis
This record has not been analysed yet. It is not counted in any total until it has been assessed.
Disagree with this assessment?
Classifications can be challenged. A person reviews every challenge, and any change is recorded publicly above with its reason.