Town Centre Management

Oral Answers to Questions — Social Development – in the Northern Ireland Assembly at 3:45 pm on 11 December 2000.

Alert me about debates like this

Photo of Kieran McCarthy Kieran McCarthy Alliance 3:45, 11 December 2000

7. asked the Minister for Social Development what plans he has to provide central funding for town centre management partnerships.

(AQO 460/00)

Photo of Mr Maurice Morrow Mr Maurice Morrow DUP

The consultants’ report on town centre reinvigoration recommends that town centre management, as an approach, should be promoted as an essential pre- requisite to funding being provided for town centre schemes.

My Department believes that town centre management can play an important part in improving town centres throughout Northern Ireland and is supportive of this recommendation. My Department is therefore exploring the possibility of bidding for funding for town centre management in the next tranche of European Union funding. I will let the Member know the outcome.

Photo of Kieran McCarthy Kieran McCarthy Alliance

Does the Minister agree that it would be unfair if his Department, on one hand, were to encourage town centre management partnerships and, on the other, were to refuse to fund these, leaving them, as his Colleagues have done, to be funded entirely by local councils?

Photo of Mr Maurice Morrow Mr Maurice Morrow DUP

I take the point that the Member is trying to make. There would not be much point in our initiating town centre management strategies and then walking away after bringing them to a certain stage. Once we have the report we will be looking at all aspects, and I will report to the Assembly on the particular matter. It is a valid point — there would not be much point if there were nothing available to the towns to get on with the schemes.

Photo of Derek Hussey Derek Hussey UUP

Like others, I welcome the concept of town centre management and all that it can do, such as co-operation with local business, local authorities, and so on. Can the Minister state briefly when a town is a town or a large village or a small town? What is the definition of "town"?

Photo of Mr Maurice Morrow Mr Maurice Morrow DUP

I do not know whether the Member is asking me whether Castlederg is a town, village or city, and I will not attempt to answer that question at this stage. If the Member can be patient, we will bring forward this report, which he will find enlightening. It will be clearly defined in that report exactly what is a town and what size of population will deem it to be such. I will ensure that Mr Hussey gets a copy of the report, and he will clearly see whether Castlederg and similar towns are included in that definition.