Background to The Big Plan

What is community planning?

In Ards and North Down, lots of organisations are involved in providing services that contribute to the wellbeing and lifestyle enjoyed by individuals and communities. Community planning is about planning holistically for the area to ensure greater collaboration between statutory agencies and to achieve better outcomes for local people.

The Community Plan is the first plan of this nature for Ards and North Down.

We have called our Community Plan 'The Big Plan for Ards and North Down'. This is because it is ambitious and takes a holistic approach to what we want to achieve by 2032. It provides a clear long-term vision stating the outcomes we want to achieve within the geographical area of Ards and North Down. It is the umbrella plan that other plans and public agencies should look to for guidance and direction.

Who is involved in the Big Plan?

The Local Government (Northern Ireland) Act 2014 requires Councils to facilitate the development of a Community Plan via a Community Planning Partnership. Members of the Partnership are drawn from across the public, private and third sector in Ards and North Down. The partnership is strategically managed by Ards and North Down's Strategic Community Planning Partnership which is responsible for providing overarching leadership as well as reviewing the implementation of the plan. The Big Plan provides a commitment from the Strategic Community Planning Partnership to the people of Ards and North Down on what will be a collective initiative over the next 15 years.

While Ards and North Down Borough Council facilitates the development of the Big Plan, it is NOT a Council plan. All community planning partners share an equal responsibility for the implementation of the plan.

Ards and North Down's Strategic Planning Partnership

Ards and North Down Borough Council	Invest Northern Ireland
Health and Social Care Board	South Eastern Regional College
NI Council for Voluntary Action	Police Service of Northern Ireland
Council for Catholic Maintained Schools	NI Fire and Rescue Service
Public Health Agency	Sport NI
Education Authority	Libraries Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland Housing Executive	Tourism NI
South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust	Translink
National Trust	Department for Justice
Department for Communities	Department for Infrastructure
Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affair	Department of Finance
Department of Education

*The Department for Economy is represented by Tourism NI and Invest NI
*The Department of Health is represented by the South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust, Public Health Agency and Health and Social Care Board

Community Planning Legislation (PDF, 284 KB) (opens new window)
A Summary Guide on Community Planning and the Big Plan_(2017) (PDF, 2 MB) (opens new window)