A guide to developing a new community facility, sports pitch or public space, including regenerating an old building. It takes you through the three key phases and creates a ‘checklist’ of tasks and things to consider; and helps answers questions - what is a feasibility study and when do i need one? Do i need a business case and where do i go to get one? what should i do first - a business plan, planning, design or costing? and what do i need to do to make my project ‘shovel ready’. It’s a beginners guide for anyone considering a major capital project, with most of it also applying to those seeking multi-annual programme or revenue funding.
UK Community Renewal Funding was released in Nov 2021, NI secured over £12m across 31 projects. Whilst twice the UK average, it was still less than half of Wales. Plus 87% of funding in NI went to non-council projects. NI is in a unique position for UK funding. Find out why this is important.
NI achieved £48m in Levelling Up Funding but their average bid was one third the UK average, can NI achieve bigger projects and what does the new UK wide fund mean for NI funding streams. Derry City & Strabane District Council won one-third of all the funding in NI with Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council securing the largest single bid of £12.2m for the Dundonald International Ice Bowl
NI faces bigger challenges than Brexit. Whilst Brexit dominates the news and will impact everyone, there are five massive risks - and opportunities - facing NI that are not being suitably addressed. Issues that could divide people even more than Brexit. We outline the five challenges - Care, Education, Infrastructure, Pensions and Social Networks.
NI Schools regularly top league tables, tables based solely on exam percentages. But percentage tables can be abused, and why are universities reviewed so differently to schools? Why focusing on exams can leave pupils in a poorer position. What about children's mental health, physical activity, career path and choice? What proportion of results are down to tutors, and is that fair? And finally are Universities worth all the exams anyway?
Belfast was given £1bn under the new City Deal. There's lot of strategies out there, but what if you applied a little fresh thinking? Cycle Networks; Re-Opening Mills; Street Tours; Painting a Whole Street or Lighting Up a Whole Arterial Road; Having 20,000 Marathon Runners Visit Every Year and the Top Indoor Sports Facility in Europe... What would TripAdvisor suggest? The 5 things we'd do to make Belfast a brighter, bolder and more active fun City
New Deprivation Measures (Noble Indicators) are out for NI, first time since 2010. What are they? What are SOAs? Why are they considered by some to be the 'Rich List' for the community and public sector? What are the most deprived areas and do they ever change? All this and more is answered within.
After the $450m sale of Salvator Mundi, what is Art? is it an investment, public or private? Should government buy, sell or sponsor art? How would that be appraised?
