The Chairman of Omagh District Council, Councillor Bert Wilson today welcomed a group or representatives from Cranmore Co-operative Committee in Sligo. Also in attendance was Estate Officer Dessie Mc Garry, Marcella Mc Garry MCR community Centre and local Garda John Mc Guinness and Philip Maree. The group was in Omagh to learn from the innovative work being done in Omagh by the CKS Interagency Group, which is led by Omagh District Council, to develop the community infrastructure and build a positive future for the people in the Culmore and O’Kane Parks area.
During a visit to the CKS Community Centre the group were updated on the process used to consult with the local community and develop the Inter-Agency Action Plan to address issues which local people highlighted as priorities to creating a thriving, sustainable community. They also had the opportunity to attend a meeting of the Inter-Agency Group held in the Council Offices and engage in discussion with them.
The visitors from Sligo were also very interested in the work in Omagh with the PSNI neighbourhood team, and during the visit had an informal meeting with Sgt. Mc Fall and his colleagues to discuss their approach to community policing and dealing with anti-social behaviour in the community.
Commenting on the visit Councillor Wilson highlighted how the interagency approach benefits local communities and reinforced the Council’s commitment to a joined up approach to the resolution of issues within communities. “In addition to Councillors and representatives from the statutory agencies, the CKS Inter-Agency Group also includes members of the local community. It is they who are best placed to highlight the various problems which they face and the beauty of an inter-agency approach is that they are also an integral part of the solution”, he added.
Chairman of the CKS Inter-Agency Group, Councillor welcomed the group from Sligo as a further measure of the co-operative links which exist between Omagh and Sligo and said he was delighted that they saw Omagh as a model of good practice in developing local communities.
