Newry People's Forum forms Working Groups to turn words into action

Ten elected representatives from four parties have responded to Newry People’s Forum’s report on the issues Newry residents say matter most to the city’s future. Residents have also set up six working groups to press for action on the report’s priorities. The Forum will now ask every party to turn its support into specific actions with clear timescales.

Residents filled the Canal Court Hotel on 8 October to discuss the future of Newry. The Forum then sent the full report to every councillor and MLA representing Newry and asked each of them to respond in writing by 29 October.

On Thursday 29 October, a follow-up meeting at the Canal Court Hotel set up six working groups. Each group will meet elected representatives in the coming weeks to press for action on its priorities and will report to the Forum’s committee.

Responses were received from four Alliance Councillors, Helena Young, Jill Truesdale, David Lee-Surginor and Tierna Howie. The DUP responded through Cllr Henry Reilly and Gareth Wilson MLA, and the SDLP through Cllrs Killian Feehan and Doire Finn and Justin McNulty MLA. The UUP response came from Cllr David Taylor.

The Forum said the responses show clear cross-party common ground. Every party that responded addressed Daisy Hill Hospital, the canal and waterfront, events, planning, council transparency, city centre dereliction, parking and public transport.

Sinn Féin has told the Forum it will respond “in due course”. The Forum will publish that response in full when it is received. All responses received so far have been published in full on the Forum’s Facebook page.

Brian Cleland, Chairperson of Newry People’s Forum, said: “The people of Newry have made their views clear, and representatives from four parties have now responded on the record. There is significant common ground on the issues residents care about most. But support is not the same as delivery. Residents are now organising in working groups to keep up the pressure, and the priority will be turning politicians’ support into specific actions with dates. We will report back to the public on whether those commitments are kept.”

The Forum will track and publish progress against each commitment.

Newry People’s Forum is an independent, non-party-political group set up to give the people of Newry a stronger voice.

The Working Groups

• Business
• Canal and waterfront
• Festivals and events
• City centre regeneration
• Children and young people
• Accountability and transparency.

Columba O'Hare/ Editor of Newry.ie is a Newry People's Forum committee member and a member of the Canal and waterfront working group.

Anyone wishing to join a particular working group can contact briancleland@gmail.com