The International Centre for Local and Regional Development (ICLRD) held its Eighth Annual Conference on Thursday, 7th February 2013 in the Canal Court Hotel, Newry, County Down. The theme of this one-day event was Cooperating Across Boundaries: Resilience, Imagination, Vision and Information. This one-day event considered the type of cooperative models we should be pursuing in the context of ongoing local government reform across the island of Ireland, continued austerity, the increasing availability of data, and the unceasing need for strategic development.
The conference addressed these very topical issues over three themed sessions:
New Thinking and Ongoing Challenges in Planning for Places and Communities – exploring the role of planning and regeneration in creating resilient places and connected communities;
The Shared Services Agenda: Cooperating Across Boundaries – considering how to encourage and support shared opportunities in providing services and strategic cooperation;
Open Forum – Advocating Strategic Agendas and Pathways to Decision-Making – debating the extent to which inter-municipal and cross-jurisdictional cooperation is an important factor in contributing to innovation and sustainable development; with specific consideration being given to the themes of models of collaborative working and service delivery, evidence-based planning, and building capacity for new responsibilities.
As local government reform continues to emerge in both jurisdictions on the island of Ireland there are new challenges and opportunities in how local authorities, communities and central government policy-makers bring together different disciplines to ensure clear connections are made between community, work and place.
Speaker presentations are available for download below.
Welcome Session
| Welcome Address Mr John Driscoll, Director, ICLRD, and Dr. Tim O’Connor, Chairman, ICLRD |  |
Session 1
New Thinking and Ongoing Challenges in Planning for Places and Communities
| Welcome by Chair Ms. Jenny Pyper, Deputy Secretary, Department for Social Development, Northern Ireland | |
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| The Development Paradox in the Divided City: Imagining a New Model of Spatial Planning Prof. Frank Gaffikin, The Institute of Spatial and Environmental Planning, Queens University Belfast (3 parts) | 1 2 3 |
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| Introduction to John Fitzgerald | |
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| Neighbourhood Regeneration in Limerick, Dublin and Elsewhere: The Importance of Active Leadership Mr. John Fitzgerald, Chairman, Limerick Regeneration Agencies | |
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| Introduction to Prof. Deborah Peel | |
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| The Role of Planning in Creating Resilient Places and Communities Prof. Deborah Peel, Professor of Planning Research & Scholarship, University of Ulster | |
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| Discussion / Q&A |
Session 2
The Shared Services Agenda – Cooperating Across Boundaries
| Welcome by Chair Mr. Niall Cussen, Planning and Housing Division, Department of Environment, Community and Local Government, Ireland | |
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| Joining-up to Deliver Better Services and Cut Costs – Different Models of Shared Services: Experiences from English Councils Ms. Siobhan Coughlan, Programme Manager – Productivity, Local Government Association |
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| Introduction to Dr. Brendan O’Keefe | |
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| Shared Services Through Inter-Municipal Cooperation Dr. Brendan O’Keeffe, Department of Geography, Mary Immaculate College & University of Limerick | |
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| Discussion / Q&A – (4 parts) |
1 2 3 4 |
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| Launch of Borderlands 2013 |
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Session 3
Open Forum – Advocating Strategic Agendas and Pathways to Decision-Making: Acknowledging that
inter-municipal and cross-jurisdictional cooperation is an important factor contributing to innovation and sustainable development, an open forum discussion on:
– models of collaborative working
–locally owned / centrally supported cooperation
–the role of evidence-based planning
– effective and efficient service delivery
–building capacity for new responsibilities.
| Welcome by Chair Dr. Eoin Magennis of InterTradeIreland | |
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Open Forum Discussion (8 parts):
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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 |
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| End Conference |
