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COMMUNITY & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT The Community and Economic Development section supports inter-agency strategic collaborative work with other organisations on a local and regional level in promoting and encouraging community and economic development within the County. It supports community organisations, encourages volunteerism and active citizenship, promotes social inclusion and provides a range of supports and grant aid to community based and non-profit organisations throughout the county. Increasingly the economic agenda is growing as the section engages on a collaborative basis with stakeholders across the business and economic landscape such as the Sligo Economic Forum, Tourism sector, Atlantic Economic Corridor and Diaspora to mention but a few.
Local Community Development Committee (LCDC)
Sligo LCDC was established in 2014 under the Local Government Reform 2014 Act for the purposes of developing, co-ordinating and implementing a coherent and integrated approach to local and community development. The committee is made up of representatives from the local government and local development sectors, public bodies and representatives of social, economic, environmental and community interests. In March 2020 Councillor Chris MacManus resigned as Chairperson of the Sligo Local Development Committee (LCDC)/Local Action Group (LAG) to take up a position as MEP in the European Parliament. Councillor MacManus had been elected Chairperson at the July 2019 LCDC meeting. Following his resignation, Mr. Hugh MacConville, Vice-Chair assumed the role of Chairperson in the interim as agreed by Members. The outbreak of Covid-19 delayed the election process as meetings were held virtually. Officials in the Department advised that it was in order to proceed with the election of a Chairperson by online means. Following the online election Councillor Dara Mulvey was formally ratified as LCDC Chairperson at the October meeting of the LCDC. The LCDC, like many structures, became a relevant partner in the response to the onset of the Covid-19 Pandemic in March 2020 and continued to meet, moving to virtual meetings, given the significance of its programmes in supporting the community at this time.
SLIGO COUNTY COUNCIL ANNUAL REPORT 2020
