Communities, Place and Local Government - Deputy Secretary

The Group is responsible for:

Voluntary and Community Division is responsible for supporting a vibrant, effective and more sustainable voluntary & community sector in NI through a range of regional and sub regional infrastructure support and community development programmes and initiatives. It also acts as sponsor branch for three Arm’s Length Bodies: The Charity Commission for Northern Ireland, The Commissioner for Older People for Northern Ireland and the Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People.

Community Empowerment Division’s main purpose is delivering the Neighbourhood Renewal Strategy with the intention to move initiatives to tackle place-based deprivation away from short-term, project-led interventions, towards a long-term programme-based approach to tackle deprivation and close the quality-of-life gap.

Local Government and Housing Regulation Division is responsible for:

• the policy and legislation which sets the administrative and financial framework and governance and accountability arrangements within which Northern Ireland’s 11 District Councils operate
• the legislation governing the Local Government Pension Scheme; The Appeals Service and Community Planning
• social policies including the legislative requirements for Liquor Licensing, Registered Clubs, Entertainment Licensing, Street Trading, Sunday Trading, Pavement Café licensing and Gambling
• regulation activity of the Registered Housing Associations (RHAs) in Northern Ireland on behalf of the Department. Housing Inspection Branch carries out a programme of inspections of the social housing schemes developed by RHAs.

The Regional Development Office works with a range of stakeholders to deliver urban regeneration programmes that address urban decline by improving the physical fabric of urban settlements, including the delivery of City and Growth Deals and Complementary Fund projects.

The Belfast Regeneration Directorate manages programmes to regenerate Belfast; management of a portfolio of assets including 4.8km of the River Lagan; and is the Accountable Department for Shared Space (Capital) programme under Peace IV and for Re-imaging Communities and Empowering Communities elements of the Peace Plus programme.

The North West Development Office manages physical regeneration schemes and assets in the North West including supporting the delivery of City and Growth Deals. The Office also has responsibility for the Ministerial Advisory Group for Architecture and the Built Environment.