'Delivery team' to aid loyalist communities

The British government moved today to address the problems of disadvantaged loyalist communities in Belfast.

Political Development Minister David Hanson announced that the head of the Northern Ireland civil service, Nigel Hamilton, would lead a new team tasked with organising efforts to address the needs of problem areas.

During a visit to the Greater Shankill Community Council and the Shankill Community Convention, he said it was important that government efforts in addressing the needs of disadvantaged loyalist communities benefited from better co-ordination with services more closely connected to the communities.

In the wake of the recent loyalist street violence and amid repeated claims that disadvantaged loyalists were the forgotten people of the North, Northern Secretary Peter Hain appointed Mr Hanson to drive improvements forward.

Mr Hanson said he had established a delivery team under Mr Hamilton to help him. It will be made up of senior officials from the Northern Ireland departments and the Northern Ireland Office.

An early priority, said the minister, would be to implement the findings of a taskforce set up last year to address concerns that government policy was not impacting on Protestant working-class areas.

Mr Hanson said: “The delivery team will take the current findings of the taskforce, which is due to report soon, and ensure that real outcomes are delivered on the ground.

“Targets will be set for this work and regular assessments against these targets will be maintained.

“I believe the solution lies in securing better engagement and participation of local communities to ensure effective delivery of public services.”

The visit to the Shankill was one of a series of engagements the minister said he was undertaking to hear the views of those working in local communities suffering disadvantage.

“I want to experience the reality of life in areas such as the Shankill where there are deep-seated problems. I am keen to meet as many people as I can, and to use that knowledge to steer the work of the delivery team,” said Mr Hanson.

The Department of Social Development, through the Belfast Regeneration Office, is already investing heavily in the areas, but there is no room for complacency, admitted the minister.

He pointed out that £180,000 (€262,800) was being provided to the Greater Shankill Community Council to upgrade and extend its premises.

“Substantial amounts of money are being invested in the Shankill and other areas, not just through mainstream spending on health, education and social services, but also through a range of initiatives aimed at community development,” said the minister.

The latest initiative not only follows on from the taskforce set up last year, but a £3m (€4.4m) scheme announced by Tony Blair to address loyalist deprivation in 2003.

Loyalist communities have long argued that nationalist areas have benefited more from regeneration than their communities.