Your Council

Council History
Carrickfergus Borough Council came into being as a result of the reorganisation of local government in Northern Ireland, which was implemented in 1973. At that time the original Carrickfergus Borough Council, together with the Whitehead Urban District Council and part of the Larne Rural District Council area, were amalgamated to create the present Carrickfergus Borough Council area.
The Council area is located on the north shore of Belfast Lough and extends from Greenisland in the south-west to Whitehead in the east. The total area of the Borough is 8,203 hectares (32 square miles), with a population of circa 38,500. Carrickfergus Borough Council is one of 26 local councils throughout Northern Ireland.

Chairs and Vice Chairs (respectively):

Chief Executive’s Office – Cllrs J McClurg and L Marsden
Building Services – Cllrs D Ferguson and L McClurg
Development Services – Ald B Ashe and Cllr M Cosgrove
Environmental Services – Cllrs E Ferguson and T Clements
Support Services – Ald M Beattie and Cllr R Beggs.

Organisational Structure
Following re-organisation, the Council’s structure comprises the Chief Executive’s Office and four other Departments. Reporting directly to the Town Clerk and Chief Executive (CE) are the senior management team of 4 Directors - ie the Directors of Building Services, Development Services, Environmental Services and Support Services.

Chief Executive’s Office
(Chief Executive: Alan Cardwell)
The Chief Executive’s Office comprises the Town Clerk and Chief Executive, his Personal Secretary, the Policy Officer and the Internal Auditor - all of whom report directly to the Chief Executive. The Chief Executive has overall responsibility for all Council’s executive business and is the organisation’s Chief Finance Officer. The Office covers the important areas of Corporate Planning, Business Improvement, Internal Audit, the Equality / Good Relations duties of the Northern Ireland Act (1998), Council’s representation on various partnership bodies and Local Government Elections. The Chief Executive is also Council’s link with Central Government Departments and Ministers on matters of major importance.

Building Services Department
(Director: Stephen Johnston)
The largest part of the Department's workload is in relation to Building Regulations which involve the checking of building plans, the approval of applications or (as required) the issue of rejection notices, the checking of fees and the inspection of sites once construction work has commenced. In addition to the above functions the Department also carries out a number of other subsidiary functions, including providing advice on access and facilities for disabled people, and the provision of lease and deed documentation for Council properties.

Other areas within the Department's remit are:

• Property Certificates
• Dangerous Structures
• Street Naming / Postal Numbering, Access
• Licensing
• Energy Conservation
• Water Conservation
• Facilities Management
• Asset and Project Management

The department comprises over one hundred staff working across four main sections, namely; Economic, Community, Leisure and Marketing. Highlighted below are the broad key areas of responsibility for each section. It should be noted that there is a significant degree of synergy between the various functions.

Economic Development Section

• Business Start
• Business Development
• Business Competitiveness
• Town Centre Management
• Local Strategy Partnership
• Regeneration

Community Development Section

• Community Centre Facility Management - 6 locations
• Community Development
• Community Relations
• Community Safety
• District Policing Partnership
  

Leisure Development Section

• Leisure Centre
• Ramparts Health and Fitness Suite
• Outdoor Leisure Facilities - 9 locations
• Playgrounds - 12 locations
• Carrickfergus in Bloom
• Countryside Access
• Cemeteries
• Parks and Countryside

Marketing Development Section

• Museums
• Marina, Harbour and Whitehead Boat Park
• Arts and Events Management
• Tourism
• Corporate Marketing
• Corporate Brand Management
• Corporate Public Relations
• Corporate Web and Internet Management

Development Services represents Council on various bodies including:

• Rural Economic Action Partnership (REAP)
• Core Regional Economic Development Body (CORE)
• Councils of the Metropolitan Area (COMET)
• Belfast Visitor & Convention Bureau Regional Tourism Partnership
• Causeway Coast and Antrim Glens Regional Tourism Partnership (CCAG)
• Mid Antrim Museum Service (MAMS)
• Local Community Fund Management Board (LCF)
• Youth and Voluntary Arts (YAVA)

• Waste and Litter Collection and Disposal
  
• Recycling
  
• Food Control
  
• Health and Safety
  
• Consumer Protection
  
• Pollution Control
  
• Dog Control
  
• Environmental Health
  
• Planning Consultations
  
• Licensing and Regulatory Services
  
• Local Agenda 21

The administrative responsibilities include:

• Support to Council and Elected Members
  
• The Committee Secretariat
  
• Human Resource Function
  
• Registration of Birth, Deaths and Marriages
  
• Civic and Ceremonial Functions
  
• Public requests for Information
  
• Back-up to the Chief Executive

Financial services provided by the Department include:

• Staff Salaries
  
• Creditors and Debtors
  
• Invoicing
  
• Monthly Accounting Statements
  
• Annual Accounts
  
• Annual Estimates (Budgets)
  
• Capital Accounting
  
• Grant Claims
  
• Councillors' Allowances

The Department is also responsible for ICT support across Council.

Council Grants
The Council acknowledges the contribution of local cultural, community & sporting groups, as well as individuals, towards the development of a sustainable community. We also recognise the need to provide practical support and listen to their comments.

In the past, our systems when applying for assistance from Council may have been somewhat complicated. These have now been simplified and our new procedures are clearly explained in a concise new booklet, Liftoff.

We believe that Liftoff addresses these concerns by putting all information about all Council funding opportunities in the one place. Colour-coded application forms which complement Liftoff are available from the Council offices on request.

Should you need to have this document made available to you in an alternative format (eg Braille, audio cassette) or in another language, please contact:

Lisa Adair - Policy Officer,
Museum and Civic Centre,
Antrim Street,
Carrickfergus
BT38 9DG.

T: 028 9335 8003
F: 028 9336 6676
E: ladair.policy@carrickfergus.org

How can we help you?
We’re here to help you, so if you have any queries about our services or require assistance in any area, please feel free to contact the relevant department from the directory below.