1. Introduction Cork City Council is commencing the process of creating a new six-year Local Economic and Community Plan (LECP) for Cork City to help guide the growth and development of our city’s communities, voluntary sector, economic stakeholders and citizens as a whole. This plan builds on the work and priorities identified in the first LECP ‘Pure Cork: An Action Plan for the City’ which covered the years between 2016-2021. The LECP is the primary mechanism at local level to transfer relevant actions arising from EU, national, regional and local strategies and policies to a Cork City context. The LECP is developed and implemented in partnership between Cork City Council and other economic and community stakeholders and therefore, provides an enabling framework that supports collaborative working between the economic and community sectors and across all stakeholders to the communities themselves. It therefore helps to bring community and economic stakeholders together, to strategically align and work towards shared goals in a collaborative way. The LECP was first introduced in 2015 and seen as an important departure from centralised strategic planning, giving a greater role to Local Authorities in local community and economic development. The LECP contains both a Community Plan which addresses social issues primarily and issues of social inclusion and an Economic Plan which addresses issues of economic development, employment and enterprise. Economic development and local and community development, while distinct functions which involve some different challenges, approaches and skills, are mutually supportive in building sustainable communities with strong local economies. There are many areas of common interest and action that make our city spaces more vibrant and welcoming for all Cork residents and in doing so, attract footfall for the various businesses and eateries in the city. The process of developing this plan is centred around providing ample opportunities for contributions and responses from communities and people across the city. It is the intention of the City Council to establish what the key issues and opportunities are and what matters most to the people of Cork City. Guiding Values We will follow the below values outlined in Cork City Council ’ s Corporate Plan as well as those outlined in the recently published ‘Values and Principles for Collaboration and Partnership working with the community and voluntary sector’ 1 . “ They will form the bedrock of engagement and collaboration going forward…..These Values and Principles will support consultation, inclusion and participation of communities, particularly disadvantaged communities, in public policy and decision-making at all levels and forms a foundation for collective approaches to local and national issues.”
Minister Joe O’Brien.
1 gov.ie - Values and Principles for Collaboration and Partnership (www.gov.ie)
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