Ards and North Down residents asked to shape borough's leisure plans

A Northern Ireland council is asking its residents to take part in a "participatory democracy" event to shape public leisure for the next ten years.

Ards and North Down Borough Council is in the process of developing a leisure strategy and is encouraging members of the public to have their say by completing an online survey.

The new leisure strategy will help shape the future of leisure in the borough and aims to provide a clear direction for the council to improve this provision for the duration of the project, from 2025-2034.

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The community survey forms part of a wider consultation to inform the council’s leisure strategy. Members of the public who complete it will be entered into a draw to win a three-month membership at a leisure facility that the council or its partners operate.

The new Mayor of Ards and North Down, Councillor Alistair Cathcart, said: “The leisure strategy will focus on Ards and North Down Borough Council's delivery of active leisure opportunities, which are those opportunities that include any form of exercise.

"It will also consider the council's role in providing for both social and cognitive leisure, and will cover both direct and indirect leisure delivery. It is imperative that we gain as much feedback as possible from members of the public, providers and educators.

"This will help to ensure that the future of leisure in Ards and North Down will accurately reflect the needs of our borough.”

Completed forms must be submitted by Friday June 28. Following the survey, public engagement sessions will be held in Bangor, Newtownards and Portaferry in late August/early September.

The survey can be found here

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