Sinn Féin in Derry have met with the Department of Social Development to discuss concerns over the breakdown of neighbourhood renewal funding in the Top of the Hill area in the Waterside.
Cllr Bridget Meehan
Speaking after the meeting Cllr Meehan, who was accompanied by former councillor Lynn Fleming, said the Top of the Hill (TOTH) area was located within the most disadvantaged ward in the Waterside, according to standard deprivation indicators used by government departments.
She added: “We have concerns about the level of neighbourhood renewal and capital funding that has been historically invested in the area. We don’t want to impact on the funding being invested in others parts of the Waterside but we do want this area to receive levels of funding that are more appropriately matched with the levels of disadvantage and objective need.
“We met with Ian Snowden from the Department of Social Development to discuss these concerns. He was receptive to our concerns. He said he took a bottom-up approach to funding and encouraged areas to approach the department with their own ideas for projects that would meet funding criteria.”
Cllr Meehan concluded: “They will consider any project proposal that could demonstrate how it addressed objective need in a NR area. He said the same was true of project proposals for physical projects.”
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