WEST Belfast MP Paul Maskey and representatives from the West Belfast Partnership Board met this week with Finance Minister John O’Dowd to discuss a series of pressing issues affecting community organisations.
The meeting, described as “positive and constructive,” centred on the need for updated deprivation data, reforms to the community asset transfer system, and improved terms and conditions for the community and voluntary sector workforce.
A key focus of the meeting was the urgent need to update the Multiple Deprivation Measures, which currently rely on data from 2017. Community representatives stressed that outdated figures hinder effective planning and resource allocation, leaving disadvantaged areas without the targeted support they require.
Mr Maskey noted that improving the accuracy of the statistics would “massively benefit outcomes for communities,” enabling government departments and local organisations to better identify and address the most acute social and economic challenges.
The delegation also highlighted the need for greater community ownership of physical assets, an approach central to community wealth building. With the Strategic Investment Board undertaking a review of asset transfer processes, Mr Maskey and the Partnership Board called for the Department of Finance to play a stronger, more direct role to ensure fairness, transparency, and long-term sustainability.
They further emphasised the importance of new legislation to simplify the community asset transfer model, making it easier for local groups to revitalise buildings and bring underused spaces back into productive community use.
Another major issue raised was the long-running pay freeze affecting staff in the community and voluntary sector, a freeze that has remained in place since 2009.
Representatives urged the Minister to keep an open mind regarding proposals from the Communities Minister aimed at improving pay and working conditions for frontline workers who deliver essential services in some of the most deprived areas.
Peter Lynch, Chief Executive of the West Belfast Partnership Board, welcomed the engagement.
“This meeting marks a positive step toward addressing these pressing issues and we look forward to continued engagement with the Department of Finance to deliver meaningful change for our communities," he said.
"These three key priorities are integral to developing our most deprived areas and ensuring communities can reach their full potential. It is important that any future decisions on spend is focused on updated NISRA statistics.”
Following the meeting, West Belfast MP Paul Maskey, added: “Communities must have accessible pathways to regeneration. I was encouraged by the Minister’s commitment to progressing the update of NISRA data and reviewing the community asset transfer framework.
“We also discussed the Community Asset Transfer Programme and the need for review and new legislation to make this a simpler project for communities to avail of these opportunities to revitalise buildings across our communities.
"The community sector plays a key role in regenerating and revitalising our areas, and it is important that we work with government departments to make this as accessible as possible.”
The West Belfast Partnership Board and local representatives say they will continue working with government departments in the months ahead to ensure the reforms discussed this week translate into meaningful improvements for communities.
