Biodiversity/Heritage Officers from EBR Local Authorities participated in a 3 day study visit to Leuven during January. The Study visit was entitled “Connecting Urban and Rural Communities via Green Corridors”. During the 3 day visit delegates met with a number of successful Green Infrastructure projects which will help inform a future Green Infrastructure project within the EBR.
East Border Region held its Annual General Meeting today in the Four Seasons Hotel, Monaghan. Newly Elected Chairman Cllr Michael Ruane was delighted to accept his role as Chairman of 2016 “Ilook forward to my year ahead as Chair with enthusiasm and anticipation. I know it is going to be an extremely busy 40th year with the commencement of many new ventures and all the new challenges that a new programming period brings”
Vice Chairs newly elected were Cllr Eugene Cassidy from Meath County Council and Cllr Angus Carson from Ards and North Down Borough Council.
The Chairman, Members and staff of East Border Region would like to express our deepest sympathies to Cllr Joan Baird and the Hanna family at the sudden death of former Councillor John Hanna.
John was a member of East Border Region since 1998 until earlier this year and was a former Chairman of the Organisation.
Please be advised that as a mark of respect the EBR Members Forum meeting scheduled for Thursday 25th June 2015 has been postponed.
Please click on the link below to view the latest news from East Border Region.
Please click on link below to access news and updates from East Border Region.
At its Annual General Meeting held on Thursday 11th December 2014, in the Canal Court Hotel, Newry East Border Region were delighted to provide members with an overview of the success of the Organisation during the past year. The EBR is a cross border local authority led Organisation, based in Newry, who are part-financed by the European Union’s INTERREG IVA Cross-border Programme.
Speaking at the conference Ms Pamela Arthurs, Chief Executive provided members with an overview of the activity of EBR over the year and of the 11 INTERREG IVA funded projects which EBR administer. The 11 projects total just over €15.5 million and span the fields of Enterprise, Tourism and Environment.
The focus of this year’s AGM was on the promotion of the East Border Region as a smart, sustainable and inclusive partnership which is aligned with the current EU2020 targets. During proceedings members were informed of the success of EBR projects through dissemination of the tangible results which already have been achieved. Benefits experienced range from cost savings through energy management, new job creation, collaborative business opportunities and networking, tourism promotion and energy savings through employment of renewable technologies. For a full breakdown of East Border Region projects please see www.eastborderregion.com
The East Border Region Board appointed Cllr Peter Savage from Louth County Council as Chairman for the incoming year while Cllr Arnold Hatch from Craigavon Borough Council and Cllr Gillian Toole from Meath County Councils were elected as Vice-Chairs.
Speaking at the Annual General Meeting Cllr Savage stated that he was delighted and honoured to accept the position of Chairperson of the East Border Region Board. He paid tribute to the outgoing Chair, Councillor Alan McDowell and stated that he hoped that he could emulate his predecessors’ achievements. Cllr Savage also spoke of the challenges ahead for EBR “The period between funding programmes is often a difficult and uncertain period and this is no different for EBR. We hope to work with our Local Authority members and SEUPB in order to ensure as smooth a transition as possible into the new programming period. We are also faced with changes in our Northern Local Authorities with the reform of Local Government. I would like to wish our colleagues who are elected to the new shadow Councils well with their new roles and pay tribute to those who are ending their careers in elected office”.
The East Border Region Board is a local authority led organisation comprising ten member councils, Counties Louth, Meath and Monaghan, Newry and Mourne, Down and Banbridge Districts, Armagh
City and District, Craigavon, Ards and North Down Boroughs. In recent years the Board has established itself as being at the forefront of cross border economic development. In the incoming year the Board will be focussing on the continued roll out and closure of the remaining INTERREG IVA projects, developing projects for submission to the forthcoming INTERREG V Programmes and developing links with our colleagues in Europe.
Pictured from left to right: Ms Pamela Arthurs Chief Executive EBR, Cllr Alan McDowell, outgoing Chair, Cllr Peter Savage incoming Chair for 2015, Cllr Gillian Toole, Vice Chair EBR and Cllr Arnold Hatch, Vice Chair EBR.
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Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Business 20 November 2014
The iOTA Programme is hosting an Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Business networking event to celebrate Global Entrepreneurship Week. The event is free to attend, the key speaker is Bobby Kerr, Former founding Dragon on Dragon’s Den Ireland. To celebrate Global Entrepreneurship Week David Bradley, Director GEW Ireland will give an address. There will be business case studies from climote, Keen Nutrition, AsssetIQ and SlackPress. PKF-FPM will deliver a workshop on Raising funding for innovative products and Paul Millar will deliver a workshop on Managing innovation – Risk and Reward.
To REGISTER to attend email: aveen@eastborderregion.com
Telephone 0044 28 3025 2684 or Log onto Eventbrite www.eventbrite.com search iOTA Programme
East Border Region Ltd (EBR) co-hosted a joint conference entitled ‘Cross Border Connections’ with the North West Region Cross Border Group (NWRCBG) and the Irish Centre Border Area Network (ICBAN) on 2nd October in Buncrana.
The aim of the conference hosted by the three Local Authority led cross border networks working in the Irish Border and Northern Ireland Border Region was to look at ways to bring Local Authorities to the forefront of cross border collaboration and partnership. The three groups have all been involved in managing substantial amounts of INTERREG funding since 2003 and as a result the successful management of these funds has been the majority of their focus. The conference therefore sought to take a collective look at common concerns facing border regions and to look at a proactive way forward for the three groups collectively.
The timing of the conference was apt giving the reform process which both jurisdictions are currently undergoing. The conference was attended by all of the Local Authorities, North and South from the entire Border Region representing a total population of over 1.6 million people.
During the conference delegates listened to Dr Anthony Soares, Centre for Cross Border Studies, Professor Greg Lloyd, Urban Planning and Built Environment University of Ulster, and Mr Padraic White former Managing Director of the Industrial Development Authority (IDA).
Delegates were also delighted to listen to keynote speakers Republic of Ireland Minister of State for the Department of Arts, Heritage and Gaeltacht Affairs and the Department of Communication, Energy and Natural Resources Mr Joe McHugh and Northern Ireland Minister for the Environment Mark H Durkin. Both Ministers demonstrated an understanding of the issues affecting border areas and the importance of ongoing collaboration between Local Authorities.
Chairman of East Border Region Cllr Alan McDowell welcomed the event, “I am delighted to see so many Elected Members here today. We all have a common goal which is to improve the sustainability and prosperity of our respective regions and we cannot underestimate the collective strength we have as three bodies coming together”.
The conference concluded with a conference networking dinner. A follow up report will be prepared by Officials and further meetings of the three groups scheduled for the coming months.
Photo caption: Cllr Alan McDowell, Chairman of EBR, Cllr Pat Treanor, Chairman of ICBAN, Cllr Paul Canning, Chairman of NWRCBG, N.I. Minister of the Environment Mark H Durkin, R.O.I. Minister of State Joe McHugh and colleagues pictured at the recent Cross Border Groups Connections Conference
The iOTA Programme will provide innovation experts to deliver a series of Master Classes and Workshops to assist you to expand and grow your business. Please contact the relevant delivery agent or aveen@eastborderregion.com
