All Council News

Cookstown District Council is delighted to announce that on Wednesday 5th June 2013, a celebration event was held marking the milestone of having sold over £1million of fuel stamps throughout the Cookstown District.

Cookstown District Council recently held a sod-cutting ceremony to mark the start of work on an exciting new extension project to the Mid Ulster Sports Arena. Once completed, the extended facilities will include a large indoor physical activity arena 95m long by 25m wide and a new six changing room pavilion including committee room and catering facilities.

Summer commences in Cookstown town centre, with the roll out of Cookstown Retail Week from Monday 24 – Saturday 29 June 2013! With the schools closing and summer holidays commencing, why not visit Cookstown and avail of special offers in participating stores!

The Summer Scheme at Cookstown Leisure Centre will run from Monday 15th July until Friday 9th August (excludes weekends). This year the scheme is open for boys and girls aged 5 to 11 years.

Cookstown District Council is celebrating the outstanding success of its recently completed award-winning Multi-Sectoral Tendering Programme. Delivered over a two-year period and supporting 80 local businesses, the targets achieved as part of this initiative have boosted the District’s economy by a staggering £15 million.

This week sees the Launch of an exciting new ‘Tender Programme’ designed to provide specialist and targeted procurement support to 50 businesses throughout the Cookstown District over the next two years. This new programme builds on the success of the recently delivered Multi-Sectoral Tendering Programme.

The Cookstown Fastrack to Finance Programme aims to provide FREE support, worth up to £1,800 per business, to assist 30 local SMEs assess the feasibility of a new business idea and assist them in progressing it. This will comprise identifying and helping to access the finance required to take the idea forward.

The rising cost of resources is a growing concern for businesses… but help is at hand! Cookstown Council has just launched a major new initiative to help small and medium enterprises (SMEs) from across the District implement improvements to reduce their energy and raw material costs.

As part of the International Gathering of the O’Neill Clans 2013, Cookstown District Council hosted a special event at the Burnavon Theatre and Tullaghoge Fort on Friday 24th May for the visiting international guests, descendants of the clans of O’Neill.

From 1st June 2013 the Registration Office for Births, Deaths, Marriages & Civil Partnerships will be operating an appointment only service on certain days. Mondays (No appointment necessary) Tuesday to Friday (Appointment necessary). Office Opening Hours 9.30am - 12.30pm & 2.30pm - 4.30pm.

The first event will take place on Saturday 25th May at Tullaghoge Fort. May will see the biggest coming together of the ancient O’Neill clans. We invite you to come along and enjoy a re-enactment of life in 16th century Tyrone in the company of the O’Neills. This gathering will attract Clans people from all over Ireland.

The Southern Waste Management Partnership (SWaMP2008) represents eight Councils in the southern region of Northern Ireland. The draft Waste Management Plan, which is a review of the Waste Management Plan prepared in 2006, sets out the arrangements for the management of controlled wastes arising within the SWaMP2008 Region up to 2020.

Hearty Lives Cookstown helps inspire Olympians & paralympians of tomorrow - The Olympic flame burns bright in Cookstown as the Mid-Ulster Sports Arena (MUSA) recently played host to 100 local children and young people who took part in the Flames programme.

Saturday past saw the first ever Parkrun in Cookstown taking place at the Mid Ulster Sports Arena, with a wide range of people (beginner runners, recreational runners & club runners) taking part from as far away as Belfast.

Land & Property Services (LPS) will revalue all 72,500 non-domestic properties in Northern Ireland for rates. Domestic properties are not being revalued at this time. Once complete the rateable value of all business properties in Northern Ireland will be in line with current property values.

Cookstown District Council, in conjunction with Cookstown Town Centre Forum and the Department for Social Development are currently accepting applications for Cookstown Revitalisation Scheme - Cookstown Shop Improvement Scheme Phase 3.

Cookstown has become the Wi-Fi Capital of Mid Ulster, with ‘on the go’ access to the internet within the town’s main retail core. As the first town in Mid Ulster to provide accessible Wi-Fi service, it will enable shoppers to keep connected, business meetings to be enhanced and visitors to access tourist information when spending time in Cookstown.

The Enterprise Minister, Mrs Arlene Foster MLA, formally launched Cookstown District Council’s new suite of business development programmes designed to deliver a comprehensive package of tailored support to 225 local businesses throughout the Cookstown District over the next two years.

Over 500 hundred mountain bikers of all ages and abilities visited the newly launched Davagh Forest Trails powered by Chain Reaction Cycles to take part in a series of public launch events last weekend. Davagh Delivered, a Cookstown District Council initiative boasted a variety of events over the weekend.

Cookstown District Council has agreed a minimal rate increase of 2% for 2013/14, considerably lower than the rate of inflation. Council has managed to keep any increase to an absolute minimum through sound financial management.

Discover your hidden heritage this summer at Beaghmore Stone Circles, Ardboe Cross & Tullaghoge Fort. Cookstown Tourist Centre are organising a series of events over the summer months, promoting the range of heritage monuments throughout the District.

Cookstown District Council is delighted to announce that the much anticipated Davagh Forest Trails powered by Chain Reaction Cycles will be officially launched and open to the public on Wednesday 10th April 2013.

The soon to be launched Davagh Forest Trails have announced a major sponsorship deal with Chain Reaction Cycles, the world’s largest online bike store. This two year sponsorship deal also incorporates new trail centres in Castlewellan and Rostrevor under the MountainBikeNI.com umbrella.

In January 2013, Cookstown District Council in partnership with Cookstown Town Centre Forum, were awarded funding by the Department for Social Development to deliver a range of projects to revitalise Cookstown town centre. One such project has been the installation of new branded street banners throughout Cookstown town centre.

2013 brings your unique chance to run alongside local and international emergency service personnel in a once in a life time event, it was announced today, as Cookstown plays host to the World Police and Fire Games 2013 on Sunday 4th August.

Cookstown District Council recently launched an initiative to encourage local employers to provide unpaid work placements for people with disabilities, giving them the opportunity to gain valuable work experience. The initiative was unveiled at the ‘Able Conference’ last Thursday 14th March in Cookstown Leisure Centre.

Environment Minister Alex Attwood is today advising that businesses should now register on the Carrier Bag Levy Website to ensure collection of the 5p levy on carrier bags which comes in on 8 April 2013. The website address to register on is www.nidirect.gov.uk/baglevy

Students from South West College, Cookstown complete community project at Pheonix Integrated Primary School

Invest NI have opened the NI Small Business Loan Fund for applications. The aim of the Fund is to ensure that businesses are not held back because they cannot access finance.

O40 in Cookstown are taking to the road hosting rural road shows providing information and advice on such topics as home safety, health and benefit checks and services for older people. All road shows take place between 11.30am and 2.30pm and a finger buffet lunch will be provided.

Cookstown Leisure Centre has launched the April to June 2013 Sports and Leisure Programme. This will give you a complete listing of activities, classes and courses available at the Leisure Centre in the coming months. Details of all Clubs and Groups that use the Centre are also listed.

iFactory is a complete, bespoke innovation support programme, aimed at small businesses with an aspiration to grow, compete and succeed. The programme fee is £200 and offers up to 20 days support based on the results of an innovation audit on your company to assess innovation strengths, weaknesses.

Members of the Cookstown Clergy Forum marked the 'International Day of Peace 2012' in Cookstown on Friday 21st September 2012. The Clergy Forum came together to pray and distribute a 'Peace Prayer' to passers-by in Cookstown.

The Boost Programme provides unemployed 16-24 year olds with a complete package of resources, support and guidance to ensure they have the skills and attitude needed to compete in today’s difficult job market.

On 20th July 2012 the Good Relations 'Estates' Sports Programme concluded with a family get together at Cookstown Leisure Centre.The Sports Programme was delivered at Monrush, Ratheen Avenue, Gortalowry and Black Hill. The Active Communities coaches were out in force...

Cookstown District Council is currently updating the District's Business Directory and is offering businesses from across the Cookstown District the opportunity to be included.

In striking one of its lowest rates rises in many years at 1.4%, Cookstown District Council has sought to keep any increase to an absolute minimum whilst at the same time deliver a package of services and investments designed to contribute towards stimulating economic activity throughout the local economy.