Mission Statement

“Blackwater Regional Partnership provides leadership for people in Armagh City and District, Dungannon and South Tyrone District and County Monaghan through facilitating and implementing policies and programmes which will improve the quality of life for all residents.”

History
Previously known as the Blackwater Catchment Scheme, the Blackwater Regional
Partnership (BRP) straddles an international border and is divided between three administrative authorities:

Armagh City & District Council
Dungannon & South Tyrone Borough Council
Monaghan County Council

Location
The Blackwater Catchment area lies to the south east of the province of Ulster, and drains into Lough Neagh in Northern Ireland. It is a fertile and active rural environment consisting of a varied landscape of hills and valleys, drumlins and flood plains all with their own natural characteristics.

Strategy
· Economic Diversity
· Enhancement of River Resource
· Enhancement of the Environment
· Image and Presentation
· Community Linkages
· Support Infrastructure
· Management

Cross Border Links
Through the partnership of the three Councils, working work together to support and encourage integrated rural development and encourage cross border cooperation between the Councils, the private sector and communities.

Some examples of the cross border projects developed by BRP are:

· Village Regeneration – Glaslough/Caledon
· Mullan Village Restoration
· Bragan Study
· Agricultural Waste Management
· Training and Enterprise Initiatives
· Aughnacloy Classic Angling Competition
· Events Festival: Music in the community, coracle building, River Fest 1999

Early Expectations of the Partnership
· Be an experiment in cross-border collaboration
· Contribute to breaking down barriers between people on each side of the border 
· Focus on the regeneration of the region
· Secure funding in support of that regeneration
· Adopt an innovative approach.

Success of the Partnership to Date
· Survival to this point in time
· The development of genuine partnership working between members
· The recruitment of expert staff
· The development of linkages between staff within each Council
· The projects which had been delivered
· The recognition the Partnership had won among funders and others
· The emergence of individuals as champions of the Partnership and of its strategy
· The influence the Partnership now has on funders and other decision-makers
· The added value which has emerged through the combined contributions of each of the three constituent groups
· The political commitment to the Partnership which is now evident
· The changes in attitudes to cross-border co-operation which the Partnership has been able to influence
· The emergence now of clear opportunities and benefits from Partnership membership.