PSNI Charge Man With Money Laundering

Police have charged a man with money laundering as part of a probe into individuals suspected of running "money mule" accounts.

Detectives from the PSNI's Economic Crime Unit issued the charge, with the suspect due to appear at Belfast Magistrates Court on Monday 01 July.

All charges will be reviewed by the PPS, as is normal procedure.

Campaign Urges NI Residents To Separate Recycling

Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council has launched a campaign to encourage the proper use of local recycling centres and the essential need to separate recyclables from non-recyclable materials.

The campaign drives home the message that it is crucial to sort recyclable items such as paper, glass and plastics from non-recyclable materials before visiting the centre and highlighting that disposal of recyclable items in general waste skips is not acceptable.

The public are reminded not to dispose of recyclable items in general waste, including paper, card, metal, wood and plastic. Centres have dedicated containers for each.

A council spokesperson said: "It is alarming the amount of good recyclable material that is often disposed of in the general waste which can end up in landfill at a high cost for Council rate payers and means the hard work of other recycling residents goes to waste. Staff at the recycling centres are there to help you and will be advising you to separate and recycle your waste into the correct containers to help reach recycle targets and prevent waste going to landfill."

Separating waste requires minimal effort but makes a huge difference. Residents can help by:

• Sorting recyclable and non-recyclable materials at home.

• Organising recyclables and waste in your vehicle so that when you visit the recycling centre you can place items in the correct containers. This will make your visit much quicker.

• Re-use – if you have bulky items such as furniture and bicycles these could be re-used – look out for the relevant containers!

• Talk to council staff – if you are unsure about what can and cannot be recycled, staff will provide advice on which container to use.

New £300k Fund To Support Reuse Of NI's Historic Buildings

A new fund has been launched to support the reuse of historic buildings across Northern Ireland.

Introduced by the Architectural Heritage Fund (AHF), the £300k social investment loan fund offers tailored loan finance for charities, social enterprises and community businesses seeking to acquire, reuse or redevelop buildings of historical or architectural importance. The buildings may be listed, in a conservation area or may be of special significance to the community. 

It will help NI organisations deliver positive economic and social impact to communities in the region.

The Department for Communities' Historic Environment Division is contributing to the new fund, following its work with AHF on the Community Enterprise Catalyst Programme and the DAERA-funded Village Catalyst programme.

Matthew Mckeague, Chief Executive of the AHF said: "We are extremely pleased to be launching this fund alongside so many partners, including the Department for Communities. The Heritage Impact Fund is designed to provide flexible and targeted finance, supporting not-for-profit organisations both within and outside the heritage sector - the common link being the re-use of a heritage building and delivering local economic and social benefits. We've supported numerous projects of this type in Northern Ireland and with this funding from the Department for Communities we look forward to supporting many more over the next few years."



(JG/CM)