Fermanagh and Omagh District Council has published its latest annual performance report – but what does it actually tell us about what the Council has been doing over the past year?
The Council published its 2025/26 Annual Performance Report, titled A Year of Delivery, Our Plan in Action, on Monday 28 September.
The report is the Council’s annual self-assessment of its performance and looks at progress against commitments in its Corporate Plan and Performance Improvement Plan.
It covers everything from business support and investment to recycling, leisure, poverty, community projects and major developments across Fermanagh and Omagh.
We’ve taken a look through some of the figures and achievements highlighted in the Council’s latest reporting to see what stands out.
Millions invested in facilities and infrastructure
One of the biggest areas of activity has been investment in facilities and infrastructure.
Council figures published earlier this year show almost £7.5 million was invested in capital projects during the previous financial year.
That included more than £2.2 million towards upgrading 25 play parks across the district as part of the Council’s Play Park Strategy 2030.
A further £1 million was allocated to eight community and voluntary organisations through the Strategic Capital Projects Grant Programme.
For Enniskillen, one of the most visible major projects is the construction of the new Fermanagh Lakeland Forum.
The Council’s latest performance update says construction of the new Passivhaus-standard facility continued to progress during 2025/26.
Work also continued on the Enniskillen and Omagh Place Shaping Plans, while funding was secured to develop plans for the proposed Sligo, Leitrim and Northern Counties Railway Greenway.
More than £2 million secured through advice services
The Council also points to work aimed at supporting households facing financial difficulties.
More than 650 people were supported through the Western Response and Action on Poverty Programme, while Council-funded advice services helped secure more than £2 million in additional financial support for local people through benefits advice and related assistance.
Its performance update says support for vulnerable households increased through cost-of-living, debt advice and wellbeing programmes, alongside continued delivery of its Anti-Poverty Strategy.
Businesses received funding and mentoring
Supporting the local economy is another major part of the Council’s work.
Figures released by the Council show that 226 business plans were developed, while 184 businesses received mentoring.
More than £490,000 was awarded for business applications through the Go Succeed Grow Programme.
The Council says it also worked with partners on plans for growing the local economy, promoted tourism and continued lobbying for improved investment in local infrastructure.
Recycling and the environment
Waste, recycling and environmental projects also feature prominently.
The Council says recycling performance increased during 2025/26, with the district recording one of the highest recycling rates in Northern Ireland and sending less waste to landfill.
More than 3,200 people were reached through environmental education and awareness programmes during the latter reporting period, while Council figures published earlier in the year showed more than 7,300 people had participated in environmental activities and events.
More than 80 Council vehicles were also operating using Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil as part of efforts to reduce the organisation’s carbon footprint.
Thousands taking part in wellbeing programmes
Leisure and wellbeing also accounted for a significant amount of activity.
The Council says around 300 children each week participated in school swimming lessons, while wellbeing programmes and activities reached more than 4,000 participants.
Its summer scheme attracted more than 4,500 young participants.
Meanwhile, 28 Community Wellbeing Plans were developed with local groups, resulting in more than 260 activities being delivered for communities across the district.
How satisfied are residents with Council services?
The performance update also contains figures on customer satisfaction.
According to the Council, 87% of users were satisfied with Customer Services, while satisfaction with Registration Services stood at 97%.
The Council also responded to 38 national and regional consultations during the year and says it recorded the lowest district rate increase among Northern Ireland’s 11 councils for 2026/27.
So, how did the Council perform?
There are plenty of substantial numbers in the Council’s reporting: millions invested in facilities, hundreds of businesses supported and thousands of residents participating in community, environmental and wellbeing programmes.
But it’s worth remembering what the Annual Performance Report is.
It is Fermanagh and Omagh District Council’s own assessment of its performance, rather than an independent review of whether residents believe local services have improved.
Councils in Northern Ireland have a statutory duty to continually improve their services, and Fermanagh and Omagh’s performance-improvement arrangements are subject to audit by the Northern Ireland Audit Office.
The latest published audit assessment concluded that the Council had satisfactorily discharged its statutory performance improvement and reporting duties, with an unqualified audit opinion and no statutory recommendations.
Council Chair Cllr Debbie Coyle said publication of the latest annual report provided an opportunity to demonstrate accountability and transparency, while Chief Executive Alison McCullagh said it reflected the work of elected members, staff, communities and partners.
The latest report also arrives as Fermanagh and Omagh District Council marks ten years since the new local authority was established in 2015.
For residents, however, perhaps the more interesting question isn’t simply what’s contained in a performance report.
It’s whether people living in Fermanagh and Omagh feel those improvements where they live.
