Agenda and minutes

            In accordance with Standing Order 9, the Lord Mayor read a passage from the Scriptures.

            The Chief Executive submitted the summons convening the meeting.

            Apologies for inability to attend were reported from Councillors Crozier, B. Kelly and McClenaghan.

Moved by the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor (Councillor Long),

Seconded by the High Sheriff (Councillor Stalford) and

      Resolved – That the minutes of the proceedings of the monthly meeting of the Council of 1st December, 2009 be taken as read and signed as correct.

            The Lord Mayor (Councillor Long) expressed her appreciation for the support she had received from the former High Sheriff (Councillor McCoubrey) during his term of office.

            In accordance with Notice on the summons paper, the Council considered the question of the filling of the casual vacancy in the Oldpark District Electoral Area consequent upon the resignation of Councillor Alban Maginness.

            The Chief Executive informed the Council that Section 11(4)(a) of the Electoral Law Act (Northern Ireland) 1962 enabled the Council to choose a person to fill the vacancy by co-option, provided that such a person was qualified to be a Member of the Council and was not objected to by any Member of the Council present at the meeting.  In the event of the vacancy not being filled by co-option, a By-Election would be required to fill the vacancy.

            Councillor Convery proposed the co-option of Ms. Nichola Mallon to fill the casual vacancy in the Oldpark District Electoral Area.

            The proposal was seconded by Councillor McCarthy.

            As no objection was made to the proposal, the Lord Mayor (Councillor Long) declared Ms. Mallon co-opted as Councillor for the Oldpark District Electoral Area.

            Councillor Mallon, having subscribed to the Declaration of Acceptance of Office and the Declaration against Terrorism, was admitted to the meeting and welcomed by the Lord Mayor.

            The Council was advised that notification had been received from the Social Democratic and Labour Party Grouping indicating that it wished:

·         to replace Councillor N. Kelly with Councillor Mallon on the Licensing Committee;

·         to replace Councillor Attwood with Councillor Mallon on the Health and Environmental Services Committee; and

·         Councillor Mullaghan to fill the vacancy on the Town Planning Committee, consequent upon the resignation of Councillor Maginness.

            The Council approved the aforementioned changes.

            A Member suggested that it would be appropriate for the Council to forward its condolences to the family of Cardinal Cahal Daly, former Catholic Primate of All?Ireland, who had died recently.

            The Lord Mayor indicated that she had represented the Council at the funeral of the Cardinal and had drafted a letter of condolence to be forwarded to the family through the Archbishop of Armagh and asked if the Council was content with the actions which she had taken.

            The Council endorsed the actions of the Lord Mayor.

Minutes of meeting of 11^th December, 2009

Moved by Councillor Hartley,

Seconded by Councillor C. Maskey and

      Resolved – That the minutes of the proceedings of the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee of 11th December, 2009 be approved and adopted.

Minutes of meetings of 30^th November and 10^th December, 2009

Moved by Councillor Stoker,

Seconded by Councillor McCann and

      Resolved – That the minutes of the proceedings of the Parks and Leisure Committee of 30th November and 10th December, 2009 be approved and adopted.

Minutes of meeting of 9^th December, 2009

Moved by Councillor Humphrey,

Seconded by Councillor N. Kelly,

Resolved -       That the minutes of the proceedings of the Development Committee of 9th December, 2009 be approved and adopted.

Lyric Theatre

            Arising out of discussion of the minute under the heading “Lyric Theatre” the Council agreed that the Chief Executive of the Lyric Theatre be advised that the Committee will wish to raise with him during his presentation the refusal of the Board of the Theatre to agree to the Council’s request that it be represented on the Board and that the Council finds this position entirely unacceptable given the level of financial support which it has provided to the Lyric Theatre.

Minutes of meeting of 2^nd December, 2009

Moved by Councillor McCarthy,

Seconded by Councillor Rodway and

      Resolved – That the minutes of the proceedings of the Health and Environmental Services Committee of 2nd December, 2009 be approved and adopted.

Minutes of meeting of 8^th December, 2009

Moved by Councillor O’Neill,

Seconded by Councillor Ekin and

      Resolved – That the minutes of the proceedings of the Licensing Committee of 8th December, 2009, omitting matters in respect of which the Council has delegated its powers to the Committee, be approved and adopted.

Minutes of meetings of 25^th November and 3^rd and 10^th December, 2009

Moved by Councillor Campbell,

Seconded by Councillor Smyth,

      That the minutes of the proceedings of the Town Planning Committee of 25th November and 3rd and 10th December, 2009, omitting matters in respect of which the Council has delegated its powers to the Committee, be approved and adopted.

Amendment

The Trunk Road T14 (A55 Knock Road)

Moved by Councillor Empey,

Seconded by Councillor Rodway and

      Resolved – That the minute of the meeting of 3rd December, 2009 under the heading “The Trunk Road T14 (A55 Knock Road)” be amended to provide that a Public Inquiry be held to determine the road layout and route.

Adoption of Minutes

            Subject to the foregoing amendment, the minutes of the proceedings of the Town Planning Committee of 25th November and 3rd and 10th December, 2009, omitting matters in respect of which the Council had delegated its powers to the Committee, were approved and adopted.

Councillor Mullaghan to move.

            In accordance with Notice on the Agenda, Councillor Mullaghan proposed:

      “The Council has recently established a process to agree a strategy for tackling poverty and inequality across the City and is in the process of setting up a joint public health unit with the Public Health Agency.  The Council recognises that health and wellbeing are areas of public policy where inequalities can and do exist and agrees that a mechanism should be put in place to ensure that all relevant Council policies are assessed to ascertain to what extent they contribute to a reduction in health inequality.

      The Council directs that a report in this regard be submitted to the Health and Environmental Services Committee as soon as practicable.”

            The proposal was seconded by Councillor Attwood.

            Prior to the Notice of Motion being considered, the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor (Councillor Long) reminded the Council that Standing Order 11(e) specified that, if a subject matter of any Motion of which Notice had been given comes within the province of any Committee, upon being moved and seconded, it shall stand referred without discussion to that Committee or such other Committee as the Council may determine for consideration and report.

            Accordingly, the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor indicated that the matter would be referred to the Health and Environmental Services Committee without debate.

Councillor Crozier to move.

            The Council noted that Councillor Crozier had withdrawn the above-mentioned Notice of Motion standing in his name.