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 Austin, Groves, Hargey, McNamee and L. Patterson.

Moved by the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor (Councillor Ó Donnghaile),

Seconded by Councillor O’Neill,

      Resolved – That the minutes of the proceedings of the Monthly Meeting of the Council of 1st September be taken as read and signed as correct.

Minutes of meeting of 8^th , 9^th and 23^rd September, 2011

Moved by Councillor McKee,

Seconded by Councillor Hendron,

Resolved - That the minutes of the proceedings of the Strategic Policy and Resources Committees of 8th, 9th and 23rd September be approved and adopted.

Minutes of meeting of 15^th September, 2011

Moved by Councillor Corr,

Seconded by Councillor O’Neill,

        That the minutes of the proceedings of the Parks and Leisure Committee of 15th September be approved and adopted.

                  Moved by Alderman Stalford,

                  Seconded by Councillor Robinson,

      Resolved - That the Committee’s decisions of 15th September in respect of the above-mentioned items be amended to provide that, subsequent to consideration by the Historic Centenaries Working Group, the matters be re-considered by the Parks and Leisure Committee at its meeting on 10th November.  In addition, the words “Strangford Avenue Playing Fields” within the report be replaced by “Ormeau Park”.

                  At the request of Councillor Hendron, the Chairman (Councillor Corr), with the consent of the Council, agreed that the item under the heading “Dixon Park Playing Fields” be taken back to the Committee for further consideration.

                  The minutes of the proceedings of the Parks and Leisure Committee of 15th September, subject to the foregoing amendment and omission, were thereupon approved and adopted.

Minutes of meeting of 14^th, 19^th and 27^th September, 2011

Moved by Alderman Stalford,

                  Seconded by Councillor Maskey,           

      That the minutes of the proceedings of the Development Committee of the 14th, 19th and 27th September be approved and adopted.

                  Moved by Alderman Stoker,

                  Seconded by Alderman Browne,

      That the decision of the meeting of 14th September, under the heading ‘City Dressing Campaign – Cow Parade’ be amended to provide that the Committee agrees not to grant funding towards the “Cow Parade” Initiative.

                  A division on the amendment was demanded.  A poll having been taken on the amendment, there voted for it three Members viz., Aldermen Browne, Rodgers and Stoker; and against it forty-two Members viz., The Right Honourable the Lord Mayor (Councillor Ó Donnghaile); the Deputy Lord Mayor (Alderman Patterson); Aldermen Campbell, Ekin, Humphrey, R. Newton, Smyth and Stalford; and Councillors Attwood, M.E. Campbell, Convery, Corr, Cunningham, Curran, Garrett, Haire, Hanna, Hartley, Hendron, Hussey, Jones, Keenan, Kelly, Kingston, Kyle, Lavery, Mac Giolla Mhin, Mallon, Maskey, McCabe, McCarthy, McKee, McVeigh, Mullan, A. Newton, Ó Muilleoir, O’Neill, Reynolds, Robinson, Spence, Thompson and Webb. 

                  The amendment was accordingly declared lost.

                  Moved by Alderman Stoker,

                  Seconded by Alderman Browne,

      That the minute of the meeting of 14th September under the heading ‘Marketing Belfast – International Linkages’ be amended to provide that the Chairman and the Deputy Chairman represent the Committee at the New York Global Partners Summit and that the Lord Mayor’s costs in attending the event be met from the budget allocated for visits by civic dignitaries.

            On a vote by show of hands twenty Members for the amendment and twenty-one against and it was accordingly declared lost.

                  Moved by Councillor Robinson,

                  Seconded by Councillor Hussey,

        That the minute of the meeting of 27th September under the heading ‘2011 Christmas Lights Switch-on Event’ be amended to provide that the Council agrees not to erect an additional sign containing the message ‘Happy Christmas’ in Irish and Ulster-Scots.

            On a vote by show of hands twenty-five Members voted for the amendment and twenty against and it was accordingly declared carried

                  Moved by Councillor Spence,

                  Seconded by Alderman Stalford,

That the minute of the meeting of 27th September under the heading ‘Markets Update – St. George’s Market Use’ be referred back to the Committee for further consideration. 

                  On a vote by show of hands eighteen Members voted for the amendment and twenty-five against and it was accordingly declared lost.

                  Moved by Councillor Kyle,

                  Seconded by Councillor Robinson,

      Resolved – That the Council’s response to the aforementioned consultation be amended to request that the establishment of the consultative fora is managed in a way which provides a sufficient level of independence from the airport operator and that consultations on the operation of the airport be carried out in a way which is inclusive of as wide a range of stakeholders as possible.

Moved by Councillor Reynolds,

Seconded by Alderman Stalford,

      That that portion of the minute of the meeting of 27th September relating to the establishment of a new Culture and Arts Funding Initiative for 2012/2013 and beyond be referred back to the Committee for further consideration.

            On a vote by show of hands eighteen Members voted for the amendment and twenty-six against and it was accordingly declared lost. 

                  Subject to the foregoing amendment, in respect of the £20k Christmas Lights Switch-On Event, the minutes of the proceedings of the Development Committees of 14th, 19th and 27th September were approved and adopted.

Minutes of meeting of 7^th September, 2011

Moved by Councillor McCarthy,

                  Seconded by Councillor M.E. Campbell,

      That the minutes of the proceedings of the Health and Environmental Services Committee of 7th September be approved and adopted.

Moved by Councillor McCarthy,

Seconded by Alderman Stoker,

      Resolved - that the minute of the meeting of 7th September under the heading ‘Sewer Baiting Contract’ be referred back to the Committee for further consideration.  

      The minutes of the meeting of the Health and Environmental Services Committee of 7th September were thereupon approved and adopted, subject to the foregoing omission.

Minutes of meeting of 12^th, 21^st and 26^th September

Moved by Alderman Ekin,

                  Seconded by Councillor Campbell,

      Resolved – That the minutes of the proceedings of the Licensing Committee of 12th, 21st and 26th September, omitting those matters in respect of which the Council had delegated its powers to the Committee, be approved and adopted.

Minutes of meetings of 8^th and 22^nd September, 2011

Moved by Councillor Lavery,

                  Seconded by Councillor McCabe,

      Resolved – That the minutes of the proceedings of the Town Planning Committee of 8th and 22nd September, omitting those matters in respect of which the Council had delegated its powers to the Committee, be approved and adopted.

Councillor Kelly to move:

The Council acknowledges the serious problem of fuel poverty in Belfast and Northern Ireland and believes that the British Government and the Northern Ireland Assembly need to do more to eradicate the problem.  The Council notes with concern the adverse impact that rising fuel prices and the Government’s plans to cut Winter Fuel Payments are likely to have on the ability of the most vulnerable to keep warm and healthy this winter.  Accordingly, the Council agrees to write to the Social Development Minister, Nelson McCausland, expressing these concerns and requesting that he continues to work to ensure that the Government reverses its decision and maintains the Winter Fuel Payments this winter at its current levels.

      The Council welcomes the proposal in the Executive’s draft Budget for 2011-2015 to provide a sum of £20m for a Social Protection Fund that will aim to assist those most in need within the community.  However, the Council is concerned that this commitment is only for the fist year of the budget period and calls upon the Executive to give a clear undertaking that the provision will be extended for the full four year

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

      “The Council acknowledges the serious problem of fuel poverty in Belfast and Northern Ireland and believes that the British Government and the Northern Ireland Assembly need to do more to eradicate the problem.

      The Council notes with concern the adverse impact that rising fuel prices and the Government’s plans to cut Winter Fuel Payments are likely to have on the ability of the most vulnerable to keep warm and healthy this winter.  Accordingly, the Council agrees to write to the Social Development Minister, Nelson McCausland, expressing these concerns and requesting that he works to ensure that the Government reverses its decision and maintains the Winter Fuel Payments this winter at its current levels.

      The Council welcomes the proposal in the Executive’s draft Budget for 2011-2015 to provide a sum of £20m for a Social Protection Fund that will aim to assist those most in need within the community.  However, the Council is concerned that this commitment is only for the first year of the budget period and calls upon the Executive to give a clear undertaking that the provision will be extended for the full four years.”

            The proposal was seconded by Councillor Mallon.

            The Notice of Motion was passed unanimously.

Councillor McCarthy to move:

      The Council recognises the importance of both local and central Government taking a lead on programmes to mitigate the impacts of recession.

      Within our own range of functions and economic spend, there are significant opportunities to employ the long-term unemployed, offer placements for graduate trainees, create Steps to Work training opportunities and provide an enhanced Community Outreach Scheme, to include placements across the Council services to those serving Community Service Orders.

      The Council requests the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee to consider how new work, training or placement opportunities could be integrated into all Council spend – both internally and externally.

            In accordance with Notice on the Agenda, it was proposed by Councillor McCarthy:

      “The Council recognises the importance of both local and central Government taking a lead on programmes to mitigate the impacts of recession.

      Within our own range of functions and economic spend, there are significant opportunities to employ the long-term unemployed, offer placements for graduate trainees, create Steps to Work training opportunities and provide an enhanced Community Outreach Scheme, to include placements across the Council services to those serving Community Service Orders.

      The Council requests the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee to consider how new work, training or placement opportunities could be integrated into all Council spend – both internally and externally.”

            The proposal was seconded by Councillor Attwood.

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

            Accordingly, the Lord Mayor indicated that the matter would be referred to the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee without debate.