Agenda and minutes

No apologies were received.

            The minutes of the meeting of 9th and 23rd October were taken as read and signed as correct.  It was reported that those minutes had been adopted by the Council at its meeting on 4th November.

            In relation to items 3(a) Major Events Update and 3(b) Belfast 2024, Councillor McCabe declared an interest, in that she was employed by Féile an Phobail and left the meeting whilst the items were being considered.

            Councillor Duffy declared an interest in item 5(a) Committee Plan 2024-25 - Six Monthly Update, in that the organisation that he worked for was associated with the employment skills and tourism work plans and left the room whilst the item was under discussion.

            The Committee approved its schedule of meetings for the period from January to December 2025:

·        Wednesday, 15th January at 5.15 pm;

·        Wednesday, 29th January at 5.15 pm (Special);

·        Wednesday, 5th February at 5.15 pm;

·        Wednesday, 12th March at 5.15 pm;

·        Wednesday, 26th March at 5.15 pm (Special);

·        Wednesday, 9th April at 5.15 pm;

·        Wednesday, 7th May at 5.15 pm;

·        Wednesday, 28th May at 5.15 pm (Special);

·        Wednesday, 4th June at 5.15 pm;

·        Wednesday, 6th August at 5.15 pm;

·        Wednesday, 27th August at 5.15 pm (Special);

·        Wednesday, 10th September at 5.15 pm;

·        Wednesday, 8th October at 5.15 pm;

·        Wednesday, 29th October at 5.15 pm (Special);

·        Wednesday, 5th November at 5.15 pm;

·        Wednesday, 26th November at 5.15 pm (Special); and

·        Wednesday, 3rd December at 5.15 pm.

            The information contained in the report associated with the following three items was restricted in accordance with Part 1 of Schedule 6 of the Local Government Act (Northern Ireland) 2014.

      Resolved – That the Committee agrees to exclude the members of the press and public from the meeting during discussion of the following items as, due to the nature of the items, there would be a disclosure of exempt information as described in Section 42(4) and Schedule 6 of the Local Government Act (Northern Ireland) 2014.

            Members were also reminded that the content of ‘restricted’ reports and any discussion which took place during closed session must be treated as ‘confidential information’ and that no such information should be disclosed to the public as per Paragraph 4.15 of the Code of Conduct.  

            The Committee was provided with an update on the Vacant to Vibrant Programme and the associated recommendations from the assessment panel.

            The Committee:

                       i.          Noted the update in relation to the city centre Vacant to Vibrant Programme that, subject to the approval of three applications, would support up to 35 businesses to locate or expand into long term vacant city centre units;

                     ii.          Agreed the recommended grant awards outlined in the report; and

                    iii.          Agreed the update in relation to the position of external funding applications to bring forward the proposed city wide Vacant to Vibrant scheme and wrap around support services.

            The Committee was provided with an update on the performance of Belfast Zoo in Quarter 2 (July-September) of 2024-25.

            During discussion, Members raised concerns in relation to animal welfare and staffing at the Zoo, together with the need for a wider independent review of the Zoo and its governance model.

Proposal

            Moved by Councillor Smyth,

            Seconded by Councillor O’Neill, and

      Resolved – That the Committee agrees that the concerns raised be discussed at the forthcoming Special Meeting.

            During further discussion, the Zoo Manager answered a range of questions in relation to health and safety, risk assessments, animal welfare, staffing and absence figures.

            The Senior Manager, Economy advised that an update could be provided at the Special Meeting on 27th November, and that, as a formal Health and Safety investigation was ongoing, the Committee would be provided with the outcome of this, in due course.

            After discussion, the Committee:

·        Noted the Zoo performance update report for the period July to September 2024; and

·        Agreed that an update on the issues raised in relation to animal welfare and staffing at the Zoo would be discussed further at the Special Meeting of the Committee in November, together with next steps.

            The Committee was provided with an update on the performance of the Belfast Bike Scheme for Year 10 in Quarter 2 (July-September) of 2024-25. 

            The Committee noted the Belfast Bike Scheme update report for the period July to September.

            The Senior Manager Culture, Tourism and Events provided an overview of the following report:

“1.0      Purpose of Report/Summary of Main Issues

1.1       The purpose of this report is to provide an update to Members on a number of major events.

2.0       Recommendation

2.1       Committee is asked to:

·        Note the contents of this paper.

·        Agree support for enhanced St Patricks day activity to be funded through Shared Prosperity funding.

·        Approve officers to enter into license or Service Level Agreements required for the successful delivery of the Maritime Festival.

3.0       Main Report:

            Christmas

3.1       Christmas preparation continues for the switch on event on the 16th November 2024 as per update report to last month’s committee.

            Fleadh Cheoil

3.2       A detailed update was provided to the Committee in October and as outlined, work is intensifying to secure the Fleadh for Belfast in partnership with Ards CCE in 2026, including through continuing participation in Comhaltas meetings and events, hosting visits by senior representatives and starting to put in place the necessary resources, plans and governance arrangements.

            Oireachtas 2025

3.3       Members of the events unit and key delivery partners attended the event this year from the 30th October to 2nd November in advance of delivery planning and preparation for Belfast to host in 2025. Working groups will continue to integrate with event organisers and update reports will be provided to members in due course.

            Lord Mayors Day

3.4       Lord Mayors Day will be held on a Saturday in mid April 2025. The final date will be agreed with the Lord Mayor’s Office and City Hall management team. Officers will meet with Lord Mayor’s team on programming in November.

            The aim is to create an event that is inclusive, celebrates all that is good, creative and fun about Belfast and offers something for all ages to enjoy at a neutral, easy to access venue in the city. The approved budget for 2024 was £42,000, and draft estimates are similar for 2025.

            St Patrick’s Day 2025:

3.5       Members will be aware that Council delivered a significant programme of events in 2024 with a number of partners and delivery input from the Council events team. In preparation for 2025, as presented to CG&R in May 2024, a small number of tenders have been issued to encourage creative sector interventions. A tender for a City Centre Music Programme has been awarded to Tradfest, and contract management has commenced.

            In a similar manner, a tender for Parade content was issued for float provision, community participation and professional performers. It is anticipated that one successful contractor will provide a suite of floats consisting of 34 processional pieces and 21 professional performers, their animated production will include 68 dancers sourced via local community and amateur arts groups. It is also envisaged that two further contractors will facilitate community circus workshops; one will work with 40 children and 8 adult emerging artists and will showcase various circus skills developed at the St Patrick’s Day Parade. A second will facilitate, co-ordinate  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

            The Committee was reminded that Belfast 2024 had been launched officially on 29th February 2024, and had achieved significant successes across the programme so far.

            The Programme Manager advised that there had been a wide range of events, performances, and engagement throughout the city to create an extensive range of artistic and creative work, while supporting the sector to build skills and capacity as well as showcasing Belfast as a cultural destination, which included:

·        £2.7m directly invested into creative and cultural sector commissioning locally;

·        £960k to Direct Commissions and partnerships, including Little Amal, Eden Project, BBC concert, International Artist Project;

·        £0.9m towards strategic and music-based events to celebrate and embrace UNESCO City of Music designation and our music strategy;

·        800+ contracts have been created for B24 delivery within the creative sector including artists, production staff, facilitators and designers;

·        500+ workshops and events have taken place across the city with more to come by December;

·        16 artists supported on Creative Bursary programme;

·        6 International Artists working in residence with communities for 2 years with British Council partnership funding; and

·        35,000 attendees and participants to date.

            She explained that the Belfast 2024 Interim Report, November 2024, attached at Appendix 1 provided an overview of the events completed so far and outlined important feedback which had been received as part of the Evaluation Framework. The report covered the period up to end of August 2024 and provided information on:

·        Background and Strategic Context of Belfast 2024;

·        Belfast 2024 Programme Structure;

·        Belfast 2024 Programme;

·        Programme Delivery to End September;

·        Marketing and Communications Update;

·        Partnership Development and Delivery;

·        Evaluation, impact and Feedback so far; and

·        Lessons Learned and Legacy Planning.

            The Programme Manager highlighted that the evaluation findings were at an interim stage, including the statistics outlined below:

Belfast 2024 programme statistics summary to date

Feedback so far based on 600 audience/contractor surveys:

·        99 % of attendees agreed they had a good time

·        97 % agreed the activity was absorbing and held their attention

·        98 % agreed they would come to something like this again

Attendees also report:

·        98 % of attendees agreed they felt welcome and included

·        95 % agreed they felt connected to others

·        97 % agreed that they felt proud that it was happening in Belfast

Lessons learned and Legacy

            The Programme Manager informed the Committee that Belfast 2024 was, at its core, an ‘accelerator' project for the Council’s Cultural Strategy 2020-30, to create the conditions to support capacity building, test new ways of working, strengthen existing and forge new connection between cultural delivery within the Council and the wider city. The legacy of this significant project was critical to show the return on investment, to ensure lessons learnt were captured, and to embed criterial elements of the programme into ‘business as usual’.

            She pointed out that work was ongoing to capture and learn lessons both positive and negative in relation to the planning and delivery of Belfast 2024 and to consider how these could be applied to future programmes and plans,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9.

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

“1.0      Purpose of Report/Summary of Main Issues

1.1       The purpose of this report is to present a draft response from Belfast City Council to Invest NI’s business strategy 2024-2027 and to update members on the Department for the Economy’s recently published sub-regional economic plan.

2.0       Recommendation

2.1       The Committee is asked to:

·        Note the draft response to Invest NI’s draft business strategy and agree that this is submitted to Invest NI following the committee meeting in order to meet the 14 November deadline – with the caveat that the response is subject to formal council ratification

·        Note that the Department for Economy has recently produced a ‘sub-regional economic plan’ and agree to receive a further update at the next committee meeting as to how some of the key proposals in this plan might be taken forward in Belfast.

3.0       Main Report

3.1       Invest NI recently launched their new business strategy ‘Our Future in Focus’ in mid-October 2024.  The strategy covers the period 2024-2027.  All councils were invited to attend briefings on the draft strategy and these took place across the region over the last number of weeks.  The deadline for written responses is 14 November 2024. 

3.2       The draft strategy is attached as Appendix 1.  The consultation survey on the strategy is structured around a series of questions, namely:

·        Does our Vision set a suitable level of ambition and successfully frame our shared destination for the Northern Ireland economy?

·        As an entrepreneur, business leader, partner or stakeholder, does our Mission Statement appeal to you and does it convey what you need from Invest Northern Ireland?

·        Does the overall strategy feel right? Are there any major omissions/areas of focus to be added/areas that should be removed

·        Are the draft targets the correct ones to deliver maximum impact?

·        Is a Client model approach, that enables us to prioritise resources and intensify support with those businesses with the greatest growth potential, the correct approach?

·        Is the definition and engagement model sufficiently broad to enable us to deliver for all businesses strategically?

·        Do you agree that the priority sectors identified are the correct ones to focus on? 

·        Which market opportunities or technologies do you believe present the greatest challenge for you over the long term?

·        Do you agree with the strategic priorities (Boosting business investment; Accelerating innovation and skills; Driving global ambition; Developing and achieving sustainability; Maximising City and Growth Deals and Promoting places and partnerships).

3.3       The draft strategy aims to support an economy characterised by high productivity, good jobs, regional balance and decarbonisation.  It therefore reflects the Minister for the Economy’s vision, set out in February this year, which focused on driving regional balance; improving productivity; reducing carbon emissions and delivering more ‘good jobs’. 

3.4       The draft Belfast City Council response to the consultation is attached as Appendix 2.  One of the key points in the draft strategy is the commitment to ‘build capacity outside of the Belfast Metropolitan Area (BMA)’.  By that, they mean Belfast  ...  view the full minutes text for item 11.

The Committee considered the six-month progress update on the key actions contained in the 2024-25 City Growth and Regeneration Committee Plan, as agreed by the Committee at its special meeting on the 29th September, 2024.

            The Committee was informed that Appendix 1 outlined the progress with the main commitments in the Committee Plan for the six month period, April-September 2024. It was highlighted that many of the commitments would continue to be delivered over the course of the year and that the Committee would be kept informed of progress.

            It was reported that, in total, the Committee Plan contained a total of 105 deliverables across 16 Strategic Priorities. In addition, the Plan included a total of 18 Key Performance Indicators.

            In response to a Member’s question in relation to the progression of key performance indicators and targets, the Director of City Regeneration and Development advised that baselines were currently being established and further targets would be set in due course.

The Committee noted the contents of the mid-year report and progress against the agreed actions within the 2024-25 City Growth and Regeneration Committee Plan and that further targets were being considered.

            The Chairperson advised the Committee that the issue had also been raised at the People and Communities Committee, at its meeting in November, and highlighted that the following decision had been agreed:

·       That officers examine existing budgets and funding streams with a view to identifying initiatives that would support women’s safety in greater Belfast. It was agreed also that a report in this regard be submitted to the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee, at its meeting on 22nd November, for consideration; and

·       In conjunction with the City Growth and Regeneration Committee, a special meeting would be convened to which a range of stakeholders would be invited to consider city-wide and multi-agency initiatives to support women’s safety in greater Belfast.

      Proposal

            Moved by Councillor Kelly,

            Seconded by Alderman Lawlor, and

      Resolved – That the Committee agrees that, due to the importance of the issues raised, that officers consider the potential to use departmental underspend to support the work being undertaken. 

            After discussion, the Committee:

·       Noted the decision of the People and Communities Committee at its meeting on 5th November; and

·       Agreed that officers examined the potential to use departmental underspend as part of the report which would be submitted to the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee, at its meeting on 22nd November.