Agenda item

            The Director of City and Organisational Strategy submitted the undernoted report:

“1.0      Purpose of Report or Summary of main Issues

1.1             The purpose of this report is to update members on the findings of the public consultation on the draft performance improvement objectives and to present the Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) 2025-26 for Committee consideration and approval.

2.0       Recommendations

2.1       Committee is asked to:

·        Approve the Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) 2025-26 attached in Appendix 1, for publication on the Council’s website, subject to minor edits and formal ratification by the Full Council on 2 June 2025. 

3.0       Main report

            Background

3.1       Part 12 of the Local Government Act (NI) 2014 requires councils to consult residents on proposed improvement objectives and to publish an annual Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) by the 30 June. The PIP identifies the agreed improvement objectives for the year ahead, the actions to be delivered and the measures of success to be achieved. The PIP helps to meet the outcomes and objectives of the Community Plan and the Corporate Plan 2025-28.  The PIP doesn’t include everything that the Council plans to do in a given year, it focuses specifically on areas for improvement and feeds into the Annual Corporate Delivery Plan 2025-26. The performance improvement objectives are aligned to the key themes and priorities identified within the new Corporate Plan 2025-28 and the Belfast Agenda 2024-28.

            Consultation exercise and findings

3.2       Members will be aware that we carried out an eight-week public consultation in relation to Council’s draft improvement objectives 2025-26 and associated actions between 17 February - 14 April 2025. The public consultation process included an online survey via Council’s Your Say Belfast consultation and engagement website and two targeted focus groups. The survey was promoted using a range of communication methods including social media posts, posters in community buildings, email marketing to existing mailing lists, intranet promotion and websites.

3.3       Out of the 88 people that completed the survey, it should be noted that:

·        there was broad consensus across majority of respondents supporting the improvement objectives.

·        the highest level of 86.3% was received from respondents who strongly agreed or agreed with ‘Our people and communities’ improvement objective based on supporting our residents to become healthier and engaged.

·        the lowest of level of 73.9% was received from respondents who strong agreed or agreed with the ‘Compassionate city’ improvement objective based on supporting our most vulnerable people to make Belfast a more caring, safe and inclusive city.

3.4       In addition, two focus groups with 62 young people and 9 older people were facilitated to enable participants to reflect their priorities and areas for improvement.  A detailed summary of the feedback received is included in the consultation report in Appendix 2.  

3.5       The qualitative feedback and comments received was shared and considered internally by key officers from the relevant departments to action where relevant and help inform future delivery and/ or amend current activity. Some minor amendments were made to realign actions within the PIP. Members will also be aware that some of the areas suggested are being progressed through existing strategies, plans and programmes of work, and in partnership as part of the Belfast Agenda 2024-28 including addressing key issues across the city such as housing provision, homelessness, mental health and addiction. 

            Performance Improvement Plan 2025-26

3.6       The updated Performance Improvement Plan 2025-26 is attached in Appendix 1 which reflects public consultation feedback and engagement with key Council officers. 

3.7       Members are asked to approve the Performance Improvement Plan 2025-26 in Appendix 1 and to authorise its publication on the Council website by 30 June 2025.  In order to meet our statutory deadline, the plan will be published subject to formal ratification by the Full Council on the 2 June 2025.

3.8       Financial and Resource Implications

            The improvement plan has already been reflected in the formal planning and budgeting processes of council; there are no resource implications contained in this report. 

3.9       Equality or Good Relations Implications/

            Rural Needs Assessment

            There are no direct equality, good relations or rural needs implications of the Performance Improvement Plan 2025-26.”

            The Committee approved the Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) 2025-26 attached in Appendix 1 to the report, for publication on the Council’s website, subject to formal ratification by the Full Council on 2 June 2025.