Agenda and minutes

            An apology for inability to attend was reported on behalf of Councillor McReynolds.

            The minutes of the meeting of 19th November were taken as read and signed as correct.  It was reported that those minutes had been adopted by the Council at its meeting on 1st December, subject to the omission of those matters in respect of which the Council had delegated its powers to the Committee.

            Councillor Walsh declared an interest in relation to agenda item 2d – Requests for Funding – People and Communities Committee, on the basis that he was on the Board of Coláiste Feirste, which was being recommended for ad hoc funding, and left the meeting whilst the item was being considered.

            Councillor Black declared an interest in relation to agenda item 5d – Summer Community Diversionary Festival Programme, in that she was involved in an organisation which had delivered diversionary activities in August  2021, and left the meeting before the vote was taken.

            The information contained in the reports associated with the following nine items is 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 Section 6 of the Local Government Act (Northern Ireland) 2014.

            The Committee was reminded that, at its meeting on 19th November, it had received an update on the development of the revenue estimates and the setting of the District Rate, with an indicative rates increase for 2020/21 in the region of 2.99% having been suggested and a further report to be submitted to the meeting in December.  Accordingly, the Director of Finance and Resources submitted a report which set out the current position and provided further information on business-as-usual cost pressures, efficiencies, rate base projections, Departmental growth proposals and next steps.

            After discussion, the Committee:

                             i.          agreed the following Departmental and Growth proposals:

a.     Finance and Resources: £331,158 (Strategic Policy and Resources Committee);

b.     Climate and Inclusive Growth £523,423 (Strategic Policy and Resources Committee and People and Communities Committee);

c.      Legal Services £46,764 (Strategic Policy and Resources Committee);

d.     City and Neighbourhood Services Committee £748,683 (People and Communities Committee and City Growth and Regeneration Committee (Zoo));

e.     Place and Economy Department £125,808 (City Growth and Regeneration Committee); and

f.       Capital Financing £500,000 (Strategic Policy and Resources Committee).

                            ii.          agreed to recommend the following cash limits for 2022/23:

a.     a cash limit of £48,311,171 for the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee, including £3,270,000 for the Belfast Investment Fund and £3,000,000 for City Deal;

b.     a cash limit of £87,423,434 for the People and Communities Committee;

c.      a cash limit of £19,461,512 for the City Growth and Regeneration Committee;

d.     a cash limit of £1,462,301 for the Planning Committee; and

e.     a Capital Financing Budget of £22,274,022.

                          iii.          noted the next steps in setting the District Rate, as outlined within the report;

                          iv.          agreed that the Director of Finance and Resources would provide the Party Leaders with additional information on projected year-end Departmental underspends;

                           v.          agreed that the post of Belfast Region City Programme Director be made permanent, in line with the postholder’s contract;

                          vi.          agreed to proceed at risk with the recruitment of the two City Protection Manager posts referred to within the report; and

                         vii.          agreed that the aforementioned decisions would not be subject to call-in, as that would cause an unreasonable delay in striking the rate by the legislative deadline of 15th February, 2022, which would be prejudicial to the Council’s and the public’s interest.

            The Committee noted the contents of a report setting out the indicative timescales and prioritised work programme for the Organisational Reviews and Change Portfolio projects and agreed that it should receive an update on progress on a quarterly basis.

            The Committee was reminded that, at its meeting on 19th November, it had been provided with a breakdown, on a Departmental and unit basis, of the number of staff currently employed on temporary contracts and the length of time on which they had been on them.

            The Committee’s attention was drawn to a report providing additional information which had been requested at that meeting on the total number of staff employed in those sections which had been identified as having staff in temporary posts and on the actual length of time that those staff who had been identified as being in a temporary post for more than five years had been in that post. It was pointed out that information on the current position of the staff who had vacated temporary posts between June, 2018 and November, 2021, which had also been requested, was not readily available in Departments and would require the diversion of considerable resources from other services to collate it manually. This information would be held electronically moving forward.

            The Chief Executive and the City Solicitor reviewed the work which was being undertaken to reduce the number of staff on temporary contracts and confirmed that wider potential solutions were currently being explored.

            After discussion, the Committee:

                                 i.          noted the contents of the report;

                               ii.          agreed that those staff who had been employed on temporary contracts in more than one role should be taken into consideration in future discussions around the wider potential solutions which were currently being explored; and 

                              iii.          agreed that it should receive an update on progress on a quarterly basis, with the next such report to provide details also on the number of agency staff employed across the Council.

            The Committee acceded to a request which had been made by the People and Communities Committee, at its meeting on 9th November:

                            i.     to provide ‘ad hoc’ funding of £51,426 to An Spórtlann, Coláiste Feirste, as financial bridging support, to enable the facility to remain open to the public to the end of March, 2022 and allow the review of the first year of public use provision, which had been requested by the People and Communities Committee, to be completed; and

                          ii.     to establish a specified reserve to the total of £631,360 from the Council’s Covid-19 reserve, to be used to top up the micro/medium grant scheme during 2022/23.

            (With the exception of the Chief Executive, the Senior Democratic Services Officer and the Democratic Services Officer, all officers left the meeting whilst this item was under consideration.)

            Chief Executive

            The Committee was reminded that, at its meeting on 22nd October, it had approved the recruitment of the post of Chief Executive on a permanent basis and had agreed the shortlisting and final interview panels.

            The Chief Executive submitted for the Committee’s consideration a report providing details around the advertisement of the post and recruitment schedule and recommending that it approve the accompanying recruitment documentation, namely, the job specification, person specification, core competencies/indicative behaviours and job advertisement.

            The Committee noted the information which had been provided and approved the recruitment documentation. 

            Director of Neighbourhood Services

            The Chief Executive informed the Committee that Mr. Ryan Black, the current Director of Neighbourhood Services, would be leaving the Council at the end of March.

            Accordingly, the Committee agreed:

                            i.     to approve the recruitment of the post of Director of Neighbourhood Services on a permanent basis; and

                          ii.     that the shortlisting and interview panel consist of the Chairperson and the Deputy Chairperson (or their nominees) and Councillor Bunting. 

            The Committee noted that the Chief Executive would shortly brief the Party Leaders on the proposed interim arrangements to be put in place until such times as a Strategic Director of City and Neighbourhood Services and a Director of Neighbourhood Services had been appointed and agreed that there was a need to examine, in consultation with the Party Leaders, the operation and functions of the City and Neighbourhood Services Department moving forward.

            The Committee considered a report providing an update on the ongoing development of City events, as part of the ten-year cultural strategy, A City Imagining. The report made specific reference to the new approach being adopted to delivering St. Patrick’s Day events from 2022 onwards and outlined the three-stage process which had been used to assess applications to deliver pilot projects next year.

            The Committee noted the contents of the report and adopted the recommendations therein to:

i.       approve the commissioning of the two highest ranking organisations, namely, Beat Carnival and The Duncairn, to deliver pilot projects in March, 2022 and to allocate funding of £100,000 and £80,000 respectively; and

ii.      agree to extend the development phase for the two remaining projects, namely, Féile an Phobail and MayWe, to enable each of them to provide an updated proposal for delivery in March, 2022.  

            The Committee was reminded that, at its meeting on 17th December, 2019, it had, as part of the Revenue Estimates and District Rate setting process, allocated £611,500 towards the establishment of a permanent team to deliver the Council’s obligations under climate mitigation/resilience.

            He reported that a Commissioner for Resilience role had been created initially and strategies developed to enable the Council and the City to become more resilient to the threats posed by climate change. Temporary roles had also been put in place.

            The Continuous Improvement section had since been commissioned to examine the roles which the organisation would need to deliver on its climate mitigation/resilience commitments, both internally and externally, with extensive benchmarking, stakeholder analysis and a review of strategies having been undertaken. He drew the Committee’s attention to the resulting staffing structure and associated job roles which had now been created and confirmed that posts would be filled, as appropriate, by redesignation and recruitment, via a Council-wide trawl or public advertisement, in line with the Council’s agreed policies and procedures.

            The Committee noted the information which had been provided. 

            The Committee noted a report providing an update on the progress being made across each of the operational areas in implementing the City Hall Recovery Plan.   

            Councillor Murphy highlighted the importance of the built heritage within the city and referred also to the history associated with many buildings and landmarks. He highlighted the recent strategic acquisition by the Council of the former Metro building and proposed that the Committee agree to engage with the owner of another building of architectural and historical significance in the inner North of the City, which was currently empty, with a view to bringing it into Council ownership and exploring potential uses.  

            The Committee agreed that a report be submitted to a future meeting on how the proposal could be progressed, resourced and managed and that it also identify similar buildings at risk across the City, potential funding streams and any role to be played by Central Government.  

            The Committee was reminded that the Council, at its meeting on 1st November, had passed the following motion, which had been proposed by Councillor O’Hara and seconded by Councillor Groogan:

“This Council supports a system of rent controls in the City.

The Council notes with grave concern the escalating prices of rents in all parts of Belfast, notes the failure of the Executive to regulate the rental market and notes the significant additional number of students moving to the City, with the relocation of the University of Ulster campus to North Belfast. The Council is concerned about the increasing number of Houses of Multiple Occupancy spreading across the City and the escalation of living costs, while wages stagnate and National Insurance contributions increase.

The Council, therefore, calls upon the Northern Ireland Executive to immediately bring forward a Rent Control scheme for the City.”

            The City Solicitor informed the Committee that a response had been received from Mr. D. Polley, the Director of Housing Supply Policy within the Department for Communities.

            Mr. Polley had pointed out that Minister Hargey had stated that the Private Rented Sector was a priority area and that she was committed to improving both standards and affordability in that sector. 

            He had explained that the Private Tenancies Bill, which was currently progressing through the Northern Ireland Assembly, was the first phase in a legislative programme which, amongst other benefits, would bring forward improvements in safety and provide tenants with greater protection from eviction. The Bill also contained a clause which permitted only one increase in rent in a twelve-month period, thereby protecting tenants from unexpected rises.

            He had gone on to state that Minister Hargey was also committed to looking at fair and affordable rents in the private and social sector and had requested that this work begin as soon as possible in the next mandate, as part of a further phase of reform.  The Minister also wished to increase affordable housing supply and to expand housing options and, on 18th October, a consultation had been launched on one such affordable housing product, namely, Intermediate Rent.

            Intermediate Rent, in terms of rental costs and length of tenancy offered, occupied the space between the social and private rented homes and sought to deliver a new supply of more affordable, good quality, well-managed homes, providing an additional rental choice for lower income households. It could provide a suitable housing option for people and families who were living in the Private Rented Sector and struggling with high rents and poor housing conditions. 

            Mr. Polley had concluded by confirming that the aforementioned consultation would close on 14th January 2022, and that a Government response would be published in due course.  Subject to approvals for a scheme and its funding, the first homes could be made available during 2023.

            The Committee noted the response.

            The City Solicitor reminded the Committee that the North Foreshore Members’ Steering Group had been established in 2016 to oversee the management of the North Foreshore, particularly in relation to policy, resource allocation and financial risk.

            He explained that the Steering Group had not met since 2019 and suggested that, given the increase in development proposals coming forward, this would be an appropriate time to widen its remit to include the Belfast Castle, Cavehill and Belfast Zoo. The Steering Group would seek to ensure that economic, social and community benefits were fully maximised and would consist of one Member from each of the Political Parties represented on the Council, ideally from that part of the City.   

            The Committee approved the re-establishment of the aforementioned Steering Group and agreed that it be renamed the Castle, Cavehill, Zoo and North Foreshore Steering Group. 

            The Committee considered the following report:

“1.0      Purpose of Report/Summary of Main Issues

1.1       This report outlines the proposed next steps in establishing a Poverty Commission to support the Council’s work on Inclusive Growth and Anti-Poverty action planning.

2.0       Recommendations

2.1       The committee is asked to:

                                            i     note the initial steps to engage with the Poverty Truth Network; and

                                          ii     nominate representatives to engage with the Poverty Truth Network during a series of exploratory meetings during 13th and 14th January, 2022.

3.0       Main Report

            Poverty Truth Network

3.1       The Poverty Truth Network helps cities to determine whether a Poverty Truth Commission would be right for their local area. Poverty Truth Network will accompany cities at every stage of their journey from asking ‘whether a Poverty Truth Commission could happen here’ through to the establishment of a commission.

3.2       The Poverty Truth Network is a registered charity that supports Poverty Truth Commissions and encourages them to work together.  Poverty Truth Network trustees have all been commissioners of local Poverty Truth Commissions and they aim to have at least 50% of their board made up of trustees who have had a direct experience of the struggle against poverty.

3.3       Every Poverty Truth Commission is invited to become part of the Poverty Truth Network after their opening event. A commission does this by proposing two of its commissioners to become members of the network.

            Approach to establishing a Poverty Commission

3.4       An appendix providing a short introduction to the approach and principles of the Poverty Truth Network has been circulated to Members.  The key phases of the Poverty Truth Network framework for establishing a Poverty Commission are outlined below.  This approach has been applied in a number of locations since first used in Scotland in 2009, including Dundee, Leeds, Birmingham, Northampton, Salford and Swansea.

            Phase 1

3.5       Organisations and individuals who are interested in establishing a local commission work with the Network to determine whether setting one up is right for the area. A key factor within this process is whether there is sufficient interest and commitment by people with a direct experience of poverty as well as organisations and institutions in the local area for a Poverty Truth Commission.  A start up group is established of interested parties to help set up the commission.

            Phase 2

3.6       Commissioners are recruited who have a direct experience of poverty. They meet regularly for a sustained period of time (about 6 to 8 months) to get to know each other. They explore their experiences and decide what they would like to communicate about poverty to their area.    Civic and business commissioners are recruited to form the other half of the commission.  Phase 2 ends with a public event in which the first group of commissioners share their experiences of poverty.

            Phase 3

3.7       All the commissioners start meeting regularly for full commission conversations to build relationships with each other and identify issues that they would like to address. Issue groups are formed to explore the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 20.

            The Committee considered the following report:

“1.0      Purpose of Report/Summary of Main Issues

1.1       To present to the Committee the refreshed Smart Belfast urban innovation framework and to seek approval to use this draft as a basis for consultation with stakeholders, prior to the publication of a finalised framework in April, 2022.

2.0       Recommendations

2.1       The Committee is requested to:

1.      note the contents of the Smart Belfast urban innovation framework;

2.      approve an eight-week stakeholder consultation on the framework, commencing on 11th January 2022; and

3.      note the plans for individual party briefings from early in 2022.

3.0       Main Report

            Smart Belfast framework refresh

3.1       First devised in 2017, the Smart Belfast framework aims to foster an environment that supports collaborative innovation between our partners from across industry, academia and the public sector in order to address urban and economic challenges. It is based on the understanding that Belfast’s more complex challenges will often require novel solutions that are difficult for the public sector to develop on its own.

3.2       This refreshed framework incorporates the practice and learning of the past four years,  and reflects the challenges and opportunities of this pandemic era. We have sought to consider how digital innovation can best contribute to the Council’s priorities for city growth, economic recovery and our response to climate change.

3.3       Smart Belfast also reflects the growing impact of new technologies on urban policy and planning. It seeks to maximise opportunities represented by new investments, including the Belfast Region City Deal digital programme, and the emergence of Innovation City Belfast as a regional partnership for innovation.

3.4       The framework has two main sections. In the first, we set out specific plans for a Belfast ‘Smart District’ and how this location can act as a place where the Council and its partners can directly develop and test real-world innovative policies and interventions in an environment that supports innovation and experimentation.

3.5       It is proposed that the Smart District will be particularly important in leveraging innovation to support the delivery of the new Bolder Vision for the city centre. As such the initial geography of the District is co-terminous with the city centre. Thematic areas where the District is likely to make a significant contribution include:

-       Re-imagining the future of the high street

-       Supporting the creative environment for the planned Belfast Stories investment

-       Bringing innovation in design and development to support healthy urban neighbourhoods

-       Contributing to sustainable multi-model travel

-       Supporting the energy transition to zero carbon

-       Digitising and modernising city operations and services.

-       Building community capacity and skills to navigate the opportunities and challenges of our data-driven society and economy. 

3.6       In the second section of the framework, we describe the wider urban innovation ecosystem that is needed to deliver innovation initiatives. Based on the learning from the last four years and building on global research, we propose eight ‘pillars’ for this ecosystem that partners, collectively, have a role to play in strengthening.

            The  ...  view the full minutes text for item 21.

            The Committee considered the following report:

“1.0      Purpose of Report/Summary of Main Issues

1.1       The purpose of this report is to inform the Committee of:

                                         i        the recovery operations and practices in place to mitigate the transmission of Covid-19 in relation to the Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs); and

                                        ii        the impact of Covid-19 regulations on the delivery of services and access to bookings at Council community centres.

2.0       Recommendations

2.1       The Committee is asked to:

·        note the report on HWRCs; and

·        note the outlined restrictions in place due to Covid-19 regulations and the extent of service delivery and bookings being delivered at community centres.

3.0       Main Report

3.1       The Strategic Policy and Resources Committee, on 19th November, agreed that a report be submitted to its next meeting addressing the issues which had been raised by Members around gaining access to Household Waste Recycling Centres and Community Centres and providing details of Covid-19 restrictions which were still in place across the Council and their impact upon service delivery.

            Background to HWRCs

3.2       In March 2020, the Covid-19 global pandemic struck, resulting in the first national lockdown, regulations on essential travel only and a working from home directive, measures all aimed at containing the transmission of the virus.

3.3       HWRCs were closed for a period of around 8 weeks (mid-March to mid-May 2020) and in the intervening period a recovery plan was developed.  This required Local Authorities and contractors to adjust their operational arrangements to ensure that these services were restored and the risk to public health minimised through; hygiene (wash hands often), social distancing and ‘catch it - bin it’ messages.

3.4       This resulted in a number of adaptations to our operating practices at the HWRCs including:

·        Proof of address may be requested as the sites will only be open for those living within the Belfast City Council area. Examples of proof of address include driving licence, utility bill (gas, electricity, broadband supplier), or bank statement;

·        Separation of general waste and recycling before arriving at the recycling centre, to reduce delays;

·        Vans and light goods vehicles bringing domestic waste on site must book before visiting a recycling centre;

·         Further details on the booking system available on the web site and details highlighted below;

·        Site visitors will be responsible for unloading their waste to maintain social distancing from staff; and

·        If self-isolating or symptomatic of coronavirus (COVID-19) you should not visit a recycling centre or civic amenity site.

3.5       It should be noted that the recovery plan was a phased approach with the four recycling centres opening initially followed by the civic amenity sites.  This was to ensure that sufficient staffing resources were available to operate the sites.  The civic amenity sites have one additional operational practice currently in place to mitigate against Covid-19 transmission, while at the same time maintaining service provision.

·        For Civic Amenity sites, no vehicles permitted direct access to the CA sites.  Users are requested to park up and bring waste onto site. For larger  ...  view the full minutes text for item 22.

            The Committee considered the following report:

“1.0      Purpose of Report or Summary of Main Issues

1.1       The purpose of this report is to outline the proposed delivery model for the 2022 Summer Community Diversionary Festival Programme and seek approval from the Committee to proceed with the update scheme.

2.0       Recommendations

2.1       The Committee is asked to agree to the 2022 Summer Community Diversionary Festival Programme delivery model as outlined within the report.

3.0       Main Report

            Background

3.1       The Strategic Policy and Resources Committee agreed, in December 2018, to allocate £500k to a summer diversionary and festival programme, this was in context of the Revenue Estimates and District Rate report agreed as part of the rate setting process.  The recommendation was approved at the January Council meeting.  This programme was delivered in 2019, but due to Covid restrictions, was postponed in 2020.

3.2       At the Council meeting on 1st July 2021, Members agreed to develop an interim scheme for 2021 due to the tight turnaround as a result of the pandemic.  This allowed groups who were funded in 2019 to access funding to deliver community diversionary festival activity outside of the normal summer dates. This programme was not an open call and funding was awarded to groups who received funding in 2019 up to a maximum of their 2019 funding allocation.

3.3       At the Committee meeting in September 2021, Members asked officers to review the existing process, with a view to setting a benchmark to ensure that groups who apply for the scheme in 2022 have the capacity to deliver events in line with the relevant guidelines that the Council has in place for organising events on its land.

3.4       To allow for the timely administration of this funding programme, officers have undertaken areview and are seeking approval from the SP and R Committee on the recommended 2022 approach outlined in this report.

            Key Issues

3.5       When the Summer Community Diversionary programme was developed in 2018, it was based on the following agreements from the Committee:

·        the total programme budget was £500,000, with £250,000 allocated to the July programme and £250,000 allocated to the August programme;

·        no financial limit was placed on geographical areas for July and August programmes;

·        £25,000 (min) and £100,000 (max) funding was available for successful applicants;

·        eligible community diversionary festival activity was defined as follows; ‘Community diversionary festival activity is about the celebration and the promotion of positive cultural expression specifically in the lead up to and over the periods of the 11th July night and the 8th August. It should be developed from within the community. Festival activity should therefore be initiated and led by a community organisation or a community-led partnership. It is not enough to run festival activity for a community – the community must own it and play a strong part in developing and delivering it. All festival activity should also support the diversion of young people who are at risk of becoming involved in anti-social behaviour over the two specified periods.’  ...  view the full minutes text for item 23.

            The Committee considered the following report and accompanying response in respect of the Department for Finance’s consultation on the setting of Decapitalisation Rates in Northern Ireland:

“1.0      Purpose of Report/Summary of Main Issues

1.1             The purpose of this report is to make Members aware of the Department of Finance’s consultation on Setting of Decapitalisation Rates in Northern Ireland and to seek Members’ approval of the Council’s draft response.

2.0       Recommendations

2.1       The Committee is asked to consider the draft response and approve its submission to the Department of Finance, subject to any comments or amendment provided, with the proviso that the response is subject to ratification by the Council on 10th January, 2022.

3.0       Main Report

            Key Issues

3.1       Members are advised that, on 20th October 2021, as part of the Northern Ireland Revaluation 2023 exercise, the Department of Finance launched an 8-week Consultation on the Setting of Decapitalisation Rates in Northern Ireland, to seek views on this element of the Contractor’s Basis of valuation. While most commercial properties are valued for rates using rental information, the Contractor’s Basis is used instead for properties where there is little or no direct rental evidence available. Approximately 12,000 non-domestic properties here are valued wholly or in part using the Contractor’s Basis.

3.2       These properties include schools, universities, hospitals, fire and police stations, halls, and airports.

3.3       The decapitalisation rate is a core part of the Contractor’s Basis. It is a percentage figure which is used to convert the effective capital value of a property into an annual rental value, and ensures that the costs and benefits of owning a property, compared to renting a property, are taken into account when calculating the rateable value.

3.4       Members should note that the closing date for responses was 15th December 2021, but officers have sought an extension to allow the draft response to be brought to this Committee.  A copy of the draft response to the consultation follows this report.  As the closing date for responses is prior to the January 2022 Council meeting, it is proposed that the response, subject to any comments or amendments from Members, be submitted with the caveat that it is still subject to ratification by the Council.

3.5       The consultation is seeking views on 4 key questions.

            Question 1 Do you agree the Department should continue to prescribe the decapitalisation rates used in the Contractor’s Basis of Valuation?

            Question 2 Do you agree that the Department should continue to prescribe two decapitalisation rates in Northern Ireland, i.e. a standard rate and a lower rate?

            Question 3 Do you have any views on the methods for setting the decapitalisation rates (including any suggestions for alternative methods), on the range of values generated by each method, or on the merits or otherwise of each method?

            Question 4 Do you agree with the proposed approach for setting decapitalisation rates in Northern Ireland?

            A copy of the draft response to the consultation is attached.  The Committee is asked to consider the draft response  ...  view the full minutes text for item 24.

            The Committee considered the following report and accompanying response in respect of the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs’ consultation on the Draft Green Growth Strategy for Northern Ireland:

“1.0      Purpose of Report

1.1       To advise the Committee that a response to the Draft Green Growth Strategy has been collated by Council officers. Should the Committee approve the draft consultation response, it will be submitted to DAERA on behalf of the Council.

2.0       Recommendations

2.1       The Committee is asked to approve the draft consultation response for submission to DAERA. Any additional comments received from Members these will be incorporated in the response.

3.0       Main Report

3.1       DAERA has produced a Draft Green Growth Strategy for Northern Ireland which is currently under public consultation, with a closing date of 21st December 2021.

3.2       The Draft Green Growth Strategy can be accessed here, and a draft response to the questions set out by DAERA within the consultation is attached below.

3.3       The Draft Green Growth Strategy is high level in nature, setting out a vision for Northern Ireland by 2050 whereby:

            ‘Northern Ireland has taken significant action for the climate and our environment, has placed nature and biodiversity on a path to recovery, and moved from a high to a low emissions society. We have made this change fairly and have demonstrated a responsibility for each other and for the place in which we live. As a result of all our efforts, we have a more resilient environment with a healthy ecosystem and a strong sustainable economy. More people are employed in green jobs and all generations benefit from improved wellbeing.’

3.4       The Draft Strategy will be followed by a detailed Climate Action Plan which will be developed in 2022, with a focus on sectors that are identified by the Climate Change Committee (CCC), including agriculture, energy supply, waste management, transport, business, other, residential, land use, land use change and forestry.

3.5       The Draft Strategy notes that two Draft Climate Bills currently exist and commits to making any necessary changes to fit with the final agreed Climate Bill.

3.6       The Draft Strategy draws on the evidence-based approach set out by the Climate Change Committee (CCC), underpinned by a commitment to Just Transition, engagement and setting in place appropriate governance and processes to measure progress.

3.7       Financial and Resource Implications

            There are no financial or resource implications at present.

3.8       Equality or Good Relations Implications/

            Rural Needs Assessment

            There are no direct equality or good relations/rural needs implications.”

Council Response

Questions set out within the Draft Green Growth Strategy for Northern Ireland:

Q1 - Is our Vision 2050 the right vision? If not, what would you change?

            The Committee considered the following report and accompanying response in respect of the Department for Communities’ consultation on the draft Local Government Pension Scheme (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2022:

“1.0      Purpose of Report/Summary of Main Issues

1.1             The purpose of this report is to make the Committee aware of the Department for Communities consultation on the draft Local Government Pension Scheme (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2022 and to seek its approval of the Council’s draft response. 

2.0       Recommendations

2.1       The Committee is asked to consider the draft response and approve its submission to the Department for Communities, subject to any comments or amendment provided, with the proviso that the response is subject to ratification by the Council on 10th January 2022.

3.0       Main Report

            Key Issues

3.1       On 8th October 2021, the Department for Communities published a consultation to seeks views on changes to the Local Government Pension Scheme in Northern Ireland (LGPS(NI)). It outlines proposed changes to the LGPS (NI) to cover both the changes required by an Employment Tribunal ruling in relation to survivor benefits, and a number of technical amendments and minor policy updates.  The Department for Communities (DfC) is consulting on changes to the regulations governing the LGPS (NI).

3.2       Members should note that the closing date for responses was 10th December 2021, but officers have sought an extension to allow the draft response to be brought to this Committee.  A copy of the draft response to the consultation is attached and a summary of the key issues are outlined below.  As the closing date for responses is prior to the Council meeting on 10th January, it is proposed that the response, subject to any comments or amendments from Members, be submitted with the caveat that it is still subject to ratification by the Council.

            A Link to the Consultation is provided below.

            Consultation on the draft Local Government Pension Scheme (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2022 | Department for Communities (communities-ni.gov.uk)

3.3       NILGOSC has provided information on the proposed key changes and these are outlined below.

            In summary the key areas are:

1.     Survivor Benefits

2.     30 Day Rule

3.     Additional Voluntary Contributions (AVCs) – removal of 50% limit

4.     Refunds – discretion to pay out after five years

5.     Death Grants

6.     Exit certificates

7.     Internal dispute resolution procedures

8.     Forfeiture

9.     Fluctuating emolument for final salary pay

            The summary and rationale for the changes are as follows:

3.4       1. Survivor Benefits

            Historically, the Local Government Pension Scheme (Northern Ireland) (‘LGPS (NI)’) had different treatments for survivors of marriages than took place while the member was either a deferred member or a pensioner. A surviving widow’s pension was based on service from 6th April 1978, whereas a surviving widower’s pension was based on service from 6th April 1988. Surviving civil partners were treated as widowers. Earlier in January 2020, amendments made some headway towards equalising survivors’ benefits. Same-sex survivors’ benefits were equalised with widows of opposite sex marriages and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 26.

            The Committee considered the following report and accompanying response in respect of the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee’s inquiry into investment in Northern Ireland:

“1.0      Purpose of Report/Summary of Main Issues

1.1       This report seeks the Committee’s approval to submit a response to the NI Affairs Committee inquiry into investment in Northern Ireland. The inquiry will consider the economic effectiveness of policies to deliver investment  and look at how these may address long-standing economic issues.

2.0       Recommendations

            The Committee is asked to consider and agree to submit the draft response to the call for evidence and to note that the deadline for receipt of submissions is 17 January 2022.

3.0       Main Report

3.1       The Councill has the opportunity to submit evidence to the NI Affairs Committee Inquiry into ‘Investment in NI.’ The closing date for evidence  has now been extended to Monday 17th January.

3.2       The NI Affairs Committee’s inquiry will assess the economic effectiveness of UK Government policy to deliver investment in NI and look at how these may address long-standing economic issues in the region, and what further steps can be taken to stimulate investment, including foreign direct investment, in NI to encourage new jobs and economic growth. Many of the issue covered by the inquiry align with existing Council priorities and so it was felt that the Committee may wish that a formal response be submitted to the Call for Evidence.

3.3       The terms of reference for the inquiry are available at:  https://committees.parliament.uk/work/1550/investment-in-northern-ireland/

3.4       Key Issues

            The inquiry is primarily concerned with investment, but this has been broken down into several areas including:

·        Steps the UK Government can take to encourage investment in NI, including through the Levelling Up and Shared Prosperity Funds.

·        Steps that business can take to invest effectively in NI.

·        Steps the UK Government can take to support the decarbonisation of industry in NI and stimulate investment in a sustainable economy.

·        Identifying sectors of investment and employment potential.

·        Steps the UK Government can take to encourage investment that addresses the skills gap and increases employment opportunities for people with few or no qualifications.

·        Status of technical, vocational education and apprenticeships.

·        The importance of education, schools and local universities.

3.5       At this stage, no information has been provided as to when the findings from the inquiry will be published.

3.6       The attached draft response sets out some of the issues that Council may wish to highlight. These include:

·        The need for clarity over future Levelling Up/Shared Prosperity funding arrangements;

·        Involvement by Councils in how that funding will be determined and managed.

·        The need to focus on supporting inclusive economic growth;

·        The Innovation and Inclusive Growth Commission’s recommendations for actions to achieve the housing growth ambitions within the Belfast;

·        The need to support high streets and city centres, and address underfunding of key infrastructure;

·        The need to encourage private investment alongside public investment. And the use of social value;

·        The need to invest in digital skills and the use of vocational and non-traditional routes into these skills;  ...  view the full minutes text for item 27.

The City Solicitor undertook to submit to a future meeting a report setting out the current arrangements for dealing with consultations, in the context of an issue which had been raised by a Member around the need to ensure that Members were afforded the opportunity to view consultations and contribute to responses at an earlier stage in the process.    

            The Director of Physical Programmes submitted for Committee’s consideration a report seeking approval in relation to the following asset related disposal, acquisition and estate matters:

                       i.          Midland Boxing Club – Acquisition of land

      The Committee granted approval to acquire approximately 202.35 m² of land from the Northern Ireland Housing Executive to facilitate the extension of the existing Midland Boxing Club facility.

                     ii.          Grosvenor Recreation Centre – Licence Agreement

      The Committee granted approval to enter into a new two-year Licence Agreement with Bravo Outdoor Limited for the operation of the advertising hoardings at Grosvenor Recreation Centre.

                    iii.          Waterworks Park Community Garden – Grow-NI Agreement

      The Committee granted approval to extend the agreement with Grow-NI for a further three years, from 1st January 2022, to manage and use the community garden at the Waterworks Park.

            The Committee approved and adopted the minutes of the meeting of:

·        the South Belfast Area Working Group of 22nd November;

·        the North Belfast Area Working Group of 24th November;

·        the West Belfast Area Working Group of 25th November; and

·        the East Belfast Area Working Group of 2nd December.

            The Committee also approved the participation in the Community Infrastructure Pilot initiative of the Ballynafeigh (including Annadale) and Finaghy areas, on the basis of  discussions which had taken place since the meeting of the South Belfast Area Working Group on 22nd November with Members from the Balmoral and Botanic District Electoral Areas.

            The Committee:

·        approved the public advertisement of tenders, as per Standing Order 37a, as detailed in Table 1 below;

·        approved the award of Single Tender Actions, in line with Standing Order 55 exceptions, as detailed in Table 2 below;

·        noted the award of retrospective Single Tender Actions, in line with Standing Order 55 exceptions, as detailed in Table 3 below; and

·        approved the modification of the contract, as per Standing Order 37a, as detailed in Table 4 below:

Table 1: Competitive Tenders

            (The Director of Finance and Resources declared an interest in this item, on the basis that he was a member of the Belfast Indoor Bowls Club, and left the meeting whilst it was being considered.)

            The Head of Finance informed the Committee that a request had been received from the Belfast Indoor Bowls Club for financial assistance towards the hosting in Belfast of the British Isles Indoor Bowls International Series and Championships Series.

            It had been pointed out that the event, which would be taking place in March, 2022, would attract 350 competitors and between 2,500 and 3,000 spectators and would create a positive impact for the City from a tourism perspective.

            The Belfast Indoor Bowls Club had been successful in acquiring funding from the Council through the Support for Sport Grants Fund to host the event in 2017. However, as that Fund had not opened for 2021/22, it had been unable to secure grant funding for the forthcoming event.  

            The Head of Finance explained that, whilst the British Isles Indoor Bowls Council would be providing a grant of £3,000 to help offset the loss of green fees, the Belfast Indoor Bowls Club was still required to raise £9,490 to meet the cost of advertising and promotional material, the hire of tiered seating and first aiders and the payment of subsistence to volunteers/stewards. Should the Committee accede to the request, the funding would be met from existing budgets.

            The Committee agreed to allocate £9,490 to the Belfast Indoor Bowls Club towards the hosting of the aforementioned event.

            (Ms. N. Lane, Good Relations Manager, attended in connection with this item.)

            The Committee approved and adopted the minutes of the meeting of the Shared City Partnership of 6th December, including the following recommendations:

            PEACE IV

i.                  to grant to CYP2 Playing our Part in the City and CYP3 Personal Change a three-month extension to 28th March, 2022 to enable project closure and wrap up; and

ii.                Shared Spaces and Services – to agree to extend the MDL contract to 31st January, 2022.

            Building Positive Relations (BPR)

                     BPR 1 - NIHE

i.              to re-profile £25,000 within the NIHE budget to support residential trips and proposal for a two-night cross-border residential trip for West Belfast 1 participants;

ii.            to approve the use of SLAs with community groups participating in BPR1.  (Previous requests for this approach are still awaiting SEUPB approval);

iii.           to deliver eight hours capacity building on an individual group basis for participants within West Belfast 2 network;

                     BPR5 LINCS

·        to extend the delivery timeframe to 30th September, 2022 to increase capacity building and further develop the Inclusion Forum.

BPR5/Traveller

·        to delegate authority to the PEACE IV Programme Board to agree the rescope of the Traveller Support Hub to a Capacity Building programme, subject to SEUPB approval.

            Good Relations Plan

i.              to direct £10,000 of unspent funding from the Micro Grants budget into the St. Patrick’s Day fund;

ii.            to reallocate the funding allocated to the St. Patrick’s Day Grants programme, along with the £10,000 from Micro Grants underspend (as above), to the Civic Programme being led by the Tourism, Culture, Arts and Heritage Team, to assist with the delivery of the four large-scale events scheduled to be held in Belfast over the week of St. Patrick’s Day;

iii.           to provide funding support of £15,000 towards four separate good relations related projects, proposed by the City and Neighbourhood Services’ East Belfast Team, delivered by East Belfast Alternatives, East Belfast Sure Start, East Belfast Community Development Association and Youth Initiatives. (These proposals relate to BCC 10 Strategic Intervention Programme - East £15,000);

iv.          to agree, in principle, to provide funding of £5,000 to support The Four Corners Festival and to grant delegated authority to the Good Relations Manager to liaise with the group and award the funding, if appropriate; and

v.            to provide funding support of £8,000 towards the delivery of a number of good relations related activities to coincide with the African Nations Cup, to be delivered by the Northern Ireland Community of Refugees and Asylum Seekers, in partnership with other organisations.  (These proposals relate to BCC10 Strategic Intervention Programme – South).

            The Good Relations Manager informed the Committee that, following the meeting of the Shared City Partnership, she had been advised that, due to resource issues, the Northern Ireland Community of Refugees and Asylum Seekers did not have the capacity currently to manage the activities referred to in recommendation v. above.

Accordingly, she recommended that the Committee agree that the funding of £8,000 be awarded to a relevant organisation,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 36.

            The Committee noted the contents of a report providing a summary of equality screenings and rural needs impact assessments for the period from July to September, 2021.

            The Committee approved and adopted the minutes of the meeting of the Party Group Leaders’ Consultative Forum of 9th December.

            The Committee approved and adopted the minutes of the meeting of the Social Policy Working Group of 22nd November.

            The Committee agreed to adopt the recommendations made in respect of those applications received up to 6th December, as set out below:

The Committee noted the key issues which had been discussed at the meeting of the Audit and Risk Panel on 7th December and approved and adopted the minutes of the meeting.

            The Committee noted the minutes of the meeting of the Active Belfast Limited Board of 6th December.