Agenda and minutes

            Apologies for inability to attend were reported from the Deputy Lord Mayor (Councillor McDonough-Brown); Aldermen Haire and Spence and Councillor Attwood.

            No declarations of interest of reported.

            The information contained in the reports associated with the following 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 Committee meeting during discussion of these 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 (NI) 2014.

The Committee was reminded that, at its meeting on 18th May, it had agreed to fund the following summer diversionary events and education programmes:

·        Féile an Phobail (Festival) -  £100,000;

·        Twaddell Woodvale Residents’ Association (Woodvale Festival) - £100,000

·        NI Alternatives (East Belfast Community Festival) - £50,000;

·        New Lodge Arts (New Lodge Festival) - £40,000;

·        Markets Development Association (Diversionary Activities) - £10,000;

·        Belfast South Community Resources - £26,521; and

·        Ulster-Scotch Heirskip Cooncil/Ulster-Scots Community Network – community education programme, community visualisation programme and 3 year strategic planning process for new festival) - £80,000.

            It had been agreed also that:

·        the funding applications be subject to due diligence, appropriate legal agreements and to evaluations being undertaken;

·        To ensure transparency in future years, to establish an open call diversionary programme with an agreed budget; and

·        That Council officers engage with the groups that were not allocated support to discuss alternative funding opportunities.

            It was reported, given the tight timescales in relation to a number of the projects, officers had been working closely with the groups to develop their project proposals and work through due diligence and appropriate legal agreements as agreed by the Members.  That had involved officers from a number of Services within the Council.

            The Committee was advised that, to date, four of the proposals had been approved and a further two had reached the stage of due diligence where funding agreements could be prepared.  Those were Belfast South Community Resources and the Ulster-Scotch Heirskip Cooncil/Ulster-Scots Community Network.

            It was pointed out that both organisations had made representations indicating that a higher proportion of funding was needed to be paid up front to ensure successful delivery of the events.        

After discussion, it was

Moved by Councillor Beattie,

Seconded by Councillor Carson,

      That the Committee agrees to defer consideration of the applications until its next monthly meeting.

Amendment

Moved by Councillor Reynolds,

Seconded by Councillor Craig,

      That the Committee agrees to authorise the release of Funding Agreements to the Belfast South Community Resources and the Ulster-Scotch Heirskip Cooncil/Ulster-Scots Community Network, with 90% of the funding to be paid up front and the remaining 10% to paid following satisfactory completion of monitoring and evaluation returns.

            On a vote by show of hands five Members voted for the proposal and nine against and it was declared lost.

            The original proposal standing in the name of Councillor Beattie and seconded by Councillor Carson was put to the meeting when seven Members voted for and five against and it was declared carried.

            In accordance with notice on the agenda, the Chairperson (Alderman Rodgers) requested that the Committee receive a report on the possibility of erecting gates and fencing at land at Bloomfield Walkway, such a report to include discussions  on the portion of land owned by the Department of Infrastructure and any associated costs.

            After discussion, the Committee agreed that a broader report to include the rest of the Council-owned land surrounding the Walkway and discussions and engagement with all the community partners on possible use of the land be submitted in due course.