Agenda and minutes

            There were no apologies received.

            The minutes of the meeting of 6th August 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 September.

            The Chairperson (Councillor Brooks) declared an interest in item 5 (a) re: ‘Invite to Parliamentary Launch of Nature and Towns and Cities’ in that she had attended the aforementioned event in her capacity as Chairperson. Councillor Brooks left the meeting whilst the item was under consideration.

            The Committee acceded to a request from representatives of the Stranmillis Neighbourhood Association to receive a deputation at its meeting in October to outline a range of issues in relation to the Pilot Opening Hours Scheme at Botanic Gardens.

            The Committee agreed to receive, at its meeting in October, a deputation from representatives of the Lagan Valley Regional Park to consider matters related to the organisation’s governance and sustainability. 

            In accordance with its decision of 14th January, the Committee welcomed Ms. C. Brooks and Ms. J. O’Hagan, representatives of Belfast Healthy Cities, who were in attendance to provide an update on the outcomes of the European Healthy Cities Network Annual Business Meeting in Bursa, Türkiye, which had taken place from 17th to 19th June.

            Ms. Brooks reported that the event had provided an opportunity to examine how cities throughout Europe had addressed similar challenges to those faced by Belfast. The event included a range of site visits and presentations which had explored health policies, climate resilience, equity, and urban innovation. She explained that Belfast Healthy Cities had made a presentation on its ‘Greening the City’ initiative as part of the conference. The meeting, she added, had been themed, ‘Resilient Healthy Cities: Creating Sustainable Urban Futures for All’ and had explored six key subthemes, namely: prosperity; planet; participation; people; place and peace. The aim of the event had been to help cities understand how environmental and social exposures – such as pollution and a lack of green spaces – affected mental health and cognitive development.

            The representatives of Belfast Healthy Cities answered several questions which had been posed by Members and, after discussion, the Chairperson thanked the representatives for the information which had been provided.

    Noted.

            The Committee agreed to defer consideration of the above-mentioned motion to enable it to be considered within the context of a report to be submitted to a future meeting that would provide a comparison of the costs incurred by the Council in both outsourcing and insourcing its leisure provision.  

            The Committee was informed that the Standards and Business Committee, at its meeting on 21st August, had referred the undernoted notice of motion, which had been proposed by the High Sheriff (Councillor McAteer), and seconded by Councillor Bower, to the Committee for consideration.

  “To ask Council officers to review the funding levels for the summer scheme fund and to provide costings for an updated level of funding to allow providers to adequately run schemes.”

            The High Sheriff outlined the principal aspects of the motion. She referred to the important recreational opportunity which summer schemes provided to children and their families and how the ability to deliver such schemes had been impacted upon by the rising cost-of-living. She requested that officers re-examine the current level of funding provided to groups and to consult with service users and providers to identify issues that were affecting their ability to deliver summer schemes within existing budgets.

            A further Member suggested that any report submitted should examine the possibility of delivering summer schemes on a multi-agency basis, with organisations such as the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust etc., being approached with a view to collaborating in the delivery of services, such as transport, on a collective and more cost effective basis.  

            The Committee agreed that a report be submitted to a future meeting that would address the motion and consider the range of comments made by Members in this regard.

            The information contained in the reports associated with the following six 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 on the following items as there could be a disclosure of exempt information as described in Section 42(4) and Schedule 6 of the Local Government Act (Northern Ireland) 2014.

            The Committee was advised that the content of the ‘restricted’ reports and any associated discussion should be treated as ‘confidential information’ and that such information could not be disclosed as per Paragraph 4.15 of the Councillors’ Code of Conduct.  

            The Committee considered a report regarding its Quarter 1 financial position.

            After discussion, the Committee noted the contents of the report and the associated financial reporting pack.

            The Committee considered and adopted the minutes of the meeting of the Strategic Cemeteries and Crematorium Working Group of 7th August, and the following recommendations contained therein:

·        approved the continuation of the pilot guided walks and volunteering in Friar’s Bush Graveyard and facilitate guided walking tours of Balmoral Cemetery;

·        approved the decision to adopt and publish the draft Bereavement Service Standards;

·        approved the decision to permit members of the Muslim Community to place a monument and interpretative panel that would recognise unmarked Muslim graves in the City Cemetery;

·        approved the decision to allocate £600 to support the promotion of public tours during European Heritage Open Days; and

·        approved that the Trooperslane site be excluded from the Expression of Interest process for the provision of a cemetery and that officers revisit the expansion of the Roselawn site for future burial provision.

(Councillor Cobain, Deputy Chairperson, in the Chair).

            The Committee granted retrospective approval for the attendance of the Chairperson at the above-mentioned event, which had taken place at the Houses of Parliament on the previous evening. It was noted that the invitation to the Chairperson had been received subsequent to the Committee’s meeting in August, hence retrospective approval had been necessary.

            The Committee noted the contents of the minutes of the All-Party Reference Group on Older People of 10th June and agreed that an invitation be extended to representatives of the Alzheimer’s Society to present at a future meeting.

            The Committee considered the following report:

“1.0      Purpose of Report or Summary of main Issues

1.1       In August this committee considered a report on the findings of the two consultation exercises on the possible extension of the opening hours of the Forth Meadow Community Greenway (FMG) and five other park sites.  This report provides an update on information the committee requested following consideration of that report.

2.0       Recommendations

2.1       Members are asked to note further information in relation to the lighting schemes for 5-pilot park sites and the proposed timeframe for trialing 24hr opening of FMG.

3.0       Main report

3.1       Members will recall that at P&C Committee on 5th August 2025 officers provided an update on the key findings of the Forth Meadow Community Greenway Opening Hours (FMG) and Opening Hours Pilots (5 park sites) consultation exercises; and in relation to both - noted residents feedback, including views on opening hours preference for each greenway section/ park site, programming and further physical enhancements.

3.2       Members agreed to trial the 24-hour opening of the FMG.  Members requested further information to be brought back on trialing extended gate opening hours along the Greenway for a one-year period. Members deferred consideration of the 5 Opening Hours Pilots to allow further information to be submitted on each park to the Committee. This paper is to be considered by way of update to that request.

            Opening Hours Pilots (5 sites) - Next Steps

3.3       Ensuring park safety through artificial lighting and additional security was highlighted by residents as a requirement to extended opening hours at all park sites (Botanic Gardens, Belmont Park, Falls Park, Ormeau Park, Woodvale Park), and in particular those currently not benefitting from lighting (Botanic Gardens, Ormeau Park, Belmont Park).

3.4       Members are reminded that the installation of any new lighting infrastructure requires significant capital investment. Further to Members discussion in August’ P&C Committee, officers can confirm that artificial lighting at the park sites have been included within the ‘Park Improvement Programme’ which is currently a Stage 1- Emerging under the Capital Programme which has enabled feasibility monies to be allocated. This feasibility support will now allow studies to be progressed to develop costed options for each park site to include lighting and other safety measures and will be informed by ecological assessments and further engagement. There is no timetable for the work at present however officers are aware that members would like to see this work completed as soon as possible and are working with colleagues in Physical Programmes to expedite this work.  Once this has been completed for each park officers will bring proposals back to members that will also include animation plans, security /patrolling measures including costings.

            Forth Meadow Community Greenway Next Steps

3.5       In considering optimal timeframe for trialing of extended/ 24-hour gate opening hours along the Greenway for a one-year period, Members are reminded that additional security and warden staff are currently being considered as part of Council’s Park Warden Review. Officers plan  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4e

            The Committee considered the following report:

1.0            Purpose of Report/Summary of Main Issues

1.1            The purpose of this report is to seek retrospective approval from Members for the attached draft response to the Department for Communities who are seeking the Council’s views on the proposed commencement of Articles 68-72 of the Criminal Justice (Northern Ireland) Order 2008.

2.0       Recommendations

2.1       It is recommended that Members:

·             note the contents of this report;

·             agree the draft response to DfC, attached as Appendix 1; and

·             note the Committee’s 2018 response to DfC on this issue, attached as Appendix 2.

3.0       Main Report

3.1       Background

In late 2023 the Department for Communities (‘DfC’), and Department of Justice (‘DoJ’), undertook a joint public consultation on potential amendments to the legislative framework and powers to deal with anti-social behaviour (‘ASB’), including drinking-in-public.

The Consultation sought views on:

·        the areas that should be designated in which drinking-in-public is prohibited, and the reasons for their designation;

·        whether powers should be provided to police officers and/or authorised council officers to request a person to stop drinking and issue a fixed penalty notice if they fail to do so;

·        whether the powers provided should include a power of seizure and/or disposal of alcoholic drinks and if that seizure and/or disposal power should apply to open and/or closed containers;

·        the situation the powers may be used in; and

·        which legislation should be in place to provide these powers.

Belfast City Council did not provide a response to this consultation.

3.2       Members may be aware that a similar consultation exercise about ASB was conducted by the DoJ in 2018 in which they sought views, among other things, on the commencement of Articles 68-72 of the 2008 Order.

On 5 June 2018 Committee agreed on the response, in which it was recognised that any legislative framework should reflect the wide range of powers available across Northern Ireland to ensure maximum effectiveness.

As noted in paragraph 3.3 below, the proposed commencement of Articles 68-72 now includes an ‘opt in’ power for councils to require individuals to stop drinking alcohol in a designated area and surrender any alcoholic drinks in their possession.

3.3       In April 2025 DfC published a summary of responses to the most recent consultation, which clearly indicated that the current legislative framework to tackle drinking-in-public and associated ASB needs to be updated to ensure it is fit for purpose, with an overwhelming majority of respondents agreeing that an explicit power to seize and dispose of alcohol should be available in certain circumstances.

3.4       Following the consultation period, DfC sought the Council’s view on the proposed commencement of Articles 68-72 of the 2008 Order, with the following amendments:

·             to provide a specific power to police officers allowing the seizure and disposal of open and closed containers of alcoholic drinks in designated areas and in certain public order situations. It is not proposed that council officers would be provided with this power.

·             to extend the powers conferred on police officers requiring individuals to stop  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4f

            The Committee granted authority for the hosting of the undernoted events, subject  to the applicants adhering to - and meeting with - all of the stipulations as set out within the report:

·        VC Glendale - Falling Leaves – Irish National League Race – Falls Park (11th and 12th October, 2025);

·        Sound of Belfast and Factory sessions – Tropical Ravine (6th November, 2025);

·        Row on Row Remembrance 2025 – Pitt Park (3rd to 11th November, 2025);

·        CIYMS - Orange Grove Athletics – Boxing Day Run – Belmont Park (26th December, 2025);

·        5 Kilometre Autism NI Walk – Ormeau Park (18th January, 2026);

·        Darkness into Light – Ormeau Park (9th May, 2026);

·        Darkness into Light – Waterworks (9th May, 2026); and

·        Wellfest – Ormeau Park – (12th and 13th September, 2026).

            The Committee considered the following report:

“1.0     Purpose of Report/Summary of Main Issues

1.1       To consider a proposal to re-survey 20 streets being processed under the dual language street signs policy which were affected by postal issues and to consider an extension to survey response times which may be impacted by delivery schedule changes.

2.0       Recommendation

2.1       The Committee is asked to agree to: -

·        The re-survey of 20 streets where residents’ returns have been impacted by a postal service issue.

·        To extend the survey response times to 21 days from the current 14 days for all applications going forward to reduce impact of delivery schedule changes for second class post (Initially one month on policy implementation)

3.0       Main Report

3.1       Key Issues

Re-survey of 20 Streets

3.2       The Director of Planning and Building Control provided an update to members at the People and Communities Committee on 5th August regarding an issue which affected the return of dual language street sign surveys using prepaid envelopes.

3.3       An account suspension applied to BCC Royal Mail account between 15th April 2025 and 17th July 2025 has impacted a number of survey returns being processed and delivered to BCC by Royal Mail. It is unclear and we have been unable to ascertain to date when this suspension resulted in letters being held by Royal Mail. During our account suspension the Royal Mail Delivery Centre held 375 surveys. In addition, a number of surveys had been internally transferred to their National Returns Centre for return to sender (residents).

3.4       Whilst we have received all the survey returns held by the Royal Mail Delivery Centre and are continuing to receive surveys from the National Returns Centre we are unable to obtain accurate numbers for the surveys which were sent back to residents. A small number of residents have contacted BCC directly to advise they had received their survey back. This involved the surveys of Rosetta Avenue, Skegoneill Avenue and Victoria Road. 

3.5       Officers have been closely monitoring the returns and have been able to identify 20 Streets which have been impacted by this issue. Given the unknown number of surveys that have been returned to residents and the inability to obtain accurate figures from Royal Mail, officers consider the only option to ensure fully accurate survey results would be to conduct a re-survey of these streets. This re-survey has been extended to any streets where we consider there is the potential for results to have been affected by residents returns. This analysis took into consideration streets we have received held mail from the Delivery Centre and National Returns Centre, and those streets where surveys were returned to the residents.

3.6       The list of these streets and the number of surveys involved in the re-survey are listed in Table 1 below which will follow the same process as the original survey.

Return will be by prepaid envelope for all surveys in line with existing processes.

            The Committee considered the following report:

1.0            Purpose of Report or Summary of main Issues

1.1       To provide an update to People and Communities Committee on the work being conducted in relation to the overfilled bins and bin liner collection issues (Bin Safety Campaign).

2.0       Recommendations

The Committee is requested to note the contents of this report.

3.0       Main report

Key Issues

3.1       Members will recall this matter was discussed in June and members requested that updates were presented to P&C Committee at the August and September meetings.

This report provides an update to members on progress to date in relation to the campaign.

3.2       It should be noted that Corporate Communications have supported and continue to provide support and resource to Resources and Fleet the Service through the external and internal communications and awareness raising elements of the plan. The Project team engage with Corporate Communications regularly around the campaign, resident feedback and progress.

3.3       The Project Team and their Resource Advisor colleagues within Waste Management have produced an engagement plan based on the Implementation and Communications Plan approved by Council.

3.4       Monday 4 August – the beginning of Amber tagging bedding in period for 8 weeks. Collections continue as normal (i.e. overfilled bins and bins with liners still collected) with warning tag placed on bins and reporting by crews. Resource Advisor Teams on ground raising awareness and messaging.

3.5       Monday 29 September – planned start date for the beginning of Red tagging collecting strictly to policy phase. Overfilled containers will be tagged and will not collect, and instances reported. Temporary additional Special Waste Collection Operational teams (SWCO) to be engaged Resource Teams, OSS and Enforcement Teams will be deployed to targeting remaining hot spot areas.

3.6       Project Team progress as at time of writing of this update report:

Overfilled and lined Bins – Domestic and Commercial Waste

3.7       The following actions are ongoing or scheduled to be conducted as detailed. Summary of data and metrics around the campaign are below for reference.

·        Additional Resource Advisor Staff have been deployed and began operating in Urban Belfast from Monday 21st July. In terms of direct communications by the Resource Advisor Team and Waste Management colleagues, all is going to plan. 890 streets equating to 34342 urban households have received direct communications around the campaign.

·        The Project team have continued to hold weekly briefings with operations managers and assistant managers and their crews. Further briefings are planned at the end of August around the collection to policy (red) phase. These briefings will include Customer Hub colleagues, OSS and relevant FAQs will be reviewed and updated.

·        Red tags (domestic) and red stickers (commercial) have been ordered and delivered – these will form part of the briefings above and be circulated to stakeholders including the customer hub.

·        A new Special Waste Operations Team (SWOT) will be required from the end of September when we collect to policy. It is envisaged that these posts will be in situ for 15^{th  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8c}

            The Committee considered the following report:

“1.0      Purpose of Report

            The purpose of this report is to inform members of phase two of the kerbside glass expansion scheme.

2.0       Recommendations

2.1       Members are requested to approve the street list which will make up phase two of the kerbside glass expansion scheme, as outlined in the report.

3.0       Main report

3.1       In 2024, the Resources and Fleet Service was successful in obtaining capital funding under the DAERA Household Waste Collaborative Change Programme with regard to the expansion of its kerbside glass collections scheme.

3.12      This funding, combined with the Council’s capital programme, resulted in the implementation of phase one of this scheme which delivered a Lorna glass collection scheme to 23,000 households from Q4 2024/25. While initial scheme participation data is below expectations, the tonnage captured is on target, with approximately 35 kg/hh/pa equating to around 800 tonnes of glass per annum. The Service is also working on contingency measures for vehicle breakdown to ensure a more consistent approach to kerbside collections across the city.

3.13      The Service is now planning for phase two of the project which involves a further expansion to another 23,000 households. The Implementation phase involves the recruitment of collection crews, procurement of containers for both individual households and apartment blocks, procurement and leasing of vehicles, communication of the scheme to the selected households, assessment of apartments (if any within the selected areas) and finally delivery of containers followed by first collections.

3.14      The scheme roll-out commences with a letter drop to households within the agreed phase two catchment area. This letter will outline the key aspects of the initiative along with practical information such as collection day, frequency, accepted materials and start date. Within seven days of receiving the letter, households will be issued with a kerbside box and lid for the presentation of their glass containers at the kerbside. An information leaflet will also be included within the kerbside boxes reminding residents on the salient points of the scheme. Kerbside collections will then commence within ten working days of receiving the kerbside box.

3.15      Given the lead times associated with a number of these activities, in particular the purchase and receipt of containers, and mindful of the potential clash with collections arrangements for the Christmas 2025 season, it is envisaged that project implementation will commence in January and will be completed by March 2026.

3.16      Detailed route planning is still being finalised. Members are requested to approve the street lists so that further detailed planning can be completed. Members will also note that the agreement of phase two will by default result in the final phase three being those households still not receiving a kerbside glass scheme and subject to financial approval via the rates setting exercise, the final roll-out will include these households in the 26/27 financial year.

4.0       FinancialandResource Implicatio  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8d

The Committee agreed to the erection of a second street nameplate in Irish at Brooke Crescent, Juniper Park, Elimgrove Street, Deerpark Mews, Joy Street, Castle Street and Chapel Lane.       

            The Committee approved the naming of Rileys Place and Keegan Way. 

            At the request of Councillor Canavan, the Committee agreed that a report be submitted to a future meeting that would examine the costs incurred in providing replacement keys to local residents.

            At the request of Councillor Flynn, the Committee agreed that a report be submitted to a future meeting that would outline the Council’s policy, management and removal of invasive plant species, in particular Himalayan Balsam, and how such work might be undertaken in partnership with local communities. 

            At the request of Councillor R. M. Donnelly, the Committee agreed that a report be submitted to a future meeting in this regard.