Agenda and minutes

            In accordance with Standing Order 9, the Lord Mayor read a passage from the Scriptures.

 

            The Chief Executive submitted the summons convening the meeting.

            An apology for inability to attend was reported from Councillor Stoker.

            The Lord Mayor (Councillor Hartley) expressed regret at the recent death of Councillor N. Kelly’s grandfather and, on behalf of the Council, extended to the family circle his condolences and deepest sympathy.

 

            The Lord Mayor referred to a recent incident in Afghanistan in which Councillor Stoker’s son, Michael, had been seriously injured and, on behalf of the Council, wished Michael a speedy recovery from his injuries.

 

            The Chief Executive reported that requests had been received from a number of broadcasting companies for permission to film and record the election and installation of the Lord Mayor and the Deputy Lord Mayor.  He asked that the Council indicate whether it wished to accede to those requests.

 

            The Council granted the permission sought.

 

            The Lord Mayor (Councillor Hartley) reviewed his year in Office and expressed his appreciation for all those who had supported him during his term as Lord Mayor.  He thanked also the staff who had assisted him during the previous year and placed on record his appreciation of the support which he had received from the Members of his Political Party.

 

            The Deputy Lord Mayor (Councillor D. Browne) reviewed his year in Office and expressed his gratitude for the support which he had received from the Lord Mayor (Councillor Hartley).  He placed on record his thanks for the support he had received from all Members throughout his term and for the advice and assistance of all staff.

 

            Representatives of each of the Party Groupings on the Council paid tribute to the Lord Mayor and the Deputy Lord Mayor for the manner in which they had fulfilled their duties during their year in Office.

 

To elect the Lord Mayor for the period to end on the date of the Annual Meeting of the Council to be held in June, 2010

            Nominations were invited for the Office of Lord Mayor for the ensuing year.  Councillor Long was proposed by Councillor Jones and seconded by Councillor Ekin; while Councillor Humphrey was proposed by Councillor Crozier and seconded by Councillor D. Dodds.

 

            A division was immediately demanded.  A poll having been taken on the nominations, there voted for Councillor Long twenty-six Members, viz., the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor (Councillor Hartley); and Councillors Attwood, Austin, M. Browne, Brownlee, Convery, Cuunningham, Cush, Ekin, Hendron, Jones, B. Kelly, N. Kelly, Lavery, Long, Maginness, A. Maskey, C. Maskey, P. Maskey, McCann, McCarthy, McClenaghan, Mhic Giolla Mhín, Mullaghan, O’Neill and O’Reilly; and for Councillor Humphrey twenty-four Members, viz., the Deputy Lord Mayor (Councillor D. Browne); the High Sheriff (Councillor McCoubrey); and Councillors Adamson, W. Browne, Campbell, Cobain, Crozier, D. Dodds, N. Dodds, Empey, Humphrey, Kirkpatrick, Kyle, McCausland, McGimpsey, McKenzie, McMillen, Newton, Patterson, Rodgers, Rodway, Smyth, Stalford and Wilson.

 

            It was accordingly

 

      Resolved – That Councillor Naomi Long be and is hereby elected Lord Mayor of the City of Belfast for the period to end on the date of the Annual Meeting of the Council to be held in June, 2010.

 

            Councillor Long, having been conducted to the dais by Councillors Jones and Ekin, was installed in Office and subscribed to the Declaration of Acceptance of Office.

 

(The Right Honourable the Lord Mayor, Councillor Long, in the Chair.)

 

            Councillor Long expressed her gratitude to the Members for the honour which they had bestowed upon her by electing her to the Office of Lord Mayor and paid tribute to the previous Lord Mayor and to the Deputy Lord Mayor for the manner in which they had carried out their duties.  She then outlined what she hoped to achieve during her term of Office.

 

To elect the Deputy Lord Mayor for the period to end on the date of the Annual Meeting of the Council to be held in June, 2010

 

            The Lord Mayor invited nominations for the post of Deputy Lord Mayor for the ensuing year.  Councillor Lavery was proposed by Councillor McCann and seconded by Councillor Cunningham; Councillor Humphrey was proposed by Councillor Crozier and seconded by Councillor D. Dodds; while Councillor McMillen was proposed by Councillor McCoubrey and seconded by Councillor Rodgers.

 

            A division was immediately demanded.  A poll having been taken on the nominations, there voted for Councillor Lavery twenty-six Members, viz., the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor (Councillor Long); and Councillors Attwood, Austin, M. Browne, Brownlee, Convery, Cunningham, Cush, Ekin, Hartley, Hendron, Jones, B. Kelly, N. Kelly, Lavery, Maginness, A. Maskey, C. Maskey, P. Maskey, McCann, McCarthy, McClenaghan, Mhic Giolla Mhín, Mullaghan, O’Neill and O’Reilly; and for Councillor Humphrey fifteen Members, viz., Councillors W. Browne, Campbell, Crozier, D. Dodds, N. Dodds, Humphrey, Kirkpatrick, Kyle, McCausland, McKenzie, Newton, Patterson, Rodway, Stalford and Wilson; and for Councillor McMillen nine Members, viz., the Deputy Lord Mayor (Councillor D. Browne); the High Sheriff (Councillor McCoubrey); and Councillors Adamson, Cobain, Empey, McGimpsey, McMillen, Rodgers and Smyth.

 

            It was accordingly

 

      Resolved – That Councillor Danny Lavery be and is hereby elected Deputy Lord Mayor of the City of Belfast for the period to end on the date of the Annual Meeting of the Council to be held in June, 2010.

 

            Councillor Lavery, having been conducted to the dais by Councillors McCann and Cunningham, was installed in Office and subscribed to the Declaration of Acceptance of Office.  He then thanked the Members for his election.

 

(The Deputy Lord Mayor, Councillor Lavery, in the Chair.)

 

            Moved by the Deputy Lord Mayor (Councillor Lavery),

            Seconded by Councillor P. Maskey and

 

            Resolved – That the minutes of the proceedings of the monthly meeting of the Council of 5th May be taken as read and signed as correct.

            The Chief Executive informed the Members that a request for permission to address the Council had been received from objectors in respect of the above?mentioned application.  He reported that both the objectors to the application and the applicant were in attendance.

 

            The Council agreed to the deputations being received and Mr. S. Crawford and Mr. J. McVeigh, the objectors to the application, were admitted to the meeting.

 

            Mr. McVeigh proceeded to outline their objections to the application which included:

 

·         the overdevelopment of a residential amenity;

 

·         the intensification of the site would result in dominance of adjacent residential properties; and

 

·         the mass and style of the development was totally inappropriate for a residential area.

 

            The deputation was therefore seeking the Council’s support and requested that it recommend to the Divisional Planning Manager that the application be rejected.

 

            The deputation thanked the Council for receiving them and they retired from the meeting.

 

            The applicant, Mr. D. McAffrey, was admitted to the meeting.

 

            Mr. McAffrey stated that the planning application consisted of a mix of semi?detached and detached housing as opposed to apartments which were presently being developed in the area.  He stated that the application would improve the area and was within the guidelines which had been established by the Planning Service.

 

            Mr. McAffrey thanked the Council for receiving him and he retired from the meeting.

 

            It was noted that consideration would be given to the representations which had been made when the minutes of the Town Planning Committee were being discussed later in the meeting.

 

To appoint the several Committees of the Council for the period to end on the date of the Annual Meeting of the Council to be held in June, 2010

 

            The Council considered the appointment of Members to the Standing Committees and it was

 

      Resolved – That the Standing Committees as set out below, having been constituted in conformity with Acts of Parliament, Standing Orders and Resolutions of the Council, be and they are hereby appointed for the period to end on the date of the Annual Meeting of the Council to be held in June, 2010:

 

Membership of Standing Committees – May, 2009

Strategic Policy and Resources Committee

 

Sinn Féin Group (6)

 

Councillor M. Browne

Councillor Lavery

Councillor Hartley

Councillor A. Maskey

Councillor P. Maskey

Councillor McCann

 

Democratic Unionist Party Group (6)

 

Councillor W. Browne

Councillor Crozier

Councillor D. Dodds

Councillor Kirkpatrick

Councillor Newton

Councillor Rodway

 

Ulster Unionist Party Group (4)

 

Councillor Adamson

Councillor D. Browne

Councillor Rodgers

Councillor Stoker

 

Social Democratic and Labour Party Group (3)

 

Councillor Attwood

Councillor Convery

Councillor N. Kelly

 

Alliance Party Group (1)

 

Councillor Hendron

 

Development Committee

 

Sinn Féin Group (6)

 

Councillor M. Browne

Councillor Cunningham

Councillor Lavery

Councillor C. Maskey

Councillor P. Maskey

Councillor Mhic Giolla Mhín

 

Democratic Unionist Party Group (5)

 

Councillor Campbell

Councillor Crozier

Councillor D. Dodds

Councillor Humphrey

Councillor McCausland

 

Ulster Unionist Party Group (3)

 

Councillor D. Browne

Councillor Rodgers

Councillor Stoker

 

Social Democratic and Labour Party Group (4)

 

Councillor Convery

Councillor N. Kelly

Councillor Mullaghan

Councillor O’Reilly

 

Alliance Party Group (1)

 

Councillor Ekin

 

Progressive Unionist Party Group (1)

 

Councillor Kyle

 

Health and Environmental Services Committee

 

Sinn Féin Group (5)

 

Councillor Austin

Councillor Cunningham

Councillor Cush

Councillor Mhic Giolla Mhín

Councillor O’Neill

 

Democratic Unionist Party Group (6)

 

Councillor W. Browne

Councillor Campbell

Councillor Humphrey

Councillor Kirkpatrick

Councillor McKenzie

Councillor Rodway

 

Ulster Unionist Party Group (3)

 

Councillor Adamson

Councillor D. Browne

Councillor McCoubrey

 

Social Democratic and Labour Party Group (3)

 

Councillor Attwood

Councillor B. Kelly

Councillor McCarthy

 

Alliance Party Group (2)

 

Councillor Hendron

Councillor Jones

 

Progressive Unionist Party Group (1)

 

Councillor Kyle

 

Licensing Committee

 

Sinn Féin Group (5)

 

Councillor Austin

Councillor Brownlee

Councillor Lavery

Councillor C. Maskey

Councillor O’Neill

 

Democratic Unionist Party Group (5)

 

Councillor Crozier

Councillor D. Dodds

Councillor Kirkpatrick

Councillor Rodway

Councillor Stalford

 

Ulster Unionist Party Group (4)

 

Councillor McCoubrey

Councillor McMillen

Councillor Rodgers

Councillor Stoker

 

Social Democratic and Labour Party Group (3)

 

Councillor Attwood

Councillor N. Kelly

Councillor Mullaghan

 

Alliance Party Group (2)

 

Councillor Ekin

Councillor Jones

 

Progressive Unionist Party Group (1)

 

Councillor Smyth

 

Parks and Leisure Committee

 

Sinn Féin Group (6)

 

Councillor Austin

Councillor Cush

Councillor Hartley

Councillor C. Maskey

Councillor McCann

Councillor McClenaghan

 

Democratic Unionist Party Group (6)

 

Councillor Humphrey

Councillor McCausland

Councillor McKenzie

Councillor Newton

Councillor Patterson

Councillor Stalford

 

Ulster Unionist Party Group (3)

 

Councillor Adamson

Councillor Rodgers

Councillor Stoker

 

Social Democratic and Labour Party Group (3)

 

Councillor B. Kelly

Councillor McCarthy

Councillor O’Reilly

 

Alliance Party Group (1)

 

Councillor Ekin

 

Progressive Unionist Party Group (1)

 

Councillor Kyle

 

Town Planning Committee

 

Sinn Féin Group (5)

 

Councillor Brownlee

Councillor Cunningham

Councillor Lavery

Councillor McClenaghan

Councillor O’Neill

 

Democratic Unionist Party Group (5)

 

Councillor Campbell

Councillor McCausland

Councillor Patterson

Councillor Rodway

Councillor Wilson

 

Ulster Unionist Party Group (4)

 

Councillor  ...  view the full minutes text for item 13.

To appoint the Chairmen and the Deputy Chairmen of the Standing Committees for the period to end on the date of the Annual Meeting of the Council to be held in June, 2010

 

            The Council considered the appointment of Chairmen and Deputy Chairmen of the Standing Committees and it was

 

      Resolved – That, in accordance with Standing Order 42, the Chairmen and the Deputy Chairmen of the Standing Committees as set out below be and they are hereby appointed for the period to end on the date of the Annual Meeting of the Council to be held in June, 2010:

 

Committee	Chairmanships	Deputy Chairmanships
	Party	Party
Strategic Policy and Resources Committee	SF Councillor Tom Hartley	DUP Councillor Ian Crozier
Development Committee	DUP Councillor William Humphrey	SF Councillor Michael Browne
Health and Environmental Services Committee	SDLP Councillor Patrick McCarthy	UUP Councillor Ian Adamson
Licensing Committee	SF Councillor Gerard O’Neill	SF Councillor Janice Austin
Parks and Leisure Committee	UUP Councillor Bob Stoker	SDLP Councillor Peter O’Reilly
Town Planning Committee	DUP Councillor May Campbell	ALL Councillor Máire Hendron

 

            The Council was advised that notification had been received from the Sinn Féin Party Grouping indicating that it wished Councillor Brownlee to fill the vacancy on the membership of the West Belfast Partnership Board, consequent upon the death of Councillor Marie Moore.

 

            The Council approved the aforementioned change.

 

Minutes of meeting of 8^th and 22^nd May, 2009

Moved by Councillor Hartley,

Seconded by Councillor M. Browne,

 

      That the minutes of the proceedings of the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee of 8th and 22nd May be and are hereby approved and adopted.

 

            The Council’s attention was drawn to the minutes of the meeting of 22nd May in relation to the Belfast Wheel where the vote on the further proposal had been recorded incorrectly.  It should have read:

 

“On a vote by show of hands ten Members voted for the proposal and four against and it was accordingly declared carried.”

 

            The Council approved the variation to the minute.

 

            Review of Public Administration –

            Transition Committee in Statute

 

            At the request of Councillor Mullaghan and with the consent of the Council, the Chairman (Councillor Hartley) agreed that that portion of the minute under the heading “Review of Public Administration – Transition Committee in Statute” in so far as it related to question 8 of the response, be taken back to the Committee for further consideration.

 

            Consultation on Severance Arrangements

            for Councillors

 

            At the request of Councillor Humphrey, the Chairman (Councillor Hartley), with the consent of the Council, agreed that the minute under the heading “Consultation on Severance Arrangements for Councillors” be taken back to the Committee to allow the Party Groupings to give further consideration to the proposals.

 

            Subject to the foregoing variation and omissions, the minutes of the proceedings of the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee of 8th and 22nd May were approved and adopted.

 

Minutes of meeting of 11^th, 14^th and 18^th May, 2009

            Moved by Councillor O’Reilly,

            Seconded by Councillor Ekin and

 

      Resolved – That the minutes of the proceedings of the Parks and Leisure Committee of 11th, 14th and 18th May be and they are hereby approved and adopted.

 

Minutes of meeting of 13^th and 26^th May, 2009

            Moved by Councillor Humphrey,

            Seconded by Councillor Campbell and

 

            Resolved – That the minutes of the proceedings of the Development Committee of 13th May be and they are hereby approved and adopted.

 

            The Council agreed that the Development Committee give consideration to the implications of the transport proposals contained in the Connswater Community Greenway scheme in light of the Council’s Transport Policy.

 

Minutes of meeting of 6^th May, 2009

            Moved by Councillor McCarthy,

            Seconded by Councillor O’Neill and

 

      Resolved – That the minutes of the proceedings of the Health and Environmental Services Committee of 6th May be and they are hereby approved and adopted.

 

Minutes of meeting of 29^th April and 20^th May, 2009

            Moved by Councillor O’Neill,

            Seconded by Councillor C. Maskey and

 

      Resolved – That the minutes of the proceedings of the Licensing Committee of 29th April and 20th May, omitting matters in respect of which the Council has delegated its powers to the Committee, be and they are hereby approved and adopted.

 

Minutes of meetings of 7^th and 21^st May, 2009

            Moved by Councillor Campbell,

            Seconded by Councillor O’Neill,

 

      That the minutes of the proceedings of the Town Planning Committee of 7th and 21st May, omitting matters in respect of which the Council has delegated its powers to the Committee, be and they are hereby approved and adopted.

 

            Planning Applications –

            4 Willowfield Crescent

 

            At the request of Councillor Empey and with the consent of the Council, the Chairman (Councillor Campbell) agreed that the minute of the meeting of 21st May under the heading “Planning Applications – 4 Willowfield Crescent” be taken back to the Committee for further consideration.

 

            Moved by Councillor B. Kelly,

            Seconded by Councillor A. Maskey and

 

      Resolved – That the decision of the Town Planning Committee of 7th May under the heading “Planning Applications Reconsidered Items – 47, 49 and Rear Garden of 45 Diamond Gardens” be rejected and accordingly that the opinion of the Divisional Planning Manager to approve the application for the demolition of two dwellings and the erection of six two-storey semi-detached and two-storey detached houses at 47-49 and the Rear Garden of 45 Diamond Gardens be rejected on the grounds that the development would be detrimental to the local residential amenity by reason of its overdevelopment, intensification of the site would result in dominance of adjacent residential properties.

 

            Subject to the foregoing omission and amendment, the minutes of the proceedings of the Town Planning Committee of 7th and 21st May, omitting matters in respect of which the Council had delegated its powers to the Committee, were approved and adopted.