Agenda and minutes

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

            (Mrs. S. McNicholl, Strategic Planning and Policy Manager, attended in connection with this item.)

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

“1.0       Relevant Background Information 

1.1         As agreed previously by Members, work has been ongoing to develop the new corporate plan for the period 2012-2015.  Members have played a central and constructive role in this planning process and have helped bring focus and attention to the key priorities for the city and areas for action for the Council. 

1.2         Members will recall that there have been a number of key engagement events in recent months in support of the corporate planning process, including Committee discussions, Party briefings, workshop sessions and area?based briefings. As part of this overall process, work has also taken place on the development of a draft ‘stimulus package’ which seeks to communicate the Council’s commitment to tackling the effects of the economic downturn in the city.  The draft stimulus package had been discussed in detail by the Committee at its meeting on 21 October 2011

1.3         This report seeks to update Members on the current status of the development of the new Corporate Plan; setting out a clear timetable scheduling when key strands of interlinked work such as the stimulus package and Belfast Masterplan will be brought forward and the role of Members in supporting this process.

1.4         The Party Leaders met as the Party Leaders’ Forum facilitated by Jon Huish on 4 November 2011.

2.0       Key Issues

2.1         Corporate Plan

2.1.1     The development of the priorities and projects which will be the content of new Corporate Plan has been ongoing for several months facilitated and supported through a series of Party Group and Member briefings. An initial discussion with Party Group Leaders took place at the end of June to begin to identify and explore potential priorities for the Council and to shape Members input.

2.1.2     To facilitate wider engagement, the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee agreed, at its meeting in June, that a series of thematic workshops would  be arranged to enable all Members to set out and discuss their views on the important issues and for the city and to give direction on the key objectives and priorities for the new Council term.

2.1.3     There have already been two productive workshop sessions focusing on the corporate themes of leadership (Place?Shaping) and the economy. The third and final workshop ‘People, Communities and Neighbourhoods’ is scheduled for 29 November 2011. This workshop will explore with Members potential local neighbourhood interventions and community support initiatives.  Members will be aware that Jon Huish, a peer Elected Member, has also been working with Party Leaders and Party Groups over recent months in regards the corporate planning process and exploring potential future priorities for the Council. 

2.1.4     In moving forward, there will be continued engagement over coming weeks with Members through established mechanisms including the Party Leaders Forum and the Budget and Transformation Panel. It would be the intention that a first draft of the new Corporate Plan will  ...  view the full minutes text for item 2a

            The Committee considered the undernoted requests which had been received for the use of the City Hall and the provision of hospitality:

            The Committee agreed to defer until its meeting in December consideration of a report in relation to the Conflicts of Interest Policy.

            The Committee was reminded that, at its meeting on 4th November, as part of its consideration of the development of a Council Constitution, it had agreed to the establishment of an All-Party Working Group comprising Members of the Committee where appropriate to take forward the discussions on the Constitution.  The Committee had agreed also that, in the first instance, the Working Group could consider the revision of Standing Orders and the development of associated protocols.

            The Democratic Services Manager advised the Committee that, in order for the Working Group to be established and commence work, it was necessary for the Committee to agree the Terms of Reference for the Group.  Accordingly, he submitted for the Committee’s approval the undernoted suggested Terms of Reference:

1.     The revision of the Council’s Standing Orders to make them relevant to the current modern governance arrangements.

2.     The development of Member-Officer Protocols to provide for a clear understanding of the different roles and responsibilities of each and to establish clear guidelines in relation to, for example, how issues are included on Committee agendas, how Member and Officer meetings outside of the formal decision-making structures should be facilitated etc.

3.     The development of the second part of the Conflicts of Interest policy in relation to the roles and responsibilities of Members on outside bodies.

4.     Initial consideration of the overall governance arrangements for the Council including the current Committee system and the issue of the scrutiny function.

5.     Any other part of the overall Council Constitution which is referred to it specifically by the Committee

            He pointed out that the Working Group would not have any decision-making powers but would only be able to recommend any proposed changes to the Committee for its decision.

            The Committee approved the Terms of Reference for the Governance Working Group as set out.

            The Democratic Services Manager reminded the Committee that, at the Council meeting on 1st November, a number of Members had made mention of the fact that the minutes of several Working Groups were only mentioned in passing in the minutes of the controlling Standing Committee.  In particular, attention had been drawn to the adoption of the minutes of the meetings of the Budget and Transformation Panel and the Historic Centenaries Working Group by the Committee on 21st October.  The Chief Executive had undertaken to have a report presented to the Committee setting out options with regard to how the minutes of Working Groups should be dealt with both at the Standing Committees and, subsequently, within the Council minute book.

            The Democratic Services Manager explained that all Members of Council had access to the Modern.gov system without restriction and could already view both the agenda papers and minutes of all Committees and Working Groups whether or not they were a Member of that Committee or Working Group.  All Committee reports and associated appendices were therefore already available to all Members.

            However, at present, only the minutes of the meetings of the Council’s Standing Committees were included in the minute book presented at the monthly Council meeting.  The reason for that was that it was only those Committees which could make decisions subject to Council ratification.  Working Groups had no standing under the Local Government Act (Northern Ireland) 1972.  The decision to establish a number of Working Groups in 2008 had been taken in order to allow the preliminary work on a range of issues to be discussed by All-Party Groups and for those Working Groups to make recommendations to the controlling Standing Committees.  If the minutes of a Working Group were adopted by the controlling Standing Committee then, normally, that was all that the minute would show.  If, however, the recommendations of a Working Group were amended or rejected by the controlling Committee it was recorded separately within the minute of the controlling Committee. 

            The Democratic Services Manager pointed out that if the minutes of a controlling Committee only recorded that the minutes of a Working Group which were submitted to it were “adopted” then it was accepted that this did not reflect fully the discussions undertaken and recommendations agreed at the Working Group meeting.  Although the full minutes of those Working Groups were available to all Members through the Modern.gov system, they were not readily available to Members at the monthly meeting. 

            One way in which that could be resolved would be to include a more comprehensive record within the Standing Committee minute of the recommendations of the Working Groups which reported to it.  For example, when the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee was considering the minutes of the Good Relations Partnership, the minute of the meeting would record the important individual decisions which were taken by the adoption of the Partnership’s minute.  That would highlight the individual issues which the Working Groups considered and allow the full Council meeting  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3d

            The Committee was reminded that, at its meeting on 21st October, it had been advised that the tendering process had been completed for a system to live stream and archive Council proceedings on the internet.  The system had now been installed and had been tested during the Council meeting on 1st November.  The live webcasting would begin at the Council meeting on 1st December.

            The Democratic Services Manager reported that Members had previously indicated that thought should be given as to how the conduct of the Council meetings might be impacted upon when the live broadcasts commenced.  In particular, Members were keen to ensure that the reputation of the Council would not be adversely affected.  Therefore, a Protocol for the live streaming and archiving of Council proceedings on the internet had been developed.  More detailed discussion on the conduct of Council meetings would take place as part of the forthcoming review of Council Standing Orders.  Once the system had been in operation for a period of three months, the Protcol, a copy of which is set out hereunder, would be reviewed to ensure its relevance:

“Draft - Protocol for the live webstreaming of Council Meetings

1.   Background

      The Members will recall that the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee, at its meeting on 22 October 2010, agreed to the invitation of tenders for a system which would facilitate the live streaming and archiving of Council meetings on the internet.  Subsequently, the Assistant Chief Executive/Town Solicitor approved the successful tender for the provision and installation of the necessary equipment provided by Public-i.  A webcast is a transmission of audio and video content over the internet.  It is a permanent medium which is either viewed live, or from an archive. This protocol has been produced to assist the conduct of webcast meetings and to remind Members of the importance of the maintenance of order during meetings. 

2.   Current position

      The equipment is now in place and consists of 4 fixed cameras, which will focus on the speaker at any given time, or give an overall view of the Chamber if appropriate.  The proceedings of each Council meeting will be webcast live on the internet and recordings will be archived for 2 years and will be available to view within 48 hours of the meeting.  Concurrently, during each Council meeting, a live screening from the internet with audio will be on display in the Robing Room.

3.   Protocol to be followed

      In order to ensure the maximum openness and transparency of Council business the following Protocol has been developed to assist Members to make the best possible use of the system. 

a.   The Lord Mayor will make an announcement at the start of each meeting reminding Members that the meeting is being broadcast live to the internet and will be capable of repeated viewing.  The Lord Mayor will also advise that the webcasting of the meeting may be terminated or suspended at his/her discretion.  (Further information below.)

b.   Specific seats  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3e

            The Committee was advised that a film company, Waddell Media, was producing currently a documentary on behalf of the British Broadcasting Company on the Lord Mayor’s year in office.  The company had been filming a number of Mayoral engagements and, in order to give a rounded picture of the duties of a Lord Mayor, had requested to film the entirety of the Council meeting to be held on 1st December, 2011.  It was understood that the company would require two personnel to be in attendance to carry out the filming.  One camera would be used, operating from both a fixed and non-fixed position.

            The Democratic Services Manager explained that the Council had agreed to similar requests in the past, most recently in 2003 when a documentary had been produced on the year in office of the then Lord Mayor, Councillor Alex Maskey, and again in 2006 when the British Broadcasting Corporation had been producing a documentary on the City.  The filming of the Council meeting would not cause any disruptions to the proceedings and staff from the Corporate Communications section would liaise directly with the production team to make them aware of the rules and protocols to be observed. 

            During discussion, a Member pointed out that the British Broadcasting Corporation had commissioned three documentaries about the year in office of Lord Mayors and all had been on Nationalist Lord Mayors and requested that the Committee forward a letter requesting information on the reasons behind the company’s commissioning of such programmes.

            After further discussion, it was

            Moved by Councillor Reynolds,

            Seconded by Councillor McKee,

      That a letter be forwarded to the British Broadcasting Corporation seeking clarification on the commissioning process for such documentaries and pointing out that the three programmes which had been commissioned to date all involved Nationalist Lord Mayors.

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

            The Committee accordingly agreed to accede to the request for the filming of the Council meeting on 1st December, 2011.

            The Committee approved and adopted the minutes of the meeting of the Member Development Steering Group of 2nd November.

            The Committee noted the contents of the Financial Report for Quarter 2 2011/12 and the associated Financial Reporting Pack.

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

“1    Relevant Background Information

1.1    Members will recall that the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee in April agreed the process for setting the rate as outlined in the chart below. The purpose of this report is to outline progress made against the agreed timetable and to discuss the key issues which will need to be considered as of the rate setting process.

2       Key Issues

2.1    Departmental Estimates – This is the money required by departments to deliver services and typically covers expenditure on headings such as salaries, supplies and services. The departments have all completed their estimates for 2012/13 and the outcome is that £630,000 less will be required than for 2011/12. This reduction is due to 2 factors:

·        £2.3m efficiencies have been taken out of the budgets as agreed by the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee on 4 November 2011.

·        A pay rise has not been factored into the budgets for the third year running.

2.2    Waste Plan – waste management costs are due to increase by some £3.7m in 2014/15 when the arc21 Residual Waste Contract commences. The council has been planning for this increase in cost through a gradual increase in the rate so to avoid a spike in the rate in 2014/14. For 2012/13, a stepped increase of £1m will be required.

2.3    The net impact of the department estimates and the waste plan is that an additional £360,000 is required to cover revenue costs in 2012/13. This is the equivalent of a 0.29% increase in the rate. This means that this provides Members with a one-off opportunity to dedicate the bulk of any rate increase to capital investment, if they so choose. 

2.4    Capital Investment

·        Capital Programme – used to pay for enhancements or new assets owned by the council. The current capital programme is financed through an annual budget of £10m .This budget is sufficient to meet the current capital spending plans of the council which will peak in 2015/16. 

·        City Investment Fund – used to finance investment package schemes for non-council assets. Currently, £3m from rates go into the fund every year. By 2014/15 there will be £11m in the fund net of current commitments. The fund will require additional finance to be built up if schemes included in the investment package are to be delivered.

·        Local Investment Fund – used to fund neighbourhood capital projects for non-council assets. There is £2.5m in the fund. There is an opportunity to add £2.5m to the fund over the next two years without increasing the rate.

2.5    Reserves – are forecast to be at least £10.3m by the end of 2011/12. This is line with the council’s reserve strategy which requires general reserves to be at a minimum of £10m.

2.6    Rate Base – council officers are currently working with the LPS on the rates forecast (EPP) for 2012/13. At this stage we are not in a position to provide an accurate figure but it is likely that  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4b

            The Committee approved the minutes of the meeting of the Budget and Transformation Panel of 8th November and noted the details contained therein in relation to the discussion which had been held with representatives of the Land and Property Service regarding the accuracy and volatility of the Estimated Penny Product and the Actual Penny Product.

            The Committee granted authority for the commencement of tendering exercises and delegated authority to the Director of Property and Projects, in accordance with the Scheme of Delegation, to accept the most advantageous tenders received in respect of the following:

            The Director of Property and Projects submitted for the Committee’s consideration the undernoted report:

“1        Purpose

1.1       To provide Committee with details of the projects BCC are currently delivering, facilitating, consulting, lobbying or considering.  Members are asked to consider the detail of the report and the recommendations in relation to moving the Programme(s) forward in line with financial and other resource limitations.

2          Background

2.1       At SP&R on 21st October Members agreed to the establishment of Member/officer working groups to progress projects identified by Members at the Place-shaping workshops and recent Party Briefings.  In addition Members have agreed that officers convene a workshop on People and Communities which will also explore Neighbourhood funding and the projects that could be part of this strand.  These projects can then be added to the programme(s) when known. 

2.2       Given the number and range of projects under consideration, the various stages they are at and the different parts of the organisation involved at different times it is important to group all these physical projects within a single document that enables overall management to be simplified and ensure members are regularly engaged and updated.  Once agreed the projects will be organised into separate programmes to reflect the different financing routes ie Capital Programme, City Investment Fund, Local Investment Fund. 

2.3       The tables below detail those projects identified by Members at various workshops; the City Investment fund projects (active and potential) and capital projects committed and not committed. For this exercise we have excluded smaller capital projects such as IT projects and as noted above further neighbourhood projects may be added. 

2.4       Outline costs have been identified for the majority of projects however a number of caveats need to be applied to the financial information. Several projects remain ill defined and estimates are little more than a guess at this stage, others are contingent upon various funding streams that again are not fully worked up. However it is important to have at least a ballpark figure to inform discussion and establish the potential rate impact. 

2.5       We have affordability ranges for capital of around £10m pa for financing.  We have a £3m annual contribution to CIF and there is a £2.5m lump sum for the LIF.  Affordability limits will include this money together with further efficiency gains, rate income and external funding. 

            The projects have been grouped into 4 categories:

·        Group A – basically committed

·        Group B – officers authorised to work up more detail

·        Group C – potential projects to be considered by Member/Officer working groups to define scope of potential projects

·        Group D – Projects at a very early conceptual stage

2.7       The total number of projects identified to date is 70 around half of which are newly identified by Members.  The total BCC funding potentially required for these where known, is over £100m.  Obviously this amount needs to be informed by what is affordable and an agreed expenditure profile for the coming years.  At present Group A contains the only projects which  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6a

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

“1.0Relevant Background Information

1.1Members will recall that the Council’s bid for a community hub located at Girdwood was deferred in May 2010, under the European Union Peace III Priority 2.1, total value £9.6m.  The Special European Union Programmes Body (SEUPB) undertook an economic appraisal of the project in mid-2010 and deferred their decision to allow the Council to address a number of issues related to the implementation of the project.

2.0Key Issues

2.1As per Committee’s recommendations in June 2010 and in June 2011, Council officers continued to develop the proposal for final submission to SEUPB.  This included a series of community meetings, briefings for the relevant Ministers and meetings with relevant departmental officials.  It also included the distribution of a news letter to households in North and parts of West Belfast in September and a number of other community engagement activities.

2.2At a meeting at the end of October, SEUPB’s Priority 2.1 Committee considered the additional information that the Council had submitted in relation to the Girdwood Community Hub.  The Committee commended the Council and its partners for the significant work which had been undertaken to address the issues highlighted in the economic appraisal.

2.3The Council has now received a letter from SEUPB stating that the Steering Committee has recommended the project for funding and they have forwarded it to the two governments’ accountable departments for approval.

      Only once this process has been satisfactorily completed, which can take a couple of months, will a letter of offer be issued outlining the conditions.

2.4SEUPB in their letter highlight 2 key issues:

·             Until the formal letter of offer is issued, the Council and its partners incur any expenditure at risk;

·             They also ask we refrain from making any public announcements or communications with the press about the project without the prior approval of SEUPB.

2.5The Director of Property and Projects is seeking an urgent meeting with SEUPB to determine the likely nature of the conditions of the offer.  He will give a verbal update to Committee on discussions with SEUPB and what the likely implications of the conditions of offer might be for the Council.

3.0Resource Implications

      Human

      Officers from the relevant Council departments will work with the Department for Social Development to implement a realistic project plan and community engagement process.

      Financial

      All expenditure for the project, as outlined in the application, must be claimed from SEUPB by mid-2015.

      Asset

      Property and Projects Department, in liaison with other departments, will oversee the land acquisition issues and construction programme and seek the appropriate approvals from Committee in due course.

4.0       Equality Implications

      The Committee previously approved the Equality Strategy for the Girdwood Community Hub.  It outlines how the Council will fulfil its equality obligations during the development of the Girdwood Community Hub and the Hub’s likely impact and outcomes in terms of equality and good relations.  This details the points at which the programme of work will  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6b

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

“1  Relevant Background Information

1.1North Foreshore - Grant of a Licence to Lisburn Envirocare Ltd

      The council’s Health and Environmental Services Department, Waste Management Unit, has entered into contract with Lisburn Envirocare Ltd to transport Belfast’s black bin waste from the Waste Transfer Station (WTS) at the North Foreshore to a private landfill. Lisburn Envirocare Ltd has sought a licence to occupy a small plot of land within the WTS complex on which to place a 10’ x 40’ metal container to be used for storage and as a staff rest area.

1.2North Foreshore – Developers Brief for Disposal of Site for Commercial Anaerobic Digester

      Members will recall their approval on the 18 February 2011 to advertise for Expression of Interest inviting private sector operators to submit proposals for an anaerobic digestion (A.D) facility on a site at the North Foreshore Giants Park.

1.3A potential joint venture arrangement was proposed whereby the private operator would design, fund, build and operate an anaerobic digestion biogas production facility to provide fuel for a redundant generator in the landfill gas electricity generating facility operated by our joint venture partner, Renewable Power Systems (RPS) Ltd.

1.4The private operator would be prohibited from generating electricity. Rather, they would sell biogas to the Council and derive a further income from the sale of digestate, a residual product used as a fertiliser. All income from the sale of electricity together with Government subsidies would accrue to the Council.

1.5This would have involved a tripartite contract between the Council, the A.D operator and Renewable Power Systems Ltd, and the A.D operator would enter into a Development Agreement with the Council.

2    Key Issues

2.1North Foreshore - Grant of a Licence to Lisburn Envirocare Ltd

      The contract between Belfast City Council and Lisburn Envirocare Ltd commenced on 1st November 2010 for a term of 17 months with the possibility of further monthly extensions up to a maximum of 12 months. The licence will be backdated to 1st November 2010 and run concurrently with the contract. A container has been placed on site by Lisburn Envirocare Ltd and this licence will regularise their occupation. The council has installed a mains electricity supply to provide lighting and heating. The council will retain liability for rates (if any) and utility costs

2.2North Foreshore – Developers Brief for Disposal of Site for Commercial Anaerobic Digester

      The council publicly advertised for expressions of interest from the private sector and had over 50 requests for documentation. This enabled the council to test the market and to formalise the enquiries concerning the availability of sites at the North Foreshore for a potential AD Facility. At the closing date the council received 8 Expressions of Interest from Local and European Commercial Companies interested in developing an Anaerobic Digester at the North Foreshore. The assessment revealed that there was a variety of technical specification for the anaerobic digester and different types of feedstock proposed,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6c

            (Mrs. H. Francey, Good Relations Manager, attended in connection with these items.)

            26th October, 2011

            The Committee approved and adopted the minutes of the meeting of the Historic Centenaries Working Group of 26th October and adopted the recommendations in respect of the following:

            Request for the Use of the Ormeau Park

            The decision of the Working Group to recommend to the Parks and Leisure Committee that it accede to the request from the Joint Unionist Centenary Committee to permit the Ormeau Park to be used for the holding of a demonstration to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the Balmoral Review and noting that any further requests of this nature should be considered within the context of an agreed Council policy on diversity which would be developed.

            During discussion, a Member pointed out that it was the view of his Party that the Parades Commission would need to deal not only with the proposed routes but also the location for the event.  He indicated that he had requested further information and detail from the Joint Unionist Centenary Committee on the routes but had not been provided with the information at present.  Therefore, at this stage, his Group was not content with the proposal to use the Ormeau Park and he that suggested a more sensible proposal had been received from the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland to use the Strangford Playing Fields, which was better located for the dispersal of participants after the event.

            It was pointed out that the decision of the Working Group to recommend the use of the Ormeau Park had been adopted by the Parks and Leisure Committee at its meeting on 10th November.

            Re-enactment of the Signing of the

            Ulster Solemn League and Covenant

            The decision of the Working Group to defer consideration of a request for the use of the City Hall to re-enact the signing of the Ulster Solemn League and Covenant on Saturday, 29th September, 2012 to enable representatives from the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland to attend its meeting on 14th November to apprise the Members of its plans for its demonstration on the same date.

            Minutes of 14th November, 2011

            The Committee approved and adopted the minutes of the meeting of the Historic Centenaries Working Group of Monday, 14th November and specifically the recommendations in respect of the following:

            Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland –

            Request to Use Strangford Avenue Playing Fields

            The decision of the Working Group to defer consideration of the request by the Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland for the use of the Strangford Avenue Playing Fields to enable further information to be obtained regarding its plans for Saturday, 29th September, 2012 and to permit work on the development of the Council’s Diversity Policy to be completed.  In addition, the Group had agreed the following:

·     that the Director of Parks and Leisure investigate the feasibility of Strangford Avenue Playing Fields to host an event comprising upwards of 40,000 participants; and

·     that a request be made to the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee that any decisions taken or recommendations made by  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7a

            The Committee adopted the minutes of the meeting of the Good Relations Partnership of 7th November and adopted the recommendations in respect of the following:

            Tender for the Delivery of Peace III Phase II Programmes

            “Promoting the Positive Expression of Cultural Heritage” and

            “Migrant and Minority Ethnic Project”

            The Committee agreed:

(i)      to grant authority to invite tenders for the delivery of the “Promoting the Positive Expression of Cultural Heritage” and “Migrant and Minority Ethnic Project” initiatives; and

(ii)     to delegate authority to the Assistant Chief Executive to award the tenders on the basis of the most economically advantageous submissions which fulfilled the criteria of both projects.

            Proposals for the Development of a Strategy and

            Action Plan focused on Interface Areas

            The Committee adopted the recommendation of the Working Group in relation to the proposals for the development of a Strategy and Action Plan focused on Interface Areas.  An extract of the minutes of the Good Relations Partnership in this regard is set out hereunder:

      The Partnership considered the undernoted report:

            “Relevant Background Information

1.1       Members will be aware of the recent Notice of Motion brought to the September meeting of Council by Alderman Tom Ekin: ‘Removal of Peace Walls’, detailed as follows:

“This Council can demonstrate true civic leadership by agreeing to tackle one of the biggest problems which affects all of the citizens of the City, that is, the continued existence of the so called ‘Peace Walls’. These walls performed a necessary security purpose in the past in the several interface areas of the City but now serve to increase alienation and to inhibit regeneration and development of those very same areas and the time has now come to seek to move towards their removal.

The Council agrees to take the lead in devising a strategy which seeks to move towards the removal of a number of these walls within the current Council term.  This strategy should be inclusive and include the direct involvement of all appropriate organisations from the business, public and voluntary and community sectors, with the wishes and needs of those people who live in the interface areas being paramount.”

Accordingly, the motion was referred to the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee for consideration on how to proceed. That Committee received a report on the development of a strategy and framework for action for incorporation into the corporate planning process and agreed that this should be taken forward by the Good Relations Partnership in conjunction with the Safer City Thematic Group, chaired by the Director of Health and Environmental Services. 

1.2       Previously, at the monthly meeting of the Council on the 3rd March 2008, Councillor Alban Maginness had proposed:

“Belfast City Council resolves that it is now time to begin to work towards the reduction and the ultimate removal of the so called ‘peace walls’ and barriers that presently divide our City. To this end, the Council therefore agrees to establish a working group to explore ways and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7b

            The Chief Executive submitted for the Committee’s consideration the undernoted report:

“1.0     Relevant Background Information

1.1  Members may be aware that the Party Group Leaders have considered this issue recently and requested that it be brought to the attention of the Committee.

2.0Key Issues

2.1The Centenaries Working Group has been meeting since the spring of 2011 and to date has made recommendations on:

-        the main periods to be highlighted in the Decade of Centenaries

-        a set of principles to be adopted

-        a programme of Council activities for the period 2012-2014

-        a policy around civic hospitality to be provided in relation to the Centenary events. 

      All of the recommendations from the Centenaries Working Group have been agreed by the Council.  The Council has also agreed that the same set of principles should apply to any key anniversaries being marked by the Council.  A copy of the most recent report to the Historic Centenaries Group setting out the agreements reached so far has been circulated.

2.2The Committee will also be aware that two Equality Impact Assessments are under way at present – on the policy of Flying the Union Flag and on City Hall Memorabilia.  It is expected that reports on these two Equality Impact Assessments will be presented early in 2012. 

2.3In addition, we have received requests for greater recognition of the use of the Irish language in various parts of the Council, including signage within facilities and use of the language within Council.

2.4The Committee will also be requested in due course to consider a report outlining proposals to mark the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in 2012. 

2.4These items represent some, but not all, of the wide range of issues relating to cultural diversity on which the Council will have to make decisions in the near future.  Committee will be aware that some of these issues have been discussed at the Parks and Leisure Committee (most recently 10 Nov 11) and it was not possible to build a cross-party consensus on the matter.

2.5At recent workshops as part of the corporate planning process, Members have emphasised that they wish to lift their sights from internal, short-term difficulties of city management to the challenges of being a city in a global context, and actively setting out to address those things that have historically weakened Belfast.  Good relations and community cohesion therefore are vital ingredients for the city’s future development.

2.6It is clear that there is an emerging imperative to ‘upgrade’ the management of diversity, both internally and across the city. The Council’s stated commitment to inclusion, equality and good relations needs to be demonstrated in a manner that celebrates fully all the identities in the city, including our indigenous cultural traditions.  This will require leadership and a commitment to dialogue.  Without an overarching agreement there is a risk that issues related to the expression of cultural identity may descend into serious division, distracting Members from their ambitious growth agenda  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7c

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

“1  Relevant Background Information

1.1The Council is required, under Part 3 of the Justice Act (Northern Ireland) 2011, to establish the Belfast PCSP and the four DPCSPs.  The Council must, under this legislation, make the appointments, so far as is practicable, to reflect the strength of the Parties on the Council.

1.2The Strategic Policy and Resources Committee was made aware of the structures for these new partnerships in a number of previous reports.

2    Key Issues

      Appointment of Political Members to the Principal PCSP

2.1Members are reminded that, in 2003 and again in 2007, the Council decided to appoint a 19 Member District Policing Partnership which comprised 10 elected Members appointed by the Council and 9 Independent Members appointed by the Northern Ireland Policing Board.  It should be noted that in the new partnership there will also be representatives from statutory bodies and the voluntary and community sector, however there is no formal appointments process for these members. This has the potential to make the citywide partnership very large.

2.2The Justice Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 provides that the Council may decide to appoint either 8, 9 or 10 political Members to the PCSP. The number of Independent Members is to be set at one less than the number of Political Members. The decision which the Committee must make on the number of Political Members to appoint needs to factor in both the size of the partnership, but also its political make up.

2.3Appendix 1, Part A, sets out the allocation of places to the political parties on the Council based upon a PCSP (the citywide partnership) comprising 19 Members, 17 Members and 15 Members (numbers include both Political and Independent Members).  This is based on the formula which the Council uses for sharing out of Committee posts and other posts where it is entitled to nominate representatives to outside bodies.  This formula works on party strengths and is aimed at providing proportionate representation reflecting party strengths in the Council.

2.4However, this is further complicated as the legislation also provides that the Political Members of the PCSP shall include the persons who hold the Office of Chairman of each of the DPCSPs.  This means that 4 of the Political appointments to the PCSP each year will be reserved for the Chairmen of the 4 DPCSPs.

      In addition, for any particular DPCSP there is a requirement that, so far as is practicable, the Chairmanship will be held in turn by the 4 largest Parties on the Council during the 4-year term (although there is a slight difficulty with this as discussed below in 2.8).  Accordingly, when considering the political nominations to the PCSP, it needs to be remembered that some Parties will already have obtained places through the Chairmen of the DPCSPs. 

2.5The political make up of PCSP, depending on whether it has 19, 17 or 15 members is summarised in the table below (see Appendix 1 Part  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8a

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

“Relevant Background Information

This report provides an update on the BIG Lottery Project Community Planning and presents two key documents for consideration and comment; namely the:

·        Draft Belfast Community Planning Model; and,

·        Draft Framework for Addressing Life Inequalities.

Members will recall that Belfast City Council along with the 5 Area Partnership Boards and Community Places (The Belfast Community Planning Consortium) was successfully awarded a contract by the BIG Lottery Fund to deliver one of three community planning pilots in Northern Ireland.  The contract is to be completed by end of January 2012.

The main purpose for the BIG lottery funding was to look at how the Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) could be better supported to participate in the emerging community planning process in Northern Ireland, with the overall aim of providing a model and a toolkit of good practice in community planning that will help to ensure the genuine engagement of the VCS in the new formal processes.  This is in the context of building on the strengths of the sector and building capacity across all sectors. 

The Belfast pilot focuses on the single theme of “health” as a manageable way of testing processes and relationships whilst also delivering improvements for local people.  One of the project’s key aims was to support the development of a health and wellbeing plan for the City and specifically to test how the VCS could participate most effectively in that process.  Based on this learning, it was also intended that a replicable model of community planning could be developed to guide community planning in Belfast. 

The two draft documents referred to above represent important milestones for the community planning project; however they are key strategic documents for the city and Council.  The Member Reference Group, which was reconstituted after the local council elections, has considered these documents which are now being presented to Committee for consideration.

Key Issues

1.     BIG Lottery Community Planning Pilot – Project Update

The Pilot is overseen by a Steering Group (with membership from Council, BAPs, BHDU, Belfast Trust and Public Health Agency) and is supported by a Project Coordinator.  The key elements of the project are:

·        Building a shared understanding of community planning in Belfast

·        Engaging and involving the VCS in Belfast in community planning

·        Building the capacity of all partners to participate effectively in community planning

·        Supporting improved planning at a city wide and local level and enhancing collaborative working

·        Connecting to the local political process

·        Developing a model of community planning 

·        Review and evaluation

A summary of the Project’s key activities / successes to date is provided below:

Health & Wellbeing Plan – Action Learning

i.       The Community Planning Pilot used the development of a health and wellbeing plan for the city as an action learning tool, combining learning on engagement, planning and collaborative working with concrete outcomes from a real time planning scenario. 

ii.     The new Belfast Strategic Partnership (BSP) is responsible for developing and implementing the “Framework for  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8b

            The Director of Health and Environmental Services submitted for the Committee’s consideration the undernoted report:

“1.0Relevant Background Information

1.1  The Council is responsible for regulating and enforcing a wide range of legislation (including local bye-laws) across its departments and services. These regulatory functions cover:

·                  Antisocial behaviour

·                  Building control

·                  Cleansing and waste management

·                  Environmental health

·                  Licensing (including entertainment and street trading)

·                  Use of parks, playing fields and open spaces

1.2In 2003, the Council committed to the principles of good enforcement through its adoption of the Government’s ‘Enforcement Concordat’. The concordat established the importance of transparency as a key principle recognising that businesses and individuals should know what to expect in their dealings with the Council as a regulatory body. Agreeing, publishing and complying with an enforcement policy is considered to be an effective way to ensure such transparency.

1.3Over the years a number of Council services have developed individual enforcement policies incorporating the principles of good enforcement and setting out their approach to regulation. Appendix 2 lists those policies that have been adopted by the Council to date. These policies vary in content and style and do not cover all the regulatory areas for which the Council has responsibility.

1.4It is now considered that replacing all the existing enforcement policies with a single Council wide regulation and enforcement policy,  would help ensure a consistent approach and would be more easily communicated and understood externally.

2.0Key Issues

2.1A corporate Regulatory and Enforcement Policy will help ensure officers take a consistent approach to enforcement and will make it easier for businesses and individuals to understand what they can expect in their dealings with the Council.

2.2The attached draft policy (Appendix 1) sets out an approach to planning and delivering regulatory services and enforcing the legislation for which the Council has responsibility. It reinforces the Councils adoption of the principles of the Enforcement Concordat and its support of the Government’s Better Regulation agenda. The policy makes it clear the Council recognises that its regulatory activities should be proportionate, accountable, consistent, transparent and targeted to situations that need action.

2.3The policy aims to ensure the Council will adopt a positive and proactive approach towards ensuring compliance by:

·        helping and encouraging those it regulates to fully understand and fulfil their legal responsibilities more easily; and

·        responding proportionately to non-compliance to avoid imposing unnecessary costs, while taking firm action against those who flout the law.

2.4Members are specifically referred to two particular aspects of the draft Policy:

·        The first issue is in relation to situations when an individual fails to carryout out works required by a statutory notice served by the Council and the Council carries out the works in default. To date there have only been limited attempts at recouping the costs incurred by the Council in carrying out works in default. The policy now contains a commitment to seek to recover such costs in most cases. Depending on the legislation involved, the costs can be pursued  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8c

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

“1.0     Purpose of the Report 

      To bring to the attention of the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee a draft response to Libraries NI consultation document and EQIA on the Review of Opening Hours. The closing date for consultation responses is Friday 2nd December 2011.   A copy of the consultation document  and the EQIA Executive Summary has been circulated.

2.0Relevant Background Information

      Libraries NI was created in 2009 to take responsibility for the public libraries service across Northern Ireland. One of the first tasks that the new authority carried out was a strategic review of its library provision across the Province.

      The first phase in March 2010 included a review of the Greater Belfast area.   The Council’s response to the consultation was approved by the Committee at its meeting on Friday 19th March 2010 and was subsequently submitted to Libraries NI.  The points highlighted in this response will be included in the draft response to be considered.

      The response highlighted that the Council would be keen to explore the co-location of library services within Belfast City Council owned buildings.  Particularly where Belfast City Council buildings are located in the proximity of libraries facing potential closure.  The response also stressed the need for an assessment of the population needs of the areas where service withdrawal was proposed. 

      Future of Belfast’s Libraries

      At its meeting on 27th May 2010, the Libraries NI Board scrutinised the findings of the review and the public consultation process.  The review encompassed 32 libraries in total, 19 of which are located in the Belfast City Council area.  The board determined that of the 19 libraries in Belfast City:

·             Finaghy, Grove, Holywood Arches and Whiterock meet the key criteria for future use and are well placed to provide 21st century library services.

·             Plans should be taken forward, subject to the availability of funding, for capital investment in Ardoyne, Chichester, Falls Road, Lisburn Road, Ormeau and Shankill Libraries.

·             Ballyhackamore and Woodstock Libraries originally proposed for closure should remain open, in relation to Woodstock Library the situation should be reviewed in 2 years.

·             Suffolk Library, originally proposed for amalgamation with Colin Glen Library, should remain open, pending investigation of further developments in the area

·             The remaining libraries should close and alternative provision be made, particularly for those users who are unable to access an alternative static library.  The libraries which will close are Andersonstown, Ballymacarrett, Ligoniel, Oldpark, Sandy Row and Whitewell.

The Board also decided that the following libraries within the Greater Belfast Area should also close:

·                  Belvoir Park, Braniel, Dunmurry, Gilnahirk

3.0       Summary of the Consultation Document

      Libraries NI has had significant reduction in the Libraries NI budget for the coming years resulting from the 2010 Budget process.  The consultation paper says that this has created a need to find substantial savings by reducing opening hours of libraries.  Libraries NI have therefore, reluctantly, had to review library opening hours across Northern Ireland.

      The principal  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8d

            (Mrs. J. Minne, Head of Human Resources, attended in connection with this item.)

            The Head of Human Resources submitted for the Committee’s consideration a report providing an update on industrial action involving Council employees on 30th November.  She indicated that the ballots of the Trades Unions had taken place and the majority of those who took part in the ballot had voted in favour of strike action.  As a result, strike action by UNITE, NIPSA, GMB and SIPTU members was planned for 30th November.  She indicated that the Council had established an Industrial Action Contingency Group and outlined the action which would be implemented during the day of industrial action.

            The Committee noted the information which had been provided and that a further report would be submitted to the Committee outlining the impact the day of industrial action had had on the Council.