Agenda and minutes

            Apologies for inability to attend were reported from Councillors Attwood, Haire and Hendron.

            The minutes of the meetings of 27th June and 10th and 24th 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 3rd September, subject to the omission of the minute under the heading “Update on Operation Banner” which, at the request of Councillor Reynolds, had been referred back to the Committee for further consideration and to allow for consultations with the relevant welfare groups.

No declarations of interest were reported.

            Councillor Reynolds advised the Committee that there would not have been an opportunity for the relevant welfare groups to have been consulted between the time of the Council meeting and the date of the Committee meeting and he therefore requested that the Committee consider deferring the matter until its next meeting on 21st September to enable that process to be undertaken.

            A Member suggested that any consultation should include victims’ groups and should be as inclusive and as broad as possible and his Party would be content to defer the matter on that basis.

            After further discussion, the Committee agreed to defer the update on Operation Banner until its next meeting on 21st September and that the consultation should include victims’ groups.  It agreed further that the Party Leaders would be provided with a list of the groups included within that category prior to the next meeting of the Committee.

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

“1.0Relevant Background Information

1.1      At its meeting on 9 December 2011, Committee considered the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister (OFMDFM) consultation paper on the proposed Social Investment Fund and submitted its response subsequently.

1.2      The Executive considered all the consultation responses and published revised guidance on the implementation of the programme in June 2012.  It outlines that:

           “The aim of the programme is to reduce poverty, unemployment and physical deterioration through strategic areas based interventions of significant scale.  The fund will encourage communities, statutory agencies, business and local political representatives to work together in a co-ordinated way, reducing duplication, sharing best practice and enhancing existing provision for the benefits of those communities most in need.”

           The 4 strategic objectives of the Fund are:

-     Build Pathways to Employment by tackling educational under achievement and barriers to employment; tackling skills deficits and promoting jobs brokerage, widening access to the labour market, promoting business start up and increasing sustainability through social enterprise;

-     Tackling the systemic issues linked to deprivation including poor mental and physical health, young unsupported parents, substance abuse, children and young people at risk, and enhancing community capacity, confidence and partnership working to help reduce deprivation;

-     Increase community physical resources – by regenerating and refurbishing existing facilities and providing play facilities and environmental improvements.

-     Address dereliction – and promoting investment in the physical regeneration of deprived areas.

           A total funding of £80m; £40m for programmes and £40m in respect of capital programmes will be provided during the life cycle of the programme which will end in March 2015.

1.3      The Social Investment Fund is being delivered in partnership with communities across nine social investment zones: the 4 in the Greater Belfast area are based on Northern Ireland Assembly constituencies.

           It has now been agreed by OFMDFM that each investment zone will have a Steering Group with a maximum of 14 members representing the business, political, statutory and voluntary and community sectors. Their role will be to develop and manage area-based plans for each of the nine social investment zones.  The membership will be:

-        Political x 4 representatives (Political parties, in proportion determined by the D’Hondt method, have been invited to nominate MLAs or councillors to the steering groups.);

-        Statutory x 4 representatives (senior level and have the authority to make decisions. The Council has agreed to nominate a Director for each group.);

-        Voluntary and Community x 4 representatives (Applications were sought from the voluntary and community sector.);

-        Business x 2 representatives (Key business organisations have been invited to nominate representatives.);

           OFMDFM is in the process of finalising the membership of the Steering Groups, including the political nominees and selecting representatives from the voluntary and community sector applications.

1.4      The Steering Group within each zone will be tasked with managing the design, delivery and development of an Area Plan.  OFMDFM has defined the criteria for allocating resources as:

-        Areas within the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5a

            The Committee was reminded that the Community Hub at Girdwood Peace III application for funding was currently under consideration by the Special European Union Programmes Body following the submission of all necessary documentation in late Spring.  In addition, the Programmes Body had indicated that the application had to address also a number of pre-conditions, including issues such as political and community buy-in, a realistic delivery programme within the Programme Body’s timelines and an agreed overall masterplan for the Girdwood site.

            The Director of Property and Projects reported that the issue of political and community buy-in had been addressed via the support of the Committee and the Council for the Hub Project, through an all-Party Group of the North Belfast MLAs and MP meeting with the Programmes Body and the ongoing involvement of the Girdwood Community Forum in the project.  He explained that the Forum had undertaken a visit to a similar Hub building in Brownlow, Craigavon and was now engaged in an intensive six week consultation on the design process to ensure that the building addressed as many community issues as possible.  The delivery programme was being addressed through the Council having appointed a design team, Capita Symonds, at risk, which was leading on the community engagement exercise.

            He pointed out that a number of key milestones needed to be achieved in order to meet major deadlines, such as having grant monies allocated by 2013 and spent by 2014/15.  A major milestone was obtaining planning permission once the building design had progressed sufficiently.  In order to obtain planning permission for the building, the Council would not only require the building design, but also the site context including access to and from Girdwood as set out in an overall masterplan.  Also from a construction perspective, the Council required the relevant infrastructure in terms of roads, power and utilities to be planned for and developed simultaneously with the building.

            The Department for Social Development had agreed with the Planning Service that an outline planning permission for a site masterplan was required and, while the Council’s team would produce the plan, it would be the Department for Social Development’s plan supported by their policy documents in relation to the updated Masterplan Conceptual Framework.  In addition, the Council would be making an application to the Department for the funding in regard to the infrastructure works.

            The Committee noted the information which had been provided and agreed that the Council’s design brief be extended as outlined.

            (Mrs. H. Francey, Good Relations Manager, and Mr. G. Copeland, City Events Manager, attended in connection with this item.)

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

“1.0Relevant Background Information

1.1       At a meeting of the Development Committee (6 March 2012), the Members considered a report relating to Christmas lighting and signage.

            The Committee deferred consideration of a report in respect of the Council’s Christmas Lights and Signage.  However, it was agreed that the management and delivery of the Christmas Lights and Signage Programme would transfer from the Development Department to the Property and Projects Department in the financial year 2013/2014, and that Committee reporting lines would be transferred also to the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee.

1.2       The Joint Group of the Party Group Leaders’ Forum and the Historic Centenaries Working Group considered the deferred report at its meeting on 15 June 2012, particularly in regard to the installation of a sign in Irish.  They agreed the matter should be referred to Strategic Policy and Resources Committee in August, subsequent to further party group discussions.

2.0       Key Issues

2.1       The Council’s City Events Unit is currently responsible for the festive lighting on City Hall, the installation and lighting on the main Christmas tree and for the pea-lighting on the trees within the grounds of the Hall.  The Council does not manage the festive lighting in the city centre, which is overseen by Belfast City Centre Management and the Belfast Chamber of Trade.

2.2       The present Council position was agreed at its meeting on 1 December 2011.  It agreed that a lighted sign with the wording “Merry Christmas” be erected in 2011 and every year thereafter at the front and East Entrance area of the City Hall.

            A further amendment was carried to provide that the Council agreed to explore with An Cultúrlann the possibility of it donating, pro gratis, a “Nollaig Shona” sign to be erected in the City Hall grounds.  Consequent to this decision, the Council now has in its possession an Irish language sign (Nollaig Shona Duit), supplied by An Cultúrlannat no cost.  In 2011 this was positioned above the east entrance of City Hall.

2.3       ‘B Festive’ Signage

            Members are asked to note that Belfast Chamber of Trade and Commerce have written to express their concern at the removal of the ‘B Festive’ signage and have requested that Members reinstate this sign.

3.0       Resource Implications

            Financial

            Costs in the region of £15k for new sign subject to final specification.  Revenue funds have been allocated for this through the City Events Unit.

4.0       Equality Implications

            As with all major civic events, public events like the above have the potential to bring together people from a wide range of backgrounds and therefore promote good relations in the city.

5.0       Discussion required

            Members are asked to give guidance in regard to:

-        City Hall festive lighting for the Christmas period in 2012, including the request from Belfast Chamber of Trade and Commerce to reinstate the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6a

            Moved by Councillor Ó Muilleoir,

            Seconded by Councillor Maskey,

      That the Nollaig Shona sign be erected again at the East entrance to the City Hall.

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

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

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

“1.0Relevant background information

1.1       On 25 April 2012 the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee approved a recommendation from  the cross-party reference group on community planning to support an approach to the development of community planning within Council which included a number of proposals including:

·         That Council proactively responds to the Minister’s invitation to engage with the Department of the Environment;

·         Develop a strategic, coherent approach to Community Planning internally within Council;

·         Develop a learning programme for Members and officers including possible best practice study visit;

·         Provide regular opportunities to communicate and engage with wider stakeholders in the ongoing development of Belfast Community Planning.

1.2       This report provides an update on the Department of the Environment’s (DoE) emerging direction for Community Planning and also outlines the current work being carried out within Council. It outlines a proposed study trip for Members.

2.0       Key issues

            Legislation & Guidance

2.1       In 2011 the DoE held a public consultation “Local Government Reform: Policy Proposals”; in July 2012 the DoE published its response to the consultation. Regarding community planning the Department’s response included the following points:

·         Council to lead and facilitate community planning;

·         Council to determine the representation on any structures that they establish to support the operation of community planning across their district;

·         Council required to publish a community plan for its district;

·         There will be flexibility to identify and specifically address local issues;

·         There is to be a statutory link between community plans and local government development plans will be provided in the Local Government (Reorganisation) Bill.

2.2       According to the DoE’s response, guidance will be provided to support the proposed legislation and will include:

·         scope of community planning, its process and the format and content of community plans;

·         engagement with Community and Voluntary sector;

·         scope of duties of participants, including the Departments.

2.3       The DoE have established a number of subgroups to progress streams of work around the Review of Public Administration (RPA).  One of these, the Community Planning & Pilots subgroup, has been tasked with developing an action plan to support the introduction of community planning and assist Statutory Transition Committees in their preparation for the new duty.  This group is also likely to shape the content of the statutory guidance supporting the community planning legislation. Belfast City Council is represented on this group at officer level by Suzanne Wylie (or Sharon McNicholl). 

2.4       Previously a Foundation Programme was developed to support Statutory Transition Committees as they prepared for community planning.  It is currently being proposed that the content of this original Foundation Programme be reviewed by the RPA subgroup.  The Programme currently recommends the following actions:

·         Development of a “new Council” shared understanding of purpose and potential achievement of community planning within the new Council;

·         Audit of existing plans/strategies within new council area, to identify duplication, gaps and issues;

·         Audit of existing information sources, gathering and sharing protocols especially between data  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8a