Agenda and minutes

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

            The minutes of the meetings of 6th, 13th and 20th June 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 July.

            The Head of Committee and Members’ Services reported that a request had been received from the Ulster Television broadcasting company seeking permission to film part of the proceedings to use as background shots for a news item on the proposed homecoming parade and civic reception to mark the military’s return from their tour of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan which the Committee would be considering later in the meeting.

            The Committee acceded to the request and the representatives of the broadcasting company were admitted to the meeting.

            (Ms. D. Murtagh, Principal Solicitor, attended in connection with this item.)

            The Committee was reminded that the Council, at its meeting on 1st July, had passed unanimously the following Notice of Motion:

      “Belfast City Council calls on the Minister for Health, Social Services and Public Safety and the Northern Ireland Executive to make the completion of the new regional hospital for children and women, on the site of the Royal Group of Hospitals, a matter of top priority in the next comprehensive spending review.

      The Council calls on the Minister of Health and the Executive to secure the resources now for clearing the site, which is an essential first step in progressing the new hospital for children and women.

      The Council agrees to work in partnership with the Royal Maternity Hospital Liaison Group to lobby the Northern Ireland Executive and Assembly to secure the capital funds necessary to build the new regional hospital for children and women.”

            The Head of Committee and Members’ Services reported that copies of the Motion had been forwarded to both the Assembly and the Minister for Health.  A response had been received from the Minister for Health in which he had indicated that his Department had not received adequate funding in the current budget allocation for the new regional hospital.  However, he had commissioned a review of Capital Priorities over the next 10 years.  Also, a revised business case for the new hospital, which would include phased options for the proposed development, including the possibility of advanced site clearance and enabling works, was being developed by the Belfast Trust in the context of the Review.  Only when the business case had been submitted and scrutinised could a decision on the funding and timing of the project be taken.

            In addition, a response had been received from the Head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service in which he had stated that it would be inappropriate to engage the Executive in a matter in which the responsible Minister himself had yet to determine the way forward and might himself wish to bring to the attention of the Executive in due course.

            The Head of Committee and Members’ Services reminded the Members that, prior to the meeting of the Council, the Committee, at its meeting on 20th June, had agreed to hold an informal meeting or briefing session to enable representations of the Royal Maternity Hospital Liaison Group to brief the Members on the situation with regard to the new regional hospital.  The final part of the Motion had committed the Council to work in partnership with that group but, rather than hold a special meeting, the Chairman of the Committee had felt that it would be more appropriate for the group to make a short presentation at the Committee’s monthly meeting.

            The Committee agreed to receive a short presentation from representatives of the Royal Maternity Hospital Liaison Group and, accordingly, Ms. M. McClean and Ms. J. Poots, representing the Group, were admitted to the meeting and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 2a

            The Committee was advised that correspondence had been received from Mr. William McKee, Chief Executive Officer, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, seeking permission to address the Committee on health issues.  The Trust was commencing a formal consultation process on how it delivered health and social care to the people of Belfast.  It had already forwarded to Elected Members its proposed plans for service delivery and felt that a meeting with the Committee would provide an opportunity to discuss the Trust’s proposals in more depth.

            The Committee agreed that a special meeting, to which all Members of the Council would be invited, be held for this purpose.  In addition, the Committee agreed that Mr. McKee be advised that the Committee would wish to be provided at the meeting with an update on the preparation of the business case and an indicative timetable for the new Regional Hospital.

Report to be tabled on up to date position

August, 2008 Flooding Update

            The Chief Executive advised Members that, following notification from the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service that it was responding to a number of reports of flooding to dwellings and roads across the City, the Council’s Emergency Team had been assembled at 4.30 p.m. on Saturday, 16th August in order to help coordinate the response to the flooding in support of the emergency services.  He tabled for the information of the Members a report providing an update on the actions which had been undertaken by Council staff and the relevant agencies during and after the flooding.

            He stated that the response to the flooding had identified the need for more coherent working between the agencies involved and that the Emergency Planning Team would be preparing a report which would review the reasons for and the response to the flooding and a report thereon would be submitted to the Committee for consideration in due course.

            After discussion, the Committee noted the information which had been provided and, while recognising that improvements to emergency responses were always necessary, commended the work of the Emergency Planning Team and all those Council officers and agencies who had been involved in assisting the victims of the flooding.

            The Committee considered the undernoted report in relation to the Forward Work Plan for the Committee for the period August till December, 2008:

“Purpose

      The purpose of this report is to present a forward work plan for the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee for the period August – December 2008.

Relevant Background Information

      The key issues section below summarises the key areas of committee activity over this period. Appendix One provides a detailed work plan for the committee for the period August – December 2008.

Key Issues

      The key work areas for the coming months for the Strategic Policy & Resources Committee are outlined below. It is should be noted that this represents a heavy workload for the Committee which might necessitate the holding of a special Strategic Policy & Resources Committee meeting each month in addition to the

regular meeting in order for the Committee to fully discuss and address major corporate issues e.g.  the setting of the 2009/2010 budgets. Authority to hold these additional special meetings (as necessary) is requested subject to date agreement with the Chairman of the Committee.

Key areas of work – August 2008 – December 2008

      August 2008

      Finance – Update report on the rates and draft Council responses to 2 consultation documents on rates issues will be provided by the Director of Corporate Services.  An update report on the Arc 21 Residual Waste Treatment facilities will be provided by the Director of Improvement 

      Human Resources – Update report on the attendance figures for the1st quarter of 08/09

      Asset Management – Update reports on the future use of the City Hall and addressing the needs of short-term accommodation will be presented by the Director of Improvement

      September 2008

      RPA - Update report on the RPA process 

      Corporate Plan – Members will be updated on the outcome of the Equality Screening process of the Corporate Plan.  A report on the organisational consequences of the Corporate Plan will also be presented

      Financial Planning 09/10– detailed report on the financial planning cycle for 09/10 to be presented which links to corporate and business planning in order to ensure Council priorities are properly resourced will be presented by the Director of Corporate Services

      Efficiency Proposals for 09/10 – Members will be requested to agree a draft efficiency programme for the financial year 2009/10

      Governance – An update report on the development of the overall Governance Framework of the Council in terms of decision making, audit and the statement of internal control

      Accountability Framework – Members have been presented with outline frameworks for each of the key elements of the committee’s work.  A report on the Accountability Framework which will underpin the delivery of the Corporate plan will be presented to Members

      Human Resources - reports on the control of employee numbers and the Appraisal Scheme for the Chief Officers and Heads of Service will be presented.  The Appraisal Scheme is linked to the Accountability Framework which will also be presented to Members at this meeting

      Rates – Special Meeting  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4a

            The Committee was advised that the National Association of Councillors (Northern Ireland Region) would be holding its Annual Conference and Annual General Meeting in Newry on 12th and 13th September.  The keynote address at the conference would be made by the Minister with responsibility for the Department of the Environment.  The conference theme was “2009 and Beyond” and a significant number of key politicians and decision-makers directly involved with the implementation of the Review of Public Administration were expected to attend.  The cost of attendance would be approximately £297 per delegate.

            In addition, the Local Authority Members’ Association was holding in Castlebar, County Mayo on 28th and 29th November its Annual Winter Seminar.  The programme was relevant to all Members serving in Local Government across the island of Ireland.  The approximate cost of attendance for each delegate was approximately £465.

            The Council had been represented at both events in previous years.  Those Members who had attended had found that each of the events had provided a valuable opportunity to increase their awareness of Members’ issues and to discuss with other Councils issues of mutual interest and concern.

            The Committee agreed to authorise the attendance at the National Association of Councillors Annual Conference and Annual General Meeting and the Local Authority Members’ Association Annual Winter Seminar of the Chairman, the Deputy Chairman, the Council’s representatives on the National Association of Councillors (Northern Ireland Region), the Head of Committee and Members’ Services (or their nominees) and a representative of each of the other Party Groupings on the Council not represented by the aforementioned Members and approved the payment of the appropriate travelling and subsistence allowances in connection therewith.

            The Committee was advised that the undernoted requests for the provision of hospitality had been received:

            The Committee adopted the recommendations.

            The Committee was advised that a number of Members had suggested that a homecoming parade followed by a civic reception should be held in the City to mark the Royal Irish Regiment’s return from their tour of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan.  The homecoming parade and civic reception for the Royal Irish Regiment would aim to recognise the roles, responsibilities and sacrifices of the Regiment and their families during the recent tours in Iraq and Afghanistan.

            The Head of Committee and Members’ Services reported that, following lengthy discussions with Senior Officers from the Royal Irish Regiment and Military Headquarters, which had responsibility for the Royal Navy, Royal Air Force and the Army, it was clear that there was a preference to have one parade and civic reception for all three services of the military.  Due to the logistical restraints and the need to

recognise all those who had been involved in the tours in Iraq and Afghanistan it was felt that the holding of a parade and civic reception in honour of the sacrifice made by the three services would be the most appropriate way of acknowledging all those involved.

            Accordingly, it was recommended that the Committee approve the provision of a civic reception on 2nd November, 2008 following a parade within the City organised by Military Headquarters to mark the Military’s return from their tour of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Moved by Councillor Rodway,

Seconded by Councillor Stoker,

      That the Committee agrees to adopt the recommendation.

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

            The Committee was advised that correspondence had been received from the Northern Ireland Local Government Association indicating that the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister was undertaking a review of the Civic Forum.  The Forum was a consultative mechanism and had been established under Section 56 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 which required the First Minister and Deputy First Minister, with the approval of the Assembly, to make arrangements for obtaining views on social, economic and cultural issues.  The membership of the Forum was comprised of ten sectors of civic society, including the business, trade union and voluntary sectors.

            The Committee agreed that responses to the Review of the Civic Forum be left to the individual Political Parties.

            (Mrs. H. Louden, Head of Financial Services, attended in connection with these items.)

            In considering the minutes of the meeting of the Audit Panel held on 5th August, the Committee’s attention was drawn to the decision of the Panel under the heading “Staff Travel Policy”.  An extract of the minute in this regard is set out hereunder:

“Staff Travel Policy

      The Panel considered the undernoted report:

‘Relevant Background Information

      A report was tabled at the 11 March 2008 meeting of the Audit Panel advising Members that a taskforce group had been established to Review the Approval and Control Processes and Travel Policy with the following objectives:

      Objectives

1.   To review current approval and control processes and the travel policy

2.   To identify improvements to both processes and policy which matches the new financial systems, takes account of the human resources strategy and workforce development plan’s needs and which provides for continuous improvement

3.   To ensure that the new processes enable improved access to information which enables improved on?going scrutiny of value for money and greater accountability, both internally and externally.

      A progress report was tabled at a meeting of the Audit Panel on 13 May 2008. The Audit Panel requested that the proposed policy be tabled for approval at this meeting.

Current Position

      Members of the Audit Panel will be aware that Belfast is by far the largest Council in Northern Ireland. In order to provide quality, value for money services to the ratepayers of the city employees need to have their knowledge and skills developed to help build organisational capacity.  Training and developing staff is also important in motivating employees and in retaining their knowledge and skills in the organisation.

      Included within the Council’s workforce development plan are the key themes of leadership development, skills development and organisational development. These reflect the key workforce development themes at a national level.

      Frequently employees need to look outside Northern Ireland to access these improved skills and knowledge. This is done by going on study visits to similar sized Councils in Great Britain, attending training courses, conferences and seminars which are not available in Northern Ireland. These new skills and knowledge can be transferred to other employees in the Council which may reduce the need for other staff to attend an event.

      Employees also travel outside Northern Ireland to promote the city as an excellent place to invest in and to attract tourism.  There is evidence to support the substantial economic returns for the city in engaging in this type of activity.

      The Council has successfully attracted in excess of £8million in European funding to support a number of initiatives which would not otherwise benefited the city. It is mandatory in most European funded projects to attend meetings in Europe and to have European partners to compliment the work of an initiative. The travel costs to Europe and the cost of any employees attached to a project are partly funded by the programme.

      There is a risk associated with being too restrictive with staff travel with employees not  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6a

            The Committee noted the contents of a report which provided details on a Freedom of Information enquiry which had sought details of travel made outside Northern Ireland by Councillors and staff for the financial year 2007/2008.

            The Director of Corporate Services reminded the Members that the District Rate accounted for 74% of the Council’s total income.  It was therefore the most important source of income to support the Council’s annual expenditure.  In November, 2006 the Land and Property Services agency had provided the Council with an estimate of the amount which the rates would yield in the financial year 2007/08.  On the basis of that information the Council had set a District Rate increase of 2.83%.  On 9th July, 2008 the agency had informed the Council of the amount which the rates had actually yielded in 2007/08.  The difference between the estimate and the actual rates yield was £4,128,553.40.  This meant that the Council had been overpaid that amount for the period and would now have to return that sum to the Land and Property Services agency.

            The Director of Corporate Services stated that he had written to the Chief Executive of Land and Property Services to express his disappointment at the actual rates figure and to request a detailed explanation for the scale of the claw-back and a re-assessment of the estimate provided to the Council for 2008/09.  The agency had not as yet been able to provide a detailed analysis of the causes of the poor finalisation of the rate amount but the Council’s own initial work had indicated that the key factors were:

·         the model used by Land and Property Services to estimate rate income was not fit for purpose;

·         Land and Property Services’ performance in collecting rates was poor in areas such as debt collection and vacant properties; and

·         changes to the rating policy had led to increased losses in rate income.

            The Chief Executive of Land and Property Services had acknowledged receipt of the Director’s letter and was preparing a response, though it was anticipated that this would not be received until early September.

            The Director of Corporate Services explained that he was assessing currently the impact of the 2007/08 finalisation on the Council’s 2008/09 budget, as well as inflationary and Departmental pressures.  Accordingly, he recommended that the Committee agree to:

(i)    the holding of a meeting of the Party Group Leaders and the Chair of the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee in September to discuss the implications of the 2007/08 rates finalisation and consider options to re-align the 2008/09 budget; and

(ii)    the holding of a special meeting in September to discuss the rates report which had been deferred from the June meeting, the impact of the 2007/08 rates finalisation on the 2008/09 budget and the Council’s 2009/2010 rate setting process.

            The Committee adopted the recommendations.

            The Members were advised that this item had been withdrawn from the Agenda and would be resubmitted to the Committee for consideration at its meeting on 19th September.

Noted.

            The Committee was reminded that arc21 was a Local Government body which had been constituted in legislation and was governed by collective agreement to guide its operations.  Belfast City Council was one of eleven District Councils which had signed the collective agreement that detailed five principles which were the foundation of the collaborative approach.  These were the:

·         Principle of Consensus;

·         Principle of Limit of Delegation;

·         Principle of Functional Responsibilities;

·         Principle of Equitable Shared Funding; and

·         Principle of Equal Committee Representation.

            In line with the collective agreement and as one of the main funders of arc21, the Council had been consulted in respect of arc21’s Asset and Borrowing Policy.  Since having been established in 2004, arc21 had incurred only revenue expenditure, having received revenue funds from Member Councils to fund operational expenses and contractual obligations.  As part of the ongoing development of the organisation, arc21 would soon become funded through Revenue and Capital sources of finance.

            The Director submitted for the Committee’s consideration a copy of arc21’s policy which set out the proposed treatment of Capital Assets and their associated funding.  The policy had been written in order to comply with Local Government Accounting Legislation, the Financial Reporting Standards, the Department of the Environment’s Accounting Directives, the Code of Practice on Local Authority Accounting in the United Kingdom and the Statement of Recommended Practice.  In addition, guidance would be taken from the Prudential Code.  He explained that as a local government body arc21 was subject to the rules and regulations established by

the Department of the Environment in relation to borrowing.  Accordingly, arc21 was seeking the Council’s endorsement of their Assets and Borrowing Policy and the Director indicated that he was content and recommended that such endorsement be given.  He stated that all the other Member Councils had received similar requests and had been positive in their endorsement.

            The Committee agreed to endorse the Assets and Borrowing Policy of arc21, a copy of which was available for inspection on the Council’s intranet site.

            (Ms. J. Minne, Acting Head of Human Resources, attended in connection with these items.)

            The Committee was reminded that, having failed to agree on the 2008/09 National Joint Council Pay Conditions, the Trades Unions had during June, 2008 balloted their members on the taking of industrial action.  Four Unions had voted in support of the taking of industrial action and, as a result, strike action had taken place on a national level on 16th and 17th July, 2008.  The strike action had not applied to craft workers, who were employed under different terms and conditions, while UCATT had not balloted their members and the GMB had voted against strike action.

            National figures had indicated that approximately 90,000 employees had been on strike on 16th July, representing around 8% of the Local Government workforce of 1.2 million.  That figure had been slightly lower on 17th July.  The overall figure for Northern Ireland had not as yet been confirmed, although some Councils had reported that up to 24% of staff had been on strike.  Given that the level of trade union density in Northern Ireland was significantly higher than elsewhere in the United Kingdom, it was unsurprising that the Northern Ireland figures for participation were likely to be higher than the national average.  The breakdown of the number of Belfast City Council employees who had participated in the industrial action was as follows:

            The Chief Executive and the Director of Corporate Services had met with the Party Group Leaders on 3rd July in order to discuss the contingencies to be put in place during the strike and this had ensured that disruption to the public had been minimised.  A co?ordinated approach to communication with the Members, the media and the workforce had been planned, agreed and implemented.  The impact on service delivery and key sites across the Council had been monitored on the days of action by a Central Information Control Group.

            The Director of Corporate Services reported that the main areas affected by the industrial action had been Cleansing Services, Waste Management, Community Services and the Parks and Leisure Department.  However, considerable efforts had been made to ensure that disruption to the public was minimised through media updates, leaflet drops to householders and public notices.  A number of key events had progressed successfully on the days of the industrial action, including the Rose Trials event in Sir Thomas and Lady Dixon Park and the Opera in the Park at Botanic Gardens.

            The Director advised the Members that the National Employers Organisation, UNISON and Unite had announced that they would enter into further negotiations with the aim of securing an agreed employment package which would resolve the current dispute.  The agreed talks had begun on Wednesday, 13th August and would continue until Friday, 22nd August.  No dates had been planned for further industrial action and the Members would be provided with updates on progress.

            After discussion, during which the Members expressed their disappointment that the children’s  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7a

            The Committee was advised that absenteeism for the period from April till June, 2008 was showing an average of 2.79 days lost per employee, which represented a decrease of 0.70 days per employee on the previous quarter.  It represented also a decrease of 0.56 days per employee for the same period in the previous year, when the figure had been 3.35 days.  This meant that the Council was on target to meet its 2 day target reduction by 2010/11.  It was pointed out that 75.31% of staff had had no absence during quarter one, with the number of staff with long-term sickness absence having reduced from 6.85% at the same time last year to 5.29%.

            The Committee noted the information which had been provided.

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

“Background Information

      At the COMT meeting on 27 May 2008 a paper was presented by the Director of Legal Services entitled ‘Review of Health and Safety Management Arrangements and Review of the implications of the Corporate Manslaughter Act.’  The purpose of this report was to bring Chief Officers up to date with:

·         The Corporate Manslaughter Act 2007

·         Progress on the ongoing Corporate Review of Health and Safety Management Arrangements (being undertaken by Audit, Governance and Risk Services)

·         The Joint Insurance Working Group

      At the above meeting COMT agreed that Mr Quigley would convene a meeting with Mr Salmon and Mr Francey when the report by Audit, Governance and Risk Services had been prepared.  It was also agreed that, after this meeting, a further report would be submitted to COMT outlining the action that would be required to link the work being carried out by the Health and Safety Working Group (i.e. the group overseeing the corporate review / audit) and the Joint Insurance Working Group; the strategic positioning of the Workplace Health Unit and the resourcing necessary to ensure that the Council discharged adequately its responsibilities in this area. 

      The purpose of this report is therefore to provide an update to Committee on these issues and to make recommendations regarding how the issues arising can be taken forward.

      It should also be noted that, during the course of the ongoing review, the Workplace Health Manager resigned from his post in the Council.  This was formally noted by COMT on 9 June 2008.

Key Issues

1.   Corporate Review of Health and Safety Arrangements (AGRS audit)

      With regard to the Corporate Review of Health and Safety Arrangements, Audit, Governance and Risk Services (AGRS) has now completed this review.  The key issues arising from the review are as follows:

·         AGRS has provided ‘amber’ level assurance i.e. risks are controlled to an acceptable level but the system of controls could be enhanced. 

·         AGRS has confirmed that there are controls in place to address the key elements set out in the Health and Safety Management  framework “Managing Health and Safety: five steps to success” (HSG65)

·         AGRS has identified that the control environment could be strengthened further by the implementation of improvements to the arrangements for the corporate management and reporting of health and safety and that such improvements could improve the provision of assurance to Committee and Chief Officers on health and safety.

2.   Meetings of Directors of Legal, Corporate and Health and Environmental Services and AGRS

      The Director of Legal Services convened meetings with the Director of Corporate Services, the Director of Health and Environmental Services and representatives from AGRS on 21 July 2008 and 30 July 2008 to discuss:

·         The findings / recommendations included in the audit report ‘Corporate Review of Health and Safety Management Arrangements’

·         The strategic positioning of the Workplace Health Unit, including how it related to the Joint Insurance Working Group and the risk management function

·         The resourcing necessary to ensure that  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7c

            The Committee agreed to defer consideration of a report in relation to work experience for ex-offenders to enable further information to be provided.

            It was reported that, in accordance with Standing Order 55 and the authority delegated to him, the Director of Corporate Services had authorised the appointment of a number of persons who were related to existing officers of the Council.

            The Committee noted the appointments.

            The Committee was reminded that the Annual Remembrance Day Ceremony took place at the Cenotaph in the grounds of the City Hall in November of each year.  The Head of Committee and Members’ Services reminded the Committee that the Assembly Buildings, Church House had been used as a venue for the special meeting of the Council prior to the Somme Ceremony and for the provision of refreshments following the formal proceedings.  As the City Hall would still be closed in November, it would again be necessary to decide on an alternative and appropriate venue.  The arrangements for the Somme Ceremony had been well received by the Members and those who had taken part had commented on the success of the event.  Accordingly, he suggested that the use of the Assembly Buildings would be appropriate on Remembrance Day also.

            The Committee approved the use of the Assembly Buildings, Church House as the gathering point for the procession for the Remembrance Day Ceremony on 9th November and for the provision of tea/coffee and light refreshments following the formal proceedings.

            The Council agreed to defer consideration of a report in relation to the future use of the City Hall and agreed further that it be considered at the special meeting regarding the Rates Finalisation 2007/08 which had agreed earlier in the meeting.

            The Committee considered the undernoted report in relation to temporary office accommodation for Council staff:

“Relevant Background Information

      From a range of accommodation options Members authorised the Director of Corporate Services to enter into negotiations in respect of a short-term solution to secure Grade B office accommodation in Harvester House arising from the impending demolition and redevelopment of Clarendon House where 130 Council staff are currently located in 15,854 sq feet.

      In order to satisfy Council’s office space requirements it was estimated that approximately 20,000 sq feet was required to accommodate displacement from Clarendon House, relief of existing City centre office overcrowding (Clarendon House, Cecil Ward Building), and other temporary office occupations which terminate within the next couple of years (Linenhall Exchange, Scottish Amicable Building)

      At its meeting on 20th June 2008 the Strategic Policy & Resources Committee were advised that provisional agreement had been reached in respect of Harvester House that met the short-term requirements of Council on the basis of a 5 year Lease reflecting the need for an element of upgrading and refurbishment.

      Since issuing draft Heads of Agreement reflecting the deal agreed to by Members the Landlord’s agents (Lisney) have now advised that their client (National Farmer’s Union) have reneged on the undertaking and were no longer willing to proceed on the basis previously agreed. Now instead of a 5 year term NFU would require a 10 year commitment from Council to protect the ‘investment value’ of their premises.

      Council do not have a requirement for additional second hand office accommodation for a period of the duration now sought by NFU and have advised Lisney that negotiations could only be concluded on the basis of the previous Strategic Policy & Resources Committee decision and for a 5 year term.

      By virtue of a Notice to Determine Council are still required to vacate Clarendon House by 23rd November 2008. If relocation can be effected before the end of September 2008 Council can take the benefit of a £100,000 premium from the Landlord of Clarendon House to facilitate its early demolition.

      A renewed trawl has been undertaken for suitable temporary replacement accommodation available to occupy on a short-term basis which provides approximately 20,000 sq feet of modern office space.

In order to meet the timescale for relocation of staff from Clarendon House that secures the premium offered by the Landlord the Director of Corporate Services has exercised his delegated authority, after prior consultation with the Chair of the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee, to give authority to Council Officers to commencement arrangements to take occupation of accommodation in 9 Lanyon Place.

Key Issues

      The original office accommodation search identified Harvester House as meeting both the space and short-term occupation criteria for Council. Subject to negotiations and at the request of Lisney this initial 2-3 year requirement was extended to a 5 year term as an acceptable duration for the Landlord - NFU.

      Despite advancing negotiations through the agent for a number of months on the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8c

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

“Relevant Background Information

Purpose of Paper

      The purpose of this paper is to –

·         update Members on the progress in relation to the issue of tall buildings and inform Members of the outcome of the meeting of the cross party delegation from the Council with the Environment Minister on the issue of tall buildings on 28 July 2008

·         highlight the key issues that the Council would like to be addressed in the development of the new Tall Buildings Guidelines for Belfast which are being developed by the Department of the Environment

·         seek agreement from Members to request a meeting between the consultants (Urban Initiatives) who have been engaged to help develop the new Tall Buildings Guidance for Belfast and a cross-party delegation from the Council 

Background

      Members will recall that in April the Strategic Policy & Resources Committee considered a paper on the importance of tall buildings for Belfast and agreed to request a meeting with the Minister for the Environment to discuss the viability of tall buildings in Belfast as mechanisms to help attract investment into the city and to help grow the city’s rates base as long as they were linked to the right design criteria, were located in the right place and could also make developer contributions towards enhancing the city.

      Subsequent to this request being submitted the previous Environment Minister (Arlene Foster) announced on 28 May that design guidelines on tall buildings in Belfast were to be produced.  While this changed the initial focus of the meeting a cross party delegation from the Council met with the Environment Minister and representatives from the Planning Service on Monday 28th July. 

Update on meeting with the Minister and the development of the Tall Buildings Guidelines

      At the cross party meeting on the 28 July, the Environment Minister (Sammy Wilson) outlined that his Department would strongly welcome the Council’s input into the development of the Tall Buildings Guidelines. It was acknowledged that the current lack of any framework was leading to speculative planning applications and that this was making it more difficult for the Planning Service to make decisions on tall buildings.  He outlined that the Department had engaged consultants, Urban Initiatives, to help with this work and that they were meeting with the consultants that afternoon (Mon 28th July) to discuss the development of Supplementary Planning Guidance (SPG) on this area. No timetable is yet in place for the development of this Guidance but the Department is hoping for the Guidelines to be in place as soon as possible.  It was confirmed that the Council would be formally involved in this process. 

Key Issues

      The Council welcomes the announcement from the Department that guidelines for tall buildings in Belfast are to be produced.  Given the enhanced role which the Council will have in relation to planning matters as a result of the RPA, the Council looks forward to building a close and productive working relationship with the Department in relation  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8d

            The Committee considered the undernoted report which provided an update on the contract for the transfer of land at the North Foreshore for Residual Waste Treatment Facilities:

“Purpose of the Report

      The purpose of this report is to update Members in relation to the completion of a series of Party Group briefings and to inform the Committee of Arc 21’s timescale constraints concerning inclusion of sites in its site selection process. 

Relevant Background Information

      At its meeting on 25th January 2008 the Committee agreed to defer consideration of an update report on the contract for the transfer of land in relation to the Arc 21 residual waste treatment facilities to enable the Party Groupings to be provided with briefings in the matter.  A copy of the deferred report is attached as appendix 1.  That report had been written in the context of the

Committee’s earlier decision, on 19th October 2007, to adopt a recommendation of the Health and Environmental Services Committee that approval be granted for the remaining area of the 40 acre south east corner of the North Foreshore site to be made available to Arc 21 for potential use for a Mechanical Biological Treatment facility (MBT) or an Energy from Waste (EfW) facility.  It was also decided that the Director of Improvement and the Director of Legal Services be authorised to agree terms and a suitable legal agreement with Arc 21 to allow the site to be used for either of these facilities if selected as a preferred site.

      Members will note that in the deferred report, as appended, it had been highlighted that Arc 21’s site selection process had established a shortlist of sites on which it was interested in siting either an MBT or EfW plant.  It had also been drawn to the Committee’s attention that Arc 21 had written to the landowners, including the City Council, asking each party to commit to the sale of the particular lands identified, at a value assessed by the Land and Property Services Agency.  In the case of Belfast, the Council had been asked to commit to entering into a contract for the sale of ‘c.17 acres of land to Arc 21 for the sum of £850,000 per acre, for use by Arc 21 as the site of a residual waste treatment facility’.

      The deferred report had also stated that the Director of Legal Services had qualified the commitment of the Council by making the letter of response subject to the following qualifications:

(i)    that no contractual relationship will be deemed to exist between the parties until such times that the formal contract for sale is made between the Council and Arc 21, and that the contract will address all issues that the Council will require to be dealt with in relation to the management of the North Foreshore site within which the land is situated, and also including agreement in relation to all terms of the lease by which the Council would  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8e

            (Mrs. H. Francey, Good Relations Manager, attended in connection with this item.)

            The Committee approved the minutes of the meetings of the Good Relations Partnership of 20th June and 15th August and adopted the recommendations of the Partnership, as undernoted, in relation to the following issue:

            St. Patrick’s Day, 2009 - Small Grants Scheme

            and Waterfront Hall Concert

(i)    the continuation, in future years, of the Small Grants Scheme for St. Patrick’s Day events using the existing criteria and the increasing of the budget to an amount of £32,000;

(ii)    the organising of a concert in March, 2009, along the same format as in previous years, that is, in association with the BBC, with a balanced line-up, with the Council providing the venue and relevant technical requirements and the sum of £15,000 being made available towards the cost of guest artistes and small-scale hospitality; and

(iii)   the St. Patrick’s Night concert forming part of the Council’s main calendar of civic events and, accordingly, its organisation and future funding being managed directly by relevant staff in the Development Department.