Agenda and minutes

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

            The minutes of the meeting of 19th February 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 March, subject to:

(i)     the omission of that portion of the minute under the heading “Security Unit Update” insofar as it related to the control room which, at the request of Councillor Rodway, had been taken back to the Committee for further consideration; and

(ii)    the amendment of the minute under the heading “Publication of Members’ Information” to provide that a report be presented to the Committee setting out the extent of the information included in the Council’s Publication Scheme in relation to all payments made to Council officers and comparing and contrasting that with the information to be published in relation to Members.

            (Mr. G. Wright, Head of Facilities Management, attended in connection with this item.)

            The Committee considered further the minute in relation to the Security Unit Update, a copy of which is set out hereunder:

      “The Committee considered the undernoted report:

‘Relevant Background Information

      The Committee may recall that, during its meeting of October 2009, a number of questions were raised by individual members in respect of matters concerning the security unit. These questions related to the provision of CCTV in the City Hall, working conditions in the Control Room and more general issues surrounding the unit’s operations. As a consequence, the Head of Facilities Management agreed to bring a report in early 2010 updating the Committee on all relevant issues and the relevant details are set out below.

      Industrial Relations

      Members will recall that a package of changes to numbers, working hours, duties, locations, pool cover, pay & grading and contractual overtime arrangements etc. was developed and put to staff by way of ballot in late 2009. The Security Officer grade (30 staff) voted overwhelmingly to accept the proposal and it was duly implemented. The Control Room grade (8 staff) initially rejected the proposal - largely due to issues around the requirement for some modest lone-working in the new shift structures - but in a subsequent ballot have recently also voted to accept the package, which has now been implemented. These changes will not only result in enhanced efficiency and flexibility but will also reduce overall overtime expenditure by approx. £75,000 per annum.

      CCTV infrastructure

      Most of the CCTV cameras in place inside the City Hall until 2007 were removed during the recent refurbishment. The opportunity was also taken at that time to enhance cabling in order to permit the use of IP-based CCTV cameras (meaning that the images could be viewed using standard internet protocols from anywhere with a broadband connection) and a provision of £225,000 was made in the capital programme to purchase replacement cameras and associated infrastructure and hardware.

      However, in the light of emerging financial constraints and the consequent need to re-prioritise the projects within the capital programme, the CCTV item was removed following discussions with the then Director of Corporate Services.

      This in turn meant that, for a relatively brief period of time, the building has had to operate with a “skeleton” CCTV system which is limited in coverage and is clearly not ideal. However once this situation arose it became necessary to consider possible alternatives, and it has been identified that the BCC Waste Transfer Depot at Duncrue has a modern, relatively new and fully functional CCTV control matrix and associated equipment which has recently been decommissioned, as this property has now transferred to the corporate land-bank.

      We have sought and obtained permission to transfer this CCTV equipment to the City Hall, and this will allow us to provide CCTV coverage both inside and outside the building, providing coverage almost as comprehensive as before, and for a revenue cost of just £18,000 (including  ...  view the full minutes text for item 2.

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

“1.0       BACKGROUND

1.1       Members will recall that on 19th February 2010 the Committee agreed that a Special Meeting would be held, with Members of the Development Committee in attendance, to receive a progress update on the Titanic Signature Project and the Memorandum of Understanding with Titanic Quarter Limited.  The key issues to be covered include:

(i)      to receive an update on the Titanic Signature Project construction process;

(ii)     to discuss the Memorandum of Understanding and associated governance arrangements; and

(iii)    to receive an update on the emerging proposals with regard to marketing and tourism activities in 2012 around the Titanic Signature Project.

1.2       Members have previously noted that for legal and tax reasons, a charitable company known as Titanic Foundation Limited (TFL) has been formed to oversee the building and operation of the Titanic Signature Project.  The TFL Board consists of seven independent trustees.  The present Chairman of the board is Jonathan Hegan, a past chairman of RPS Consulting Engineers.  The acting Chief Executive of TFL is Brian Gregory and he will attend the Committee meeting to update the Committee on progress.  Titanic Foundation Limited is required by the legal agreements to regularly keep the funders updated on progress and TFL has confirmed it will be happy to address the Committee on a regular basis to keep the Council appraised of the progress of the project.

1.3       Titanic Quarter Limited (TQL) is the company taking forward the development of the Titanic Quarter in a joint venture with the owners of the land, Belfast Harbour Commissioners.  As a condition of the legal agreements, TQL entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the Council, which sets out its commitment to actively work with the council, key government departments and the community to optimize the city and community benefits of the development of the Titanic Quarter.  Mike Smith, the Chief Executive of TQL, will be present at the meeting to update Members on the work of TQL on engaging with the community.

2.0KEY ISSUES

      CONSTRUCTION UPDATE (Design & Build)

·         Work on the Titanic Signature Project commenced on site on 28th May 2009 at risk by Titanic Quarter Limited and Harcourt Construction.

·         Financial commitments from funders secured, legal agreements and construction contracts signed on 27th November to enable the TSP to go live.

·         Work is progressing well and construction is now emerging above ground level.

·         There is a rigorous project management regime in place, and the project is on programme for delivery by 31st March 2012 in time for RMS Titanic's centenary.

·         The Director of the Council’s Property and Projects is represented on the TSP Project Board which is overseeing the design and build construction contract. The Committee will be kept fully informed of project progress and costs.

·         Harcourt Construction has been proactive in implementing the social benefit clauses in accordance with the contract requirements.

·         Six out of the seven work packages let relating to the TSP have been placed with local companies.

·         The focus is now on  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3a

            The Committee was reminded that as part of the PricewaterhouseCoopers Economic Appraisal, which had identified potential options as to how the Review of Public Administration reform programme could be funded, there had been a proposal to establish two regional organisations: a Business Support Organisation to deliver a number of core functions on a shared service basis; and a Strategic Waste Authority.  The report had indicated that the reform programme, including the establishment of the proposed regional organisations, would require funding of £118 million, with a return of £438 million over a twenty-five year period.

            In responding to the proposals in the PricewaterhouseCoopers report, the Local Government Sector had challenged the financial assumptions and projections made and had stated its consensual opposition to the establishment of a Business Support Organisation.  Belfast City Council, in line with its current policy, had supported the establishment of a Strategic Waste Authority.  At the meeting of the Strategic Leadership Board, which had been held in December, 2009, and more recently at the Northern Ireland Local Government Association Annual Conference, the Environment Minister, Mr. Edwin Poots, M.L.A., had challenged Local Government to provide an alternative solution to the establishment of a Business Support Organisation and to make alternative proposals to achieve efficiency savings in the order of the figure referred to by PricewaterhouseCoopers.

            The Chief Executive reported that in recent weeks work had been ongoing to prepare an initial response to the Minister’s challenge.  The premise of the emerging Local Government response was that the sector should be set an efficiency target which would be linked to the drawdown of an upfront ‘seed funding’ to finance the Review of Public Administration reform programme.  That would provide Transition Committees and Councils with the autonomy to deliver their own efficiency programme to meet the agreed targets within a specified period.  He stressed that the Local Government Sector recognised that delivering value-for-money to the ratepayer was one of its key objectives.

            The Chief Executive pointed out that underlying the £438 million savings projected by PricewaterhouseCoopers there were two types of ongoing annual savings, that is, transition and transformation savings:

·         transition savings: PricewaterhouseCoopers reported that transition savings of £10.7 million could be secured mainly from the reductions in the senior management teams and Councillors in the new Councils;

·         transformation savings: the ongoing transformation savings which had been identified under the preferred Option 5 in the PricewaterhouseCoopers report had amounted to £52.9 million approximately, which had been profiled on the basis of 20% being achieved in 2012/2013, a further 40% in 2013/2014 and the remaining 40% in 2014/2015.

            In the initial response which had been submitted for the Environment Minister’s consideration at the meeting of the Strategic Leadership Board on 25th February, the Local Government Sector had indicated its willingness to consider how the £52.9 million efficiency figure could be achieved.  It had been proposed that each Council/cluster of Councils, through their Statutory Transition Committees, would carry out detailed design work on the costs associated with transition and transformation.

            The  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4a

            It was reported that, in accordance with Standing Order 55 and the authority delegated to her, the Director of Finance and Resources had authorised the appointment of a number of individuals who were related to existing officers of the Council.

Noted.

            In accordance with Standing Order 60, the Committee noted that the Parks and Leisure Committee, at its meeting on 11th February, had agreed to renew the letting agreement with the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute by way of a five-year lease in respect of land at Beechvale Farm commencing on 1st December, 2009.  The rent under the new lease had been agreed at £8,000 per annum and the lease would contain provisions which would allow the Council to terminate the agreement on six months notice.

            The Committee was advised that the former Community Services Committee, at its meeting on 10th August, 1992, had agreed to provide Sport and Leisure Football Club with a fifty-year lease for 6.1 acres of land on the Glen Road to be used as a sports pitch.  The lease provided for an annual rent reviewable every five years.  The current rent of £1,850 per annum had been due for review from 1st April, 2009, and a revised rent of £2,250 per annum had now been agreed with Sport and Leisure Football Club.

            The Committee approved the revised rent with effect from 1st April, 2009.

            The Committee was advised that the Health and Environmental Services Committee, at its meeting on 4th November, 2009, had declared the Clara Street Civic Amenity Site surplus to its operational requirements and had agreed that it be transferred to the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee for inclusion within the Corporate Landbank.

            The Committee noted the appropriation of the aforementioned land from the Health and Environmental Services Committee.

            (Mr. G. Wright, Head of Facilities Management, and Mr. G. Copeland, Events Manager, attended in connection with this item.)

            The Committee was advised that a request had been received for the use of the grounds of the City Hall for a promotional event on 20th March.  The event would involve bringing the well-known formula one racing driver David Coulthard and two Red Bull formula one cars and the support team to Belfast in order to give potentially thousands of spectators an opportunity to view the car in Belfast City centre and to meet a current formula one driver.  This would be one of only two such events worldwide.

            The Head of Facilities Management outlined the details of the event, which would require the two Red Bull cars plus a high-tech support vehicle and team to be in place in the City Hall grounds from approximately 10.00 a.m. until 4.00 p.m. to showcase the cars, with David Coulthard in attendance to meet and greet visitors.  At approximately 8.00 p.m. the two cars would drive to and from Wellington Place/Chichester Street, a number of times, with the event ending at approximately 8.45 p.m.  The site would be cleared by midnight at the latest and no access to the main building had been requested, although temporary access to the electricity supplies might be required.

            He explained that, while the proposed event was neither Council-funded nor supported, the Events Unit of the Development Department had felt that it would be popular and likely to attract a large number of spectators.

            From a practical point of view there would be minimal potential disruption to the normal routines within the City Hall grounds, although it should be noted that a charity event would be taking place in the building on the same evening which would need to be adequately addressed by the Red Bull event organisers in their planning.

            The organisers would be required to provide an appropriate level of indemnity in respect of loss, damage or personal injury; ensure that the impact on the normal operation of the grounds would be minimal; bear all incidental costs associated with the event, including additional stewarding costs; and keep the lawns intact so far as possible and make good any damage caused.

            After discussion, it was

Moved by Councillor N. Kelly,

Seconded by Councillor C. Maskey,

      That the Committee agrees to accede to the request by the Red Bull Formula One racing team for the use of the City Hall grounds for the purpose outlined, subject to the Director of Property and Projects being satisfied as to the level of indemnity and other necessary safeguards and obligations being provided by the organisers.

            On a vote by show of hands twelve Members voted for the proposal and none against and it was accordingly declared carried.

            The Committee agreed, in order to undertake emergency repairs to the Bay Walls at the Waste Transfer Station located at the Dargan Road, to exercise its authority under paragraph A.5 of the Council’s Financial Regulations to waive the requirement for a tender exercise to be undertaken to complete emergency works to Bay 2 of the Waste Transfer Station and grant permission for the work to be completed through a quotation exercise.  The Committee noted that the costs of completing the works was in the region of £35,000.

            (Mrs. S. Wylie, Head of Environmental Health, attended in connection with this item.)

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

“Relevant Background Information

      It is recognised that the image of the city centre is of vital importance in continuing to attract investors, shoppers and tourists alike.   This means that the streets making up the city centre need to be clean, attractive and as free from antisocial behaviour, crime and illegal street trading as is possible.

      The Committee will be aware that a number of years ago Belfast city centre experienced prolific illegal street trading which absorbed considerable PSNI and BCC resources to support ongoing joint enforcement operations.  After a targeted approach to the problem in the area, illegal traders were largely removed from the streets.  However there was a concern as to how this standard could be maintained.

      In addition to controls on street trading, there were concerns about low level nuisance and antisocial behaviour such as on street drinking, littering, rough sleepers, graffiti, youths causing annoyance, traffic management, etc.

      In response to this ongoing problem Belfast Chamber of Trade and Commerce (BCTC) and Belfast City Centre Management (BCCM) entered into discussions with a range of partners and secured funding from its members to provide two dedicated Police Officers for the city centre area.  These Officers were provided at a subsidised cost from the PSNI, and were additional to the existing PSNI resource in the city centre, meaning that their work could be directed by partners to deal with the types of issues mentioned above.  This arrangement was formalised through a Service Level Agreement with the PSNI which is managed and reviewed through BCCM.  In line with this service level agreement the City Centre Beat (CCB) scheme operates concurrently with retail trading hours, i.e. 63 hours per week.

      As a result of this approach illegal street trading has continued to be well managed in the city centre and the Council has been able to develop a more strategic approach to licensed street stalls in line with its commitment to the regeneration of the city centre area.  The CCB scheme has also undertaken a number of successful operations which have resulted in a strategic approach to the number of beggars and Big Issue sellers on the streets of Belfast City Centre.   The officers also deal with a large proportion of the low level nuisance and antisocial behaviour issues mentioned above and make regular referrals to BCC officers who follow up with the appropriate action.

      Since 2005, the Chamber has secured the additional funding needed for the CCB scheme from its members year on year; with the SLA now focusing on anti-social behaviour, environmental management and traffic issues which have changed over time because of the Streets Ahead Project.  As part of their undertaking to tackle anti-social behaviour, the CCB scheme has been responsible for managing and alleviating the problem of on street drinking, rough sleeping and begging within the city centre for a number of years. 

Key Issues

      In 2009, the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7a

            (Mrs. S. Wylie, Head of Environmental Health, attended in connection with this item.)

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

“Relevant Background Information

      At its meeting of 8th May 2009 the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee considered a report on the Fuel Stamps scheme that had been operating as a pilot in an area of North Belfast since 8th January 2009. The scheme forms part of the Action Plan developed by the officer group that facilitates the All Party Reference Group on Older People. Whilst the focus of the fuel stamps scheme is primarily on older people it is, in fact, available to all. It is designed to be of particular benefit to those who are in, or who are close to, fuel poverty. A household is in fuel poverty if, in order to maintain an acceptable level of temperature throughout the home, the occupants would have to spend more than 10% of their income on all household fuel use. In 2006 38% of households in Belfast were in fuel poverty (2006 HCS), however, increasing fuel costs and continuing economic difficulties would suggest that this figure is now significantly higher.

      The principle of the scheme is a relatively simple procedure whereby members of the public are given a card, on request, by a participating retailer or other outlet and they can buy stamps, at £5 each, which they then place on the card and are able to build up credit that will be accepted by specific participating oil companies towards their fuel bills.

      An evaluation of the pilot was presented to the Committee in May 2009 and it was duly recommended that the scheme should be rolled out across the city and that the Head of Environmental Health should bring a further report to the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee once the scheme had been operating for a number of months.

      The subsequent development of the scheme has involved engaging with potential outlets throughout the city, encouraging buy-in from both retailers and oil companies and facilitating the administrative arrangements for its effective delivery. Also, a project officer was appointed on a temporary basis in November 2009 to lead in the delivery of the scheme. Already there are 48 separate outlets across the city supplying stamps. Most of these are retailers and credit unions but council premises, such as leisure centres, the CecilWard Building and the Bobbin restaurant, also sell the stamps. In addition, 22 oil companies have signed up to the scheme. At the end of January 2010 a total of 10,551 stamps had been sold amounting to £51,250 worth of stamps.  To date there has been £30,235 worth of stamps redeemed by members of the public averaging £121 per card. Users of the scheme have provided very positive feedback. Comments have included the following:-

      ‘It allows me to save for my oil before I have to order my next delivery’.

      ‘I think the scheme is fantastic, I have been saying for years that people should be able  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7b

            The Committee was advised that a consultation exercise was being undertaken by the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust in relation to proposals to build an acute mental health facility at the Belfast City Hospital.

            The Committee agreed that the consultation document be referred to the Party Groupings on the Council for individual consideration and comment to enable Members to highlight local circumstances or issues, particularly from a local service user perspective, which then could be taken into account by the Belfast Trust.