Agenda and minutes

An apology for inability to attend was reported by Councillor Reynolds.

            The minutes of the meetings of 8th and 22nd February where taken as read and signed correct.  It was reported that those minutes have been adopted by the Council at its meeting on 4th March, subject to the amendment of the minute under the heading “ILLUMINATE - Project Completion and Governance Arrangements” to provide that the proposed lighting scheme to mark the Orangefest celebrations would be in orange and purple rather that orange alone.

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

“1        Relevant Background Information

1.1       In receiving a presentation on the Leisure Estate Review at a special meeting on 1 March 2013 the Committee asked that a further detailed report was produced detailing progress and regeneration opportunities in relation to the stadia development. 

2          Progress to Date

2.1       In 2011 the Council commissioned and endorsed a report that set out potential regeneration opportunities in the broader areas adjacent to the two stadia and tasked Council officers to engage with the stadia developers to mutual advantage. 

2.2       For most of 2012 engagement was limited due in large part to the sporting bodies ie IFA and GAA together with Sports NI, who were managing the process, being fully focussed on the stadium delivery.  There is a tight timeline for delivery in that the public money allocated to the stadium must be spent within the Comprehensive Spending Review period which ends in 2015 or else it is at risk.  As a result very limited attention was given to wider regeneration issues. 

2.3       During 2012 the Department of Culture Arts and Leisure (DCAL) took a more hands on approach to the delivery process and began to seek evidence of community benefit from the stadium schemes given the level of public money being made available.  DCAL retain a percentage of the overall funding for the stadia which it can make available for sustainable community benefit if it is satisfied with the proposals. 

2.4       In November 2012 DCAL officials met Council staff to seek Council support in creating additional community benefit.  While this was a welcome approach it is very tightly time bound as DCAL was seeking Council commitment in line with its stadium delivery schedule which had started and requires major Council decisions by April/May 2013.

2.5       Committee in December 2012 agreed that officials should continue to work on a strategy with DCAL, IFA and GAA to ensure the greatest mutual benefit in terms on community gain from these projects and to report back in January in the context of the Leisure Estate Review. 

2.6       In January 2013 Committee agreed:

·         to note the potential for comprehensive regeneration at both sites through collaborative development and the wider social, physical and economic benefits possible through maximising the major DCAL investment as a key element of Phase 1 of the Leisure Review. 

·         to approve in principle the redevelopment of both the Olympia and Andersonstown Leisure Centres and associated assets to form Phase 1 of the Citywide Leisure Review to allow progression to stage 2 appraisal as part of the Capital Programme.

·         to approve the proposed timetable and process for concurrent development of options for both sites

·         to note the proposed public engagement focus on options 

·         to approve the progression of further analysis of options 1 and 2 emerging from the feasibility study on Windsor/Midgely Park/Olympia by Hamilton Architects

·         to note the continuing development of initial concepts around Casement Park/Andersonstown by Consarc Design Group.

            3          Key Issues  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

“1     Relevant Background Information

1.1    Members will recall that, at the meeting on 18th May, 2012, the Committee was reminded that correspondence has been received from the Department of Education indicating that, following the selection process which had been carried out to appoint 4 Members to the Board from the 8 names submitted, which involved the completion of application forms by the nominees, an eligibility sift of applications against the criteria and, for those who met the eligibility criteria, a conversation with a purpose, the outcome was that three of the nominees did not progress beyond the eligibility sift stage and one candidate had withdrawn from the process.

1.2    This has resulted in only four eligible candidates remaining in the process and the Minister for Education has asked for the current pool of candidates to be augmented before he made his choice of candidates to be appointed.  The Department had therefore requested the Council to submit an additional four nominations, who would be required to undergo the same selection process as that set out above.  It was noted at that time that those Councillors who had previously been nominated and who did not progress beyond the eligibility sift would not be eligible for re-nomination.

1.3          The Committee agreed that the Minister be requested to make as many appointments as possible from those candidates who had already been deemed to be appointable, in line with the Council’s d’Hondt system of proportionality which provided that the four appointments should comprise two Sinn Féin Party representatives and one each from the Democratic Unionist and Social Democratic and Labour Parties, with any places remaining unfilled using this process to be selected from those Parties which had not been offered their entitlement.  In addition, the Committee agreed that should the Minister not agree to make such appointments, then the undernoted process should be employed to select the additional four nominations:

Choice 11 – Democratic Unionist

Choice 12 – Sinn Fein

Choice 13 – Democratic Unionist

Choice 14 – Alliance

1.4    However, if the Democratic Unionist Party maintained its previous position of only submitting one candidate (which it had already done as part of the process in October, 2011), then the nominations from the Parties willing to supply names would fall to:

Choice 12 – Sinn Fein

Choice 14 – Alliance

Choice 15 – Ulster Unionist

Choice 16 – Sinn Fein

2       Key Issues

2.1    Correspondence has now been received from the Department indicating that the Minister is unwilling to make any appointments to the Board until he receives an additional 4 nominations from the Council and those persons have completed the selection process.  Accordingly, in line with the Committee decision of 18th May, the Party Leaders concerned have been requested to provide the names of suitable candidates.

3       Resource Implications

3.1    None.

4       Equality and Good Relations Implications

4.1    None.  The identification of those Parties entitled to nominate Members for consideration for appointment is based upon the Council’s accepted  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4a

            The Committee was advised that a request had been received from the Council’s Parks and Leisure Department for the use of the Council Chamber to facilitate a discussion between the Council’s Youth Forum and the Sligo Youth Parliament.  The event would take place on Saturday, 13th April and would include thirty young people and leaders.

            The Democratic Services Manager reminded the Committee that the Growing Respect Programme was funded as part of Belfast’s PEACE III Plan and was overseen by the Parks and Leisure Department.  The Youth Parliament had been asked to participate in the Cross-Border element of the Programme.  As part of its participation through exchange visits, the Department would like to host a facilitated discussion with Sligo Youth Parliament which would encourage them to explore common issues, such as young people’s possible involvement in local government decision making.  The event would involve young people aged between thirteen and eighteen and there would be adequate staff and other leaders available to ensure the smooth running and safety of the event.

            The Committee agreed to accede the request.

            The Committee was reminded that at the Council meeting on 4th March the following Notice of Motion had been proposed by Councillor Spence:

“This Council congratulates Carl Frampton on becoming the European Boxing Union Champion and agrees to have a civic reception to recognise the achievements he has made to date.”

            In accordance with Standing Order 11(e), the Motion stood referred without discussion to the Committee.

            With the permission of the Chairman, Councillor Spence indicated that, in his opinion, there were two possible options which the Committee could consider for the hosting of an event to recognise the achievements to date of Carl Frampton.  The first would be similar to the event which had been held in 2010 to recognise the achievement of Paddy Barnes in winning the Gold Medal in the European Amateur Boxing Championships or, secondly, the Committee might consider holding a larger event in the Banqueting Hall which would allow for a wider range of persons to be invited.

            After discussion, the Committee agreed to the hosting of an event, similar to that which had been held in 2010 for Paddy Barnes, to recognise the achievements to date of Carl Frampton.

            The Committee was reminded that at the Council meeting on 4th March, the undernoted Notice of Motion had been proposed by Councillor Atwood:

“The Investment Programme, which the Council launched a year ago, was a strong and visible symbol of the Council’s leadership of the city and its desire to improve quality of life across Belfast.  This Council now commits to underlining its city leadership role by engaging key city stakeholders, community partners and the people of the city in creating a longer-term, shared city vision, underpinned by a set of clear quality of life outcome indicators.

In taking this action, the Council will be well prepared for its new role in 2015 when it will be the planning and regeneration authority for Belfast with a duty to create a community plan for the area.  This work will provide a clear statement of ambition for Belfast and act as a focus for partnership working.  It will allow us to set the bar high for delivery for each and every community across Belfast.

A city outcomes framework will help ensure the decisions the Council and its partners make about investment and service delivery are evidenced-based and have the greatest chance of improving competitiveness, reducing inequalities and tackling persistent disadvantage.”

            In accordance with Standing Order 11 (e), the Motion had stood referred to the Committee without debate.

            The Committee agreed that a report and Action Plan be submitted to the Committee in due course encompassing the terms and issues as set out in the Motion. 

            The Committee was advised that the Belfast Health and Social Care Board was undertaking a consultation exercise on the Future Configuration of Emergency Department Services in Belfast and had offered to brief the Committee on the options in this regard.  The consultation period would last for 13 weeks and the deadline for responses was 10th May, 2013.

            The Committee agree to hold a briefing session, to which all Members of the Council would be invited, to receive a presentation in this regard.