Agenda and minutes

            Apologies for inability to attend where reported from Alderman R. Patterson and Councillor Mac Giolla Mhín. 

            The minutes of the meetings of 4th and 25th April 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 May.

            Councillor Jones declared interest in Item 4a Request for the Use of the City Hall and the Provision of Hospitality in so far as he was treasurer of the Glentoran Community Trust. 

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

“1.0  Relevant background information

1.1    In January 2013 to inform future decisions SP&R adopted the following principles regarding leisure provision in the city:  Quality; Focus on health and well-being outcomes; Value for money; Balanced investment and accessibility; Partnership; and Affordability.

1.2    Subsequently, at its meeting in June 2013, SP&R set a £105m capital expenditure affordability limit for the Leisure Transformation Programme.  Committee agreed to the indicative phasing of capital transformation:

·         Phase 1: Investment Programme (Windsor/Olympia; Andersonstown; Girdwood)

·         Phase 2: Reform of Local Government (e.g. Avoniel; Castlereagh; Lagmore/Poleglass/Colin)

·         Phase 3: One Public Estate (e.g. Ballysillan; Ozone; Shankill; Loughside; Whiterock)

1.3    At its meeting in April 2014 SP&R agreed the affordability limit for Phase II projects at £23.5m.  Members will recall in March 2013 that SP&R granted authority for officers to facilitate in depth engagement with strategic stakeholders to explore co-investment opportunities under the leisure transformation programme.  

2       Key issues

2.1    Following Committee’s recommendation to engage with strategic partners, a number of pieces of work are being prepared to inform decisions to be taken by Committee over the coming months.   Detailed design work is underway for phase 1 of the capital programme and engagement and scoping for phase 2, to identify strategic opportunities in east and outer west Belfast.

         The following sections outline an update on discussions and actions to date in relation to Phase 2.

2.2    Outer West

         Some initial high level discussions have taken place around the future of leisure provision in the Twinbrook and Colin areas, specifically around the potential redevelopment of Brook Activity Centre, transferring under Local Government Reform and the opportunities presented in the Colin Town Centre Masterplan.  A survey is being completed on the Brook Activity Centre to determine its physical condition.

         Next steps

         A feasibility study has been commissioned to identify a range of options for future leisure provision in Outer West Belfast. 

         The study will include: an analysis of current leisure provision (both local authority and private); redevelopment/refurbishment options; exploration of potential sites for redevelopment; and provide a critical path including a comprehensive funding strategy.  The study should also make reference to the Colin Town Centre Masterplan, produced by the Department for Social Development.

         It is planned that Area Working Group representatives will be fully involved in this process, including the appraisal of options, prior to presentation to Committee for investment decisions.  Following this, there will then be a period of consultation and proposal development.

2.3    Inner East Belfast

         Belfast Education & Library Board (BELB) has facilitated engagement with elected members, community representatives and potential strategic partners.  This is due to an imminent strategic opportunity in relation to the potential rationalisation and re-development of two primary schools in the inner East area. 

         BELB are currently finalising an economic appraisal for the rationalisation of Avoniel and Elmgrove primary schools and one preparing a development proposal for the minister’s consideration.  Council officers have been working with BELB to identify potential linkages, community benefits and co-investment opportunities from  ...  view the full minutes text for item 2a

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

“1     Relevant Background Information

1.1    Members will be aware that responsibility for Urban Regeneration and Community Development will transfer to the new Councils on 1 April 2015.

1.2    Whilst DSD will retain responsibility for the overarching policy on urban regeneration and community development, and will be responsible for regionally significant interventions, the transfer will incorporate four main areas:

·         Area Based Regeneration – Neighbourhood Renewal, Masterplans and Frameworks

·         Physical Development – Comprehensive Development, Public Realm / Environmental Improvements and Urban Development Grants (UDGs)

·         Community Development – Community Support Programmes, Belfast Area Partnerships & Community Investment Fund

·         Transfer and Maintenance of Assets – This consists of the current DSD land bank, public spaces, the management and maintenance of the Lagan Weir and the management of the river between the Lagan and Stranmillis Weirs

1.3    In order to facilitate effective change management, a two stage transfer process has been agreed through the former Statutory Transition Committee and with DSD:

·         Transition – to focus on the practical arrangements/decisions necessary for Council to maintain and deliver agreed transferred services and resources on 1 April 2015. This will provide service continuity and allow planning to take place for transformation  over the 2015-2017 period.

·         Transformation – to focus on developing the future vision, outcomes and delivery models for urban regeneration and community development and to align with the Community Planning process, post 2017.

2       Key Issues

2.1    In preparation for the transfer of functions, DSD has formulated a resource allocation model to distribute its current resources across the 11 new Councils. This distribution model is principally based on urban population and levels of deprivation. A prospective budget reduction of 4% across the NI Executive Departments was also factored into the model.

2.2    Under this Regional Allocation Model the new Belfast City Council area will receive a total allocation of £20,418,000(indicative at present) as set out in Table 1 below. The allocation will however transfer as part of the rate and it will be for the new Council to decide how this money is ultimately allocated.

         Table 1: DSD Allocation for Belfast City Council:

2.3    Over the last number of weeks, Council officers have been conducting a due diligence exercise which has involved analysing the average DSD expenditure in the new Council areas over the past seven financial years. This analysis is set out in the table below which clearly indicates that Belfast is the only area which will experience a reduction in the level of resource allocation in comparison to previous years. It should be noted however that expenditure (particularly capital) varies significantly from year to year in some areas.

         Table 2: Summary of DSD’s Historic Spend within new Council Cluster Areas:

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

“1.0 Relevant Background Information 

1.1    Members are aware that since their inception the AWGs have played an integral role in recommending investment decisions in terms of LIF and Local Interventions to the SP&R Committee. It was also previously agreed at SP&R in November 2012 that the AWGs would play a central part in recommending decisions related to the Belfast Investment Fund (BIF) given their knowledge of local areas. The final decisions on what projects to invest in under BIF lies with the SP&R Committee.

1.2    It is recommended that this report is read in conjunction with the report on DSD projects which is also on the agenda for discussion at Committee today as these are closely interlinked.

2.0    Current status – BIF projects

2.1    Members are aware that BIF was established to enable the Council to take a lead role and work in partnership to deliver key investment projects across the city.  An overview of the objectives of BIF is attached at Appendix 1. Members have previously agreed an approval process for all BIF projects which reflects the Stage Approval process that all capital projects must go through whereby decisions on which projects progress are taken by SP&R Committee in its role as investment decision maker.  

2.2    Members will recall that a detailed report on area working was taken to SP&R in March where it was highlighted that it is key that investment decisions on projects are not taken in isolation and it is important the links and inter-dependencies between projects and different funding streams are taken into consideration. This is particularly important in the case for BIF projects which Members are subject to securing match funding of at least 50% from other sources.

2.3    Importantly Members will also appreciate that the investment context is changing as under LGR the Council will become the regeneration authority for the city with a transferring regeneration budget. Members will be aware that DSD funding will cease to exist next March and this will have an impact on the match funding requirement. There are a number of projects where DSD are identified as a potential funder and where funding has been profiled in principle but not yet committed.

2.4    In April SP&R Committee agreed to move a number of BIF projects to Stage 2 (development of an OBC) due to their state of readiness, potential funding being available etc.  These included Stranmillis Gateway (part of the wider Lagan Corridor project), St. Comgall’s and the development of a pitch at St. Mary’s CBS. Members are asked to note that two of these projects are dependent on securing DSD in order to meet the BIF criteria of securing 50% match funding and DSD have asked for confirmation from the Council that these projects will be part of the Council’s forward work plan in order to bid for funding for these projects -  

            The Committee was reminded that on 6th January the following Notice of Motion had been considered by the Council:

“This Council recognises the increasing social and economic hardship experienced by people in our communities as a result of growing unemployment and cuts to welfare benefits. The Council accepts that it has a duty to use the powers available to it (including but not limited to planning, regulation and procurement powers), to generate positive outcomes for the most marginalised in our communities and hereby commits to including at every available opportunity a ‘Real Jobs’ clause in contracts tendered by the Council to procure goods, services and capital works. The ‘Real Jobs’ clause will guarantee ring fenced, fully paid jobs and apprenticeships for the long-term unemployed (12+ months).”

            The motion had been referred to the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee when it had been agreed that a report on the matter should be submitted in due course.  The Director of Property and Projects explained that, since January, a number of actions had been undertaken in order to progress the Real Jobs motion, these had included:

·      The Standards of existing social causes had been amended to reflect the requirement of the motion as opportunities arose;

·      The intent of the motion had been captured in capital works tenders for the Waterfront Hall, Connswater Greenway Phase II, the Innovations Centre, the Girdwood Hub and the Olympia Leisure Centre;

·      1226 employment weeks have been secured in upcoming contracts which had been ring-fenced entirely for people who had been out of work for over 12 months; and

·      Employment weeks were used as that ensured contractors were required to fulfil the minimum number of weeks, whereas, by specifying job numbers there was not the same certainty about duration of employment.

            He pointed out that issues remained with the apprenticeships aspects of contracts as there was often a mismatch between contract duration and the length of time taken to complete an apprenticeship.  However, officers were currently looking at models of how that had been addressed elsewhere, for example, in Manchester.  Another consideration was the need to comply with the requirement of partners/funders in respect of contractual matters, and again, ways of dealing with that issue were being explored.

            The Director of Property and Projects stated that work was under way to develop a social clauses policy which would include addressing the issues set out and which would improve also consideration of the “living wage” proposal which had been agreed by the Council earlier in the year.  A full report on progress would be submitted to the Committee in September.  As a direct employer the Council had made considerable progress in respect to supporting people into employment, including the long-term unemployed.  Over the past two years the Council had:

·         Delivered 601 job opportunities and provided 526 work experience placements;

·         Ring-fenced five permanent administrative posts to the long-term unemployed/economically inactive and provided a two week pre?employment programme for 40 long-term unemployed/economically inactive participants to help them apply for the 5  ...  view the full minutes text for item 2d

            The Committee was reminded that on an annual basis the Council produced a Corporate Plan which outlined its priority actions for the coming year.  Departmental plans were developed also which provided details on how those priorities would be delivered through key services and projects. In 2012 the Council had produced also an Investment Programme which outlined the Council’s commitments to developing the City and supporting the local economy up to 2015.  The Annual Report provided an update on how the organisation had performed against all those plans during 2013/2014.

            The Committee approved the contents of the Annual Report for 2013/2014.

            (Councillor Jones left the meeting whilst this item was under consideration.)

            The Committee considered the undernoted requests for the use of the City Hall and the provision of hospitality:

            The Committee was reminded that the Personal and Entertainments Allowances for the Lord Mayor, the Deputy Lord Mayor and the High Sheriff were reviewed annually.  The established practice had been that the Personal and Entertainments Allowances should take into account increases in the cost of living by increasing the allowances in line with the Consumer Price Index.  The Democratic Services Manager reminded the Committee that, in the last three years, it had considered three options, which were to increase the allowances by a percentage equivalent to the Consumer Price Index, increase the allowances by a percentage equivalent to the District Rate increase for the year or not to increase the allowances for the year.  In the previous three years the Committee had decided not to make any increase in the allowances and, accordingly, the Lord Mayor’s Personal and Entertainments Allowances for those years had been maintained at £34,800 and, £25,900 respectively with the Deputy Lord Mayor’s and the High Sheriff’s Personal and Entertainments Allowances remaining at £6,250 and £735 respectively.

            The Committee agreed that the Entertainments Allowances for the Deputy Lord Mayor and the High Sheriff be increased to £1,000 and that no increase be made in the remainder of the Civic Allowances for the year 2014/2015.

            The Committee was reminded that there had been several reports submitted over the past year in order to prepare the organisation for the Shadow Council term which had commenced recently.  One of  the issues which had been discussed was the call that there would be on Members’ time over the period from now until 31st March, 2015 when the existing Term of Office would come to an end.  That was particularly the case for the 36 Members who were serving both on the existing Council and on the Shadow Council. 

            The Democratic Services Manager explained that, given that one of the key tasks which the Committee usually spent a considerable amount of time on - namely the discussions around the striking of the District Rate – would this year be a responsibility of the Shadow Council, it was suggested that it might be possible for the existing Strategic Policy and Resources Committee to revert routinely to only holding one meeting each month.  He pointed out that officers were currently trying to design a monthly Committee Schedule to incorporate the meetings of the four Shadow Committees into an already busy meeting schedule.  It would be important that the schedule of meetings was prepared in such a way as to allow issues which would have to be raised both with the existing Council and with the Shadow Council to happen in an orderly way so that there was not any undue delay in decisions being actioned.

            The Committee agreed to revert to a single meeting each month initially for the months of August and September and to review the situation after that time.

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

“1.0     Purpose of report

1.1       The Council’s Capital Programme is a rolling programme of investment which either improves existing Council facilities or provides new facilities. This report provides –

·         proposed recommendations for movement between the Capital Programme stages  specific project updates

·         an update on the communications and engagement activities for capital projects planned for the coming months

2.0       Relevant Background Information

            Capital Programme – Key highlights and Comms Activity - February –May 2014

2.1       Significant progress has been made in the delivery of the capital programme since it was agreed by SP&R Committee. Details of the current status of all Capital Programme projects are attached at Appendix A. Photos of projects are attached at Appendix B. The Property & Projects department is happy to arrange site visits for Members/ Party Groups to any Council funded capital project. 

2.2       Key highlights since the last quarterly report in February include -  

·         the completion of the new £680,000 3G pitch in Marrowbone Millennium Park

·         the completion of the roll-out of Phase 3 of the Alleygating Programme

·         MUGA programme - refurbishment work  completed at 6 sites – Finlay Street, Clara Street, Victoria Park, Willowbank, New Lodge and Dover street

·         construction work began in April on the new £11.7m Girdwood Hub together with DSD infrastructure works and a new housing development

·         Enabling works have commenced on the £29.5million extension to the Waterfront to provide dedicated exhibition and conference facilities 

·         the opening of the Sam Thompson Bridge in Victoria Park as part of Phase 1 of CCG in April

·         the appointment of a contractor for the Public Bike Share Scheme

·         work is underway at Drumglass Park

·         contract awarded for new pitch at Cliftonville as part of the Bunscoil Ben Mhadign development (subject to legal agreements)

·         The Welcome Centre has won two major awards including the ‘Best Innovation Award’ at the NITB Tourism Awards and an award at the Royal Society of Ulster Architects Design Awards.  The Mary Peter’s Track also won the RUSA Design Award in the most contested category.

2.3       Members are asked to note the activity undertaken between February and May in relation to the Capital Programme and the wider Investment Programme including -

·         120 articles placed in local and national media specifically for Investment Programme projects, with 73% generated through proactive activity including a focus on the above projects and; rates freeze for second year in a row; Launch of connection voucher scheme for businesses (Super-connected Belfast) and adoption of living wage

·         Ten-page pullout in City Matters magazine (April 2014), reaching 130,000 residents, with detailed case studies and an update on overall progress

·         Increase in web traffic, with updates pushed out to almost 400,000 visitors per month

·         More social media posts, with Facebook reach now extending to over 100,000 people

·         Branded signage installed at high visibility points within capital projects

·         ‘Big Picture’ staff briefing in February 2014, accompanied by regular updates and news items in Intercom, Team Brief, Interlink and TV screens in frontline locations  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5a

            The Director of Finance and Resources submitted for the Committee’s consideration the undernoted report:

“1.0     Relevant Background Information

1.1       The Strategic Policy and Resources Committee agreed on 18 June 2010 that:

·         The Council would produce financial reporting packs for the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee and each Standing Committee on a quarterly basis

·         The Budget and Transformation Panel would also receive monthly financial updates if there were any significant issues to report.

1.2       The reporting pack contains a summary dashboard of the financial indicators and an executive summary explaining the financial performance. It also provides a more detailed explanation of each of the relevant indicators covering outturn for the year, implications for reserves, payment of creditors and recovery of debt. The reporting of procurement compliance to members was introduced as part of the quarterly financial reporting from quarter 1 2012/2013.

1.3       The style and layout of the financial reporting pack reflects the discussion and feedback arising from the Members’ financial training at the end of September 2010.

1.4       Central Finance and departmental management teams have worked together to develop the information within the reporting packs.

2.0       Key Issues

2.1       Financial Outturn 2013/14

            The year end financial position for the Council is an under-spend of £366k (0.3%), which is well within the acceptable variance limit of 3%.

2.2       As in Quarter 3, the key elements of the under-spend relate to savings in employee costs through unfilled posts and the receipt of additional income primarily within Building Control relating to regulation certificates, entertainment licenses and property certificates. The outturn figure includes £286k of expenditure which was previously classified as capital.

2.3       LPS Rates Finalisation

            The year end outturn as reported by LPS is a positive settlement to BCC of £1.667m. The main reason for the positive settlement was a slight growth in the domestic rate base and the positive outcome of the vacant rating inspections undertaken by the Building Control Service. Non Domestic rates income remained static as the additional income from the vacant property inspections helped offset the slight decline in the non-domestic rate base of the City.

2.4       Finance Officers have been working will be working with LPS and the Institute of Revenues Rating and Valuation (IRRV) to validate the rate base for the new Council. This will be a key element of the district rate setting process for 2015/16.

2.5       Capital Financing

            The capital financing budget was fully utilised during the year resulting in all capital expenditure incurred being fully financed

2.6       Capital Expenditure

            In the twelve months to 31 March 2014 the Council incurred net expenditure of £6.56m on capital schemes. In addition £5.22m of levered monies was also spent on capital schemes during the year bringing the gross capital expenditure to £11.78m for 2013/14. Non-recurring project expenditure was £1.2m against a budget of £957k, with the over spend due to slippage in 2012/13 schemes which were brought forward to 2013/14. 

2.7       Reserves Position

            At the year end the Council had specified reserves of £7.3m and General  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5b

            (Alderman Rodgers, Chairman of the Audit Panel, attended in connection with this item.) 

            The Committee noted the contents of a report and the comments of Alderman Rogers in relation to the annual report from the Audit Panel.

            The Committee approved and adopted the minutes of the meeting of the Audit Panel of 10th June.

            The Director of Finance and Resources reminded the Committee that the Council was required to produce a complex set of draft accounts for external audit review and, in support of that, to produce an Annual Government Statement which described the Council’s governance arrangements and the process for monitoring their effectiveness.  He submitted for the Committee’s consideration a report which outlined the key elements of the year-end process and the Assurance Framework which the Council had developed over recent years to help ensure that the Council complied with statutory requirements and that Members and senior officers could have effective, ongoing oversight of the Council’s governance and assurance arrangements.

            The Committee noted the contents of the Council’s Assurance Framework.

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

“Relevant Background Information

The purpose of this report is to present to the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee the Financial Accounts of the council, including the Annual Governance Statement, for 2013/2014.

The Financial Accounts are an important element of the council’s overall corporate governance framework as they provide assurance to Members and ratepayers on the stewardship of the council’s finances and its financial position.

The Financial Report and accounts for the year ended 31st March 2014, as attached, have been prepared in line with the Code of Practice on Local Authority Accounting in the United Kingdom 2013/14 based on International Financial Reporting Standards and the Department of the Environment Accounts Direction, Circular LG 11/14 dated 7th April 2014.

I can confirm that the Statement of Accounts for the year ended 31st March 2014 has been prepared in the form directed by the Department of the Environment and in my opinion the Statement of Accounts give a true and fair view of the income and expenditure and cash flows for the financial year and the financial position as at the end of the financial year.

The Financial Report includes the Councils Annual Governance Statement (AGS) for the year 2013/14, which has been prepared in line with the Accounts Directive provided by Department of the Environment (DOE), NIAO guidance and is consistent with the principles of the CIPFA/SOLACE Framework ‘Delivering Good Governance in Local Government’.

  Specifically the AGS sets out:

§   scope of responsibility of the Council in relation to governance

§   the purpose of the governance framework

§   the governance framework in place   

§   review of effectiveness of the governance framework

§   significant governance issues to be disclosed.

The AGS is approved by the Chair of Strategic Policy and Resources, the Chief Executive and the Director of Finance and Resources. It is subject to review by the LGA (NIAO) as part of their annual audit.

Key Issues

Reserves

The credit balance on the General Fund has increased to £21,506,240 (of which £7,276,074 relates to specified reserves).  The movement on the reserves balance is summarised in Table 1 below:

Table 1: Summary of Reserves Position

General Fund                     £21,506,240

The General Fund Reserves can be used to supplement income and unexpected expenditure in future years.  Of the £21,506,240, £7,276,074 relates to expenditure committed at year-end.

Capital Fund                                   £23,402,740

The capital Fund is made up of the Belfast Investment Fund (£18,986,319).  The fund has been created to support key partnership projects to regenerate Belfast and help lever substantial funds from other sources, and the Local Investment Fund (£4,416,421) to fund smaller local regeneration projects.

Capital Receipts Reserve                   £943,065

These are capital receipts which have originated primarily from the sale of assets and which have not yet been used to finance capital expenditure.  This amount relates mainly to the sale of land & buildings at Loop River (£860,000).  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5f

            The Committee approved the revised Health and Safety Policy and the Health and Safety Responsibilities Code of Practice, copies of which would be made available on the Council’s website.

            The Committee noted the minutes of the meeting of the Budget and Transformation Panel of 12th June.

            The Committee was advised that a request for financial assistance in the sum of £6,000 had been received from Common Purpose Belfast in connection with its 2014 Navigator programme.  The money would be used to offer three part-funded places on its Programme for emerging leaders from non-profit organisations in Belfast.  Last year the Council’s contribution had been used to fund participants from Cancer Focus, Opportunity Youth and African Caribbean Support Organisation Northern Ireland.  The programme was designed to draw together local leaders, emerging leaders and senior managers from all walks of life who could potentially play a role in shaping the future of Belfast.  The Council had supported Common Purpose Belfast since its inception in 1996.

            The Director of Finance and Resources reported that the application could be considered in the context of Section 37 of the Local Government Finance Act (Northern Ireland) 2011, which provided the Council with discretionary powers to consider agreeing to the request for financial assistance.  He indicated that the application met the criteria for the funding in that regard.

            Accordingly, it was

                                 Resolved – That expenditure in the sum of £6,000 be approved for the aforementioned Programme under Section 37 of the Local Government Finance Act (Northern Ireland) 2011, it being the opinion of the Committee that the expenditure would be in the interest of, and would bring direct benefit to, the District and the inhabitants of the district, with the Committee being satisfied that the benefits so accruing would be commensurate with the payment being made.

            The Committee agreed further that any Member of the Council who wished to participate on the Programme be funded from a central budget and not from their Personal Development Plan Budget. 

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

            The Committee was advised that the Council’s Digital Services delivered hosting, managed applications and software development services to the Northern Ireland Housing Executive to support payment of housing benefit, rates relief and Lone Pensioner Allowances to claimants across the region. The annual income for delivering those services was approximately £1.7 million.

            In providing those services, the Council aimed to ensure the timely payment of over £650 million to over 160,000 claimants annually.  Given the current economic circumstances, both the amounts being paid and the number of claimants requiring those benefits was increasing each month, putting an additional strain on the infrastructure that was required to support the IT systems and increasing the risk of damage to the Council’s reputation if the services were not provided.  In order to protect the income generated by Digital Services and the IT services it delivered to the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, a refresh of infrastructure was required to ensure that the service quality was maintained.  The Committee was advised that, in order to cater for legislative changes affecting Housing Benefit, a new version of the Housing Benefit software had been implemented six months previously.  The resultant software upgrade had had a negative effect on the system performance to such an extent that the servers that supported the Housing Benefit system were performing at their limits.

            The Northern Ireland Housing Executive had also indicated that it would require an additional training environment to be ready for September, 2014.  Currently there was not enough server capacity to support that additional requirement.  Accordingly, Digital Services was recommending that an investment in ICT infrastructures be made to support the on-going requirements of the Housing Benefit system and to provide capacity to support anticipated future enhancements.  Whilst there was some uncertainty regarding the long-term role of the Housing Executive and the impact of Universal Credit, it was expected that the Housing Benefit Service would continue to be carried out for at least the next three years covering the lifespan of the proposed service upgrade.

            In order to support the system the following infrastructure enhancements were being proposed:

(i)      replace the current server and storage environment with

         Capital Costs

         Oracle’s SPARC T5-2 server and storage              - £90,000

         Revenue Costs

         Annual Support and Maintenance                           - £20,000

         Oracle Database and Application Licensing

         (to cover an additional processor)                           - £12,000

(ii)     Use the current live server and storage environment to support disaster recovery, test and training to take as much workload from the live environment as possible.

            The Housing Executive had agreed to make a contribution to the costs of providing an improved server environment.  It had agreed to pay £45,000 towards capital costs and Digital Services would increase the current payment terms between the Council and the Housing Executive by £32,000 to fully meet the increase in revenue costs.

            The Committee authorised the procurement of a new server and storage environment to meet the hosting requirements of delivering the Housing Benefits system for the next three years.

            The Assistant Chief Executive/Head of Human Resources reported that, at the end of March, 2014, the average number of days’ sickness absence per full time employee was 9.90 which meant that the Council had met its March, 2015 target one year early.  She informed the Committee that five departments had met their target, viz., the Chief Executive’s, Finance and Resources, Development, Parks and Leisure and Property and Projects.  In addition, 43.18% of staff had no absence during the year compared to 39% the previous year. 

            The Committee noted the information which had been provided and agreed that the corporate target for March, 2015 remain at 10 days.

            The Committee was advised that, during June, the Local Government Trade Unions would be balloting their members on industrial action with the result being known by the end of June, 2014.  The Assistant Chief Executive/Head of Human Resources stated that it was anticipated that that would result in strike action by UNITE, NIPSA, GMB and SIPTU members which was planned for 10th July, 2014.  Should that be the case, the Council would initiate its Industrial Action Contingency Group (IACG), which was chaired by herself and would establish contingency planning arrangements in the event of industrial action.  That Group would manage all issues arising from the strike through a planned and co-ordinated approach to ensure that essential services were maintained where possible and that communication was on-going with Elected Members, the media and the workforce.  The Group would determine exemption arrangements, that is, those individuals or groups of staff who should remain in work during industrial action to minimise disruption to service provision, meet health and safety obligations and provide business continuity in so far as was practicable, for example, Registrars, Malone House and Belfast Castle staff for weddings and civil partnerships, cemetery operatives and health and safety staff.  The Group would discuss and seek to agree those exempt staff with the Council’s Trade Union Co?ordinators.

            The Committee noted the information which had been provided.

            It was reported that, in accordance with Standing Order 55 and the authority delegated to him, 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.

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

“1     Relevant Background Information

         (i)  Accommodation Strategy

1.1    In addition to the City Hall and Cecil Ward Building Members will be aware that the Council lease two city centre office premises (Adelaide Exchange, Lanyon Place) where there is an opportunity to terminate occupation in each by 2017.

1.2    At its meeting of 21st February 2014 the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee endorsed a Corporate Accommodation Strategy, informed by an Economic Appraisal undertaken by Deloitte, which identified the preferred option for the Council to acquire, develop and own new offices which should be located in as close proximity as possible to the retained office accommodation in City Hall and Cecil Ward Building.

1.3    The Strategic Policy & Resources Committee was advised at its meeting of 4th April 2014 of an unsuccessful attempt by the Council to acquire the Clarendon House site adjoining the Cecil Ward Building. In this event the Committee approved the undertaking of a further site search to review all alternative accommodation options available for the Council with a further report to be brought back to Committee with an update on any revised options. In the intervening time a number of direct approaches have been received with regard to provision of office accommodation for the Council.

1.4    Legal Services have confirmed that there are constraints around the Council’s ability to progress direct discussions with developers/contractors to provide office accommodation to a Council specification, in the absence of a public procurement exercise. Therefore the Council will be required to publicly tender for the provision of new offices.

         (ii)  Interim Office Accommodation

1.5    With the effective date for Local Government Reform (LGR) of 1st April 2015 there will be an accommodation requirement for associated staff transferring from both local and central government departments.

1.6    Members are aware that whilst the Council’s Accommodation Strategy has taken account of the need to factor in additional office space requirement associated with LGR the outworkings of the Strategy will not provide the longer-term solution until the end of 2016.

1.7    In order to accommodate this shorter-term staff office requirement as a result of staff transferring under LGR there will be an immediate requirement to procure additional interim accommodation on a short-term basis that would be required until the Council’s new offices are provided under the Accommodation Strategy.

         (iii)  City Hall Accommodation

1.8    Following the Council elections the Sinn Féin representation on Belfast City Council has increased to 19 Councillors. Sinn Féin has requested to utilise, for a temporary period, the former Legal Library on the ground floor of City Hall as additional space associated with the Sinn Féin Party Rooms. Currently this room is utilised on an ad hoc basis for meetings.

2       Key Issues

         (i)  Accommodation Strategy

2.1    Based on identified accommodation needs and the specific drivers previously endorsed by Members, the Council now have a Corporate Accommodation Strategy following completion of the Economic Appraisal which recommended the construction and ownership of approximately  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7a

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

“1     Relevant Background Information

1.1    The purpose of this report is to seek Members approval to commence the process to vest an area of land adjacent to Orangefield Park

1.2    At its meeting on the 26th February 2014 the East Area Working Group considered a report on the proposals in relation to the preliminary steps towards vesting the strip of land at Orangefield Park in connection with the relocation of the Knock River in order to achieve the required flood defences in the area.  The East AWG agreed to the proposed vesting of the land as outlined.

1.3    At its meeting on the 12th June the Parks and Leisure Committee approved the recommendation to commence the process to vest an area of land adjacent to Orangefield Park, subject to SP&R Committee approval.

2       Key Issues

2.1    Members will be aware that the Knock River has been relocated into Orangefield Park as part of Phase 1 of the FAS/CCG scheme in order to achieve the required flood defences in this area.  Under the FAS/CCG proposals the residents’s fences or gardens have not been disturbed by the work to relocate the river, however the relocation of the river has created a strip of land, incorporating the flood defences, along the former bed of the river.  Half the bed of the former river is owned by the Council but, as outlined below, an owner has not been identified for the other half.  The Council, as part of the CCG, has constructed the fence on the current Council’s boundary, leaving a strip of land between the resident’s rear garden fences and the Council’s boundary fence.  Clearly this, if left as is, will create issues around responsibility for maintenance and left unattended the land would become overgrown and a source of invasive species, litter and vermin.

2.2    The Estates Management Unit has carried out extensive research but has been unable to find out who owns this area of land.  It has however been established that the land is not owned by the adjoining residential landowners.  Given that a landowner cannot be identified, the only way the Council can acquire the land is by vesting under the Recreation and Youth Services (Northern Ireland) Order 1986.

2.3    In March 2013, prior to the commencement of Phase 1 of the FAS/CCG works the Estates Management Unit contacted all of the residents whose property backs on to the Knock River at this location to let them know that the FAS/CCG contractor would not require access to their gardens and inviting them to make contact to discuss the FAS/CCG proposals.  In addition, East Belfast Partnership together with the Council officials and Rivers Agency staff held public meetings to which all residents affected by the FAS/CCG proposals were invited.  The public response to the FAS/CCG proposals that the strip of land may be acquired and maintained by the Council has been largely favourable.

3       Resource Implications

3.1    Finance

         The cost of the vesting will  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7b

            The Committee considered a report in relation to car parking arrangements in the City Hall courtyard and approved the short-term changes as set out in the report in order to facilitate increased Member parking.  It was agreed also that a wider, corporate review of car parking be undertaken and a report thereon be submitted to the Committee in due course.

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

“1     Relevant Background Information

         (i)  Proposed licence from DSD at River Terrace

1.1    Following a request from St John Vianney Youth Centre to explore the option of establishing a community led garden on land at River Terrace the Parks and Leisure Committee, at its meeting on 4th December 2013, approved the further investigation of the potential for the development of the community garden at River Terrace with a further report to be brought to Committee in due course.

1.2    At its meeting on the 12th June 2014 the Parks and Leisure Committee approved the recommendation to take a licence of the land required from DSD to allow the Council to further the investigation of the potential for development of a community garden at River Terrace, subject to terms to be agreed between Legal Services, the Estates Management Unit and the Department of Social Development. The report was further subject to SP&R approval.

         (ii)  Belfast Zoo – Bat Flight and Release Enclosure

1.3    At its meeting on 10th April 2014 the Parks and Leisure Committee approved permission for the NI Bat Group to locate a permanent facility for the flight training and rehabilitation of rescued native bats within the Zoo, thereafter ownership of the enclosure would become vested in the Council.

1.4    The Group have secured a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund for the cost of constructing this enclosure and the Group will remain responsible for operating and caring for any bats kept in this new facility.

1.5    Development of the enclosure would be facilitated by a licence agreement with the Group to permit its construction by a third party which, once satisfactorily completed, ownership of the enclosure will transfer to the Council.

         (iii)  Lease to Westland Community Group

1.6    The Westland Community Group has held a lease for the site on which they erected a portacabin at Westland Road in the Council’s Upper Waterworks site since the 27th June 2001.

1.7    At its meeting on the 12th June 2014 the Parks and Leisure Committee approved the grant of a new Lease in respect of land at Westland Road/Upper Waterworks to Westland Community Group subject to:-

i)        Terms and conditions to be agreed between Property and Projects/Legal Services and the Westland Community Group.

ii)      Approval of the SP&R Committee in line with Standing Orders.    

1.8    The SP&R Committee at its meeting on the 25th Jan 2013 had endorsed the North Area Working Group recommendation to provide Local Investment Funding of £65,000 to allow the Westland Community Group to build a new community centre on the site of the existing community centre at Westland Road. However, even if this funding is not forthcoming, a renewal of the existing lease is required to allow the Westland Community Group to remain in occupation of their current site.

         (iv)  Belfast Public Bike Hire Scheme

1.9    At its meeting on 25th April 2014, Members of the SR&R Committee granted approval for the Council to enter  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7d

            The Committee was advised that a request had been received from the BIG Music Project, which was funded by the Big Lottery Fund, for the use of the City Hall and part of the City Hall grounds for an event on Saturday, 18th October, 2014.  The Project proposed to organise a one day event that would attract over 2,000 young people through music artist performances.  The event would promote opportunities for young people to engage with the music industry, sign up to a music competition and explore a Work Opportunities Programme.  It would include concerts, workshops, exhibitions, inspirational speakers and a trade fair.

            The Committee approved the use of the City Hall facilities for the BIG Music Project on Saturday, 18th October, 2014, at no cost to the Council.

The Committee deferred consideration of a report in relation to the Council Chamber seating arrangements to enable further discussions to be undertaken and to enable costings in relation to Option 2 to be submitted to the Committee in due course.

            The Committee approved and adopted the minutes of the meeting of the Good Relations Partnership of 9th June and adopted the recommendation of the Partnership to provide up to £5,000 from the Summer Intervention Fund to the Blackie River Community Group.

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

“1.0    Purpose

1.1        To update Members on the IBM’s ‘Belfast Smarter Cities challenge’ report. IBM are seeking approval for the publication on their website of either their full report and/or the attached executive summary.

1.2        Officers are currently integrating many of the report’s recommendations into the council’s proposals for Community Planning and urban regeneration in the city. These recommendations have been particularly useful in providing independent expertise on possible approaches to jointly measuring the impact of the work of our new community planning partners.

2.0        Background

2.1        Belfast was awarded an IBM Smart Cities Challenge grant in 2013. A team of six experts travelled to the city to propose more effective approaches to planning and decision-making in the city. The team carried out extensive interviews with elected members, community organisations, academics, community leaders and services providers – particularly those faced with the challenge of tackling deprivation and health inequalities in parts of west and east Belfast.

2.2        IBM’s final recommendations seek to address the fundamental issue of how Belfast’s statutory and non-statutory partners can work together in a ‘smarter’ way to tackle persistent, complex social problems.

2.3        The team presented their initial findings at a conference hosted by the Lord Mayor in October 2013 and subsequently prepared a draft report which was presented to Strategic Policy and Resources committee in March 2014. Members deferred a decision on publishing the full report until they received more detail about how the recommendations can be integrated into future governance arrangements for the city.

2.4    In the interim IBM wish to publish an executive summary of the report in order to promote their work and the work of the council to a broader audience.

3.0    Key issues

3.1        IBM’s key findings will be of no surprise to Members, nor indeed to anyone else involved in work that seeks to address the major social issues in our city, whether they are issues of poverty, social inequality, crime, segregation or health deprivation. Their findings confirm the broad consensus of their interviewees that such complex, seemingly intractable, problems require well thought out intervention and the sustained and focused application of resources by many different organisations working together at the local, regional and national levels to achieve shared outcomes. They suggest that this not the case in Belfast.

3.2        In summary their main findings note that:

I.           The problems of deprivation in Belfast are already well known.

II.         There has been an abundance of interventions and funding especially in the most segregated neighbourhoods.

III.       There are many short-term, individual interventions taking place with varying levels of success (often anecdotal or qualitative).

IV.      Measurement strategy focuses on independent individual and city variables, instead of the causal relationships among variables and outcomes.

V.        Many uncoordinated initiatives, agencies and government departments are addressing similar (or the same) issues independently based on individual, agency and political needs.

VI.      Funding support for interventions is often short term and does not address lasting social change.

VII.    Accountability  ...  view the full minutes text for item 10a