Agenda item

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

 

“1.0     Relevant Background Information

     

            Members will recall that a first cut of a draft ‘investment package’ was presented to Committee at its meeting on 23rd September. At this stage it was highlighted that this was a work in progress and would be further refined over the coming months following feedback from Members.  At the meeting, Members asked that the following issues be addressed in a future iteration of the package:

 

·         balance between investment in the city through financial support for big construction projects and support for individuals struggling to cope with the recession;

 

·         investigate how we could do more to address the issue of employability by working with relevant government bodies such as the Department for Employment and Learning and by introducing a city-wide bursary scheme;

 

•       explore how we can identify more focused advice, support and signposting services to those in debt and examine how we can offer opportunities for internships, mentoring schemes and apprenticeships;

 

•       more work required on the contribution that procurement and social clauses might make to providing opportunities to local firms and those not in employment;

 

•       reduction in the levels of poverty and inequality need to be more central in the document;

 

•       the Council needs to drive the agenda for reducing health inequalities;

 

•       explore the social economy and the potential to work with other bodies in that area;

 

•       a commitment to ensure that the good relations and equality strategy is considered in relation to all the projects across the City in which the Council was involved;

 

•       a greater civic leadership role - Council as the voice of the city in relation to advocating for the needs of its citizens and marketing the city for investment and tourism;

 

•       develop an international and external relations strategy, and form key relationships with bodies such as Invest NI and government departments to ensure that investment efforts are aligned and focused; and

 

•       ensure that the identification of place shaping projects is spread fairly across the city and that key projects in the city centre, such as a civic square around the City Hall and the development of St George’s Market, are considered.

 

            This report sets out progress in responding to the issues raised by Members at the Committee and at subsequent sessions, including the Economy Workshop on the 28th September and the place shaping area based sessions (North, South, East, West and Shankill) which commenced on 10th October and concluded on 17th October. 

 

            In order to take forward the next iteration of the investment package Members are asked to consider the information set out at appendix 1 for inclusion within the stimulus package.  The appendix addresses each of the issues raised by Members in turn, providing an update on what the Council currently does in relation to each, and the proposed text for inclusion in the package. 

 

            Members should note that in some cases, for example with respect to the good relations and equality theme, issues will be developed further at the next and final thematic workshop – “people and communities” which will also deal with neighbourhood interventions and local investment.  Members will be informed of the date of this workshop as soon as it is identified.

 

2.0       Key Issues

 

2.1       Place-shaping

 

2.1.1    Members will recall that they agreed that they wished to progress those projects which were ready to move forward but also to get other projects to a state of readiness where they might avail of potential funding opportunities or be the subject of advocacy by Members for funding.  In order to progress this, a series of area based (North, South, East, West, Shankill) place shaping sessions took place in mid October. The purpose of these sessions was to consider in further detail the place-shaping projects and to agree –

 

•          A set of principles to underpin further prioritisation;

•          A set of political priorities in relation to major capital projects; and

•          A list of prioritised projects and agreement on further work to take this forward

 

2.1.2    At these sessions Members considered the list of projects, including those already committed and underway, those prioritised by Members at the workshop on the 17 August and those on the longer list, for the relevant area and the city centre.  These were set within the context of deliverability – i.e. the steps  that were necessary to take a project from concept through to delivery, including concept design and agreement, potential funding arrangements; detailed design and costings; political approval, planning permissions; project planning, procurement,  contract management and delivery. 

 

            The set of principles that were agreed included:

 

•          political prioritisation

•          the need for a balance of projects across the city

•          projects must meet the Council’s objectives

•          affordability / funding

•          deliverability

 

2.1.3    The revised list of prioritised projects is included at Appendix 2.  (NB Not yet included as these sessions will conclude on Monday 17th October).  Members are asked to agree that Member/Officer working groups are now established to progress these projects.  Members have already agreed at their meeting on 23rd September that £125,000 is set aside through in-year reallocation to develop feasibility studies or other preparatory work in relation to progressing these projects. 

 

2.1.4    In terms of governance for this work, officer input to the working teams will be overseen by designated Chief Officers.  Composite reports on the outcomes of the working groups will be brought to Budget and Transformation Panel and SP&R to ensure that a city-wide perspective is taken and to ensure the balance that Members have asked for.  It will be necessary to progress this work in the context of affordability as part of the rate-setting process.  This means taking prioritisation as far as possible before the SP&R meeting in December so that investment decisions can be made in the context of the level of rate to be set.  Members will then have a further opportunity to assess affordability in January when the final rates forecast becomes available from the LPS.

 

2.2       POVERTY AND INEQUALITIES FRAMEWORK

 

2.2.1    Given the impact of the economic downturn on some of the most vulnerable communities in the city, Members wanted to see the Council’s work towards a poverty and implementation framework given greater prominence. Therefore the updated investment package will set out the Council’s commitment to the implementation of the poverty and inequalities framework, once this has been agreed by Members, as a key policy tool which will ensure that effort is concentrated on reducing inequalities that exist across the city, including those pockets of disadvantage at sub-ward level. In addition to the measures relating to procurement and social clauses, improving skills and reducing worklessness set out in other parts of the stimulus package, key actions in the draft being presented to the Development Committee on xxxx include: 

•          work to support the social economy;

•          Support and funding for the advice provision infrastructure in Belfast;

•          Fuel poverty;

•          Access to services;

•          Reducing health inequalities.

 

            Green New Deal

 

Linked to the above, Members may be aware of the ‘Green New Deal’ concept proposal.  This is a joined up approach aimed at tackling the ‘triple crunch‘ of recession, rising energy prices and climate change and essentially is a scheme which could provide jobs for local people and reduce household bills by increasing energy efficiency.  There is the potential for the Council to work with the Green New Deal Trust on a pilot programme where the Council provide loans to the Trust for the purpose of making pay-as-you-save loans available to households in their area.

 

With Members’ approval, further work will be undertaken to assess the potential for Council’s involvement in this scheme, including a detailed examination of any obstacles in relation to its legal power to do it and how it would be financed. Again, this work will be fed into the overall affordability debate.  It is anticipated that a more detailed report on this scheme will be brought to Committee as part of the rates setting process.

 

2.3       SOCIAL CLAUSES

 

2.3.2    As discussed at the economy workshop in September, there are currently legal constraints on the Council’s ability to use social clauses in contracts.  However, as Members are aware, the Council has recently received a consultation document: the Draft Local Government Best Value (Exclusion of Non-Commercial considerations) Order (Northern Ireland) 2011, issued by the Department of the Environment, which proposes to make regulations under the Best Value Act 2002 to relax the restrictions on matters which Councils can consider in exercising their procurement functions.

 

The proposed Order will enable Councils to include certain ‘social clauses’ in procurement contracts, but providing that they are relevant for Best Value purposes. A copy of the consultation document can be found at:

 http://www.doeni.gov.uk/consultation_document_draft_local_government_best_value__exclusion_of_non-commercial_considerations__order_ni.pdf.

 

 

A hard copy of the document has been placed in the Members’ library or can be obtained from Kevin Heaney on email: heaneyk@belfastcity.gov.uk, Tel: 028 9027 0595.

 

2.3.3 In terms of responding to the consultation document, it is proposed that Members welcome and support the introduction of this legislation and the greater flexibility which it seeks to introduce, albeit that this is in the context of securing compliance with best value requirements as set out in the Local Government (Best Value) Act (Northern Ireland) 2002.

 

2.4       SUPPORT FOR EMPLOYABILITY AND LOCAL SUPPLIERS

 

2.4.1    Appendix 1 sets out in some detail what the Council is currently doing in terms of supporting employment and skills development and supporting local suppliers across the city and outlines a range of new proposals, for Members’ consideration, for potential support initiatives including:  community outreach; internships, placements and other employment and career support initiatives which the Council may wish to pursue.  In line with the analysis contained within this report, it is proposed that the revised package will include proactive exploration of the following:

 

-          City-wide Bursary Scheme - The Department for Employment and Learning (DEL) has recently commissioned a feasibility study about making a bursary scheme available across the city.   It is proposed that the Council should work with DEL to ensure that any emerging recommendations represent the maximum benefit to people across the whole city.  In order to ensure meaningful engagement and underline commitment to this outcome, it is proposed that a sum should be committed through the Council’s estimating process to ensure effective delivery of the recommendations with a view to seeking match funding from DEL and the private sector.  A sum of up to £100,000 is potentially available through re-alignment of the Council’s thematic budgets.

 

-          Council participation in a city wide Social Clause Delivery Forum where we will work with partners such as the Department for Employment and Learning (DEL), the Housing Executive, Construction Industry Forum, Central Procurement Directorate, Strategic Investment Board, business representative organisations, community organisations and training organisations to seek to mainstream social clauses in key public contracts.

 

-                      Increased support for internship programme - possibilities include:

 

o   the Graduate Acceleration Programme

o   Belfast Metropolitan College’s  Career Academy

o   Belfast Metropolitan College’s Career advocates programme

o   UUJ’s Professional Experience Programme

 

Other Members’ suggestions such as ring-fencing a number of vacancies for the unemployed (in the case of multiple vacancies) are being explored in the context of issues such as:

 

?       trade union buy- in

?       potential adverse impact for existing temporary employees or agency assignments in the Council – i.e. if posts are ring-fenced to unemployed they would be excluded from applying

?       the need to consider other disadvantaged groups 

?       A further report on both these issues will be brought back to Members in the near future.

 

In terms of finding resources to support these initiatives, the Council has asked for a review of agency and overtime costs, highlighting that there are potential savings to be made through reductions in both which could be utilised to create jobs, or to provide paid placement opportunities.

 

2.5       SUPPORTING LOCAL PROCUREMENT

 

In recognition of the Council’s significant spending power and potential impact on local suppliers, Members have asked that consideration be given to identifying what practical steps could be undertaken to increase awareness among small businesses of the Council’s tendering processes and to improve the overall capacity of small businesses to compete for public tendering opportunities. In 2010/2011 the Council spent £88.9m in procuring goods and services, of which £60.4m (68%) was delivered through local (Belfast based) suppliers.

 

The Council already supports a number of specific initiatives targeted at local businesses which are set out in Appendix 1.   Work is underway to baseline current spend with local suppliers and develop an effective strategy and programme of procurement support initiatives aimed at maximising the benefit of Council spend to the local economy.  This strategy and action plan will be brought to Members in November.  

 

2.6       EXTERNAL RELATIONS AND INTERNATIONAL MARKETING

 

Members asked that the stimulus package should include the Council’s commitment to developing an external relations and international marketing strategy.  This strategy will identify key strategic relationships both locally and internationally and will aim to ensure that:

 

o   Members take the lead in forging strategic relationships with key bodies in the city and the NI Executive to ensure that priorities for city success and competitiveness happen, resources and plans are aligned and that the Council has a coherent approach to engaging on key strategic issues which feed back into its own governance and decision making structures;

 

o   The Council works with key organisations across the city to agree and consolidate strategic international relationships to support economic growth and competitiveness.

 

Members are asked to agree this proposal and that a report setting out a proposed approach and timescale for delivery for this project is brought back to Members by December.

 

2.7       Equality and Good Relations

 

Members have highlighted that, as a key Council objective and a statutory duty, good relations and equality are central to the consideration of all Council projects and investment decisions.  We will ensure that this is clearly set out within the stimulus package.  Members will have an opportunity to discuss in more detail the messages about Council's commitment to good relations and equality at the workshop in November.  At the workshop, Members will also consider further proposals for inclusion in the stimulus package, which will add to and expand the current references to PEACE III, building positive relationships and interventions in interface areas. 

 

Members may also be aware that the audit of inequalities which underpins the Council’s equality scheme is currently being finalised.  This audit will be linked to the future development of the stimulus package and the Council’s emerging framework on poverty and inequalities to ensure that these are mutually reinforcing documents.

 

2.8       Conference / Launch of Stimulus Package - options

 

Members asked that officers outline options which could be explored with regards to the launch of the stimulus package.  Whilst we are not limited to scheduling only one event, Members views are sought on the options set out below regarding the focus of the initial event.  Members have asked that key partner agencies; public and private, as well as potential investors would be invited to the event.

 

In terms of timing, Members may wish to schedule the event around February 2012, when there is confirmation regarding the rates and the affordability thresholds within which the Council will be operating.

 

2.8.1    Masterplan Focused Launch/Conference

 

As the ‘Stimulus Package’ develops it will be used to shape the content of the emerging Belfast Masterplan. The Masterplan will set out a high level vision for the city over the next 10 years and the “place shaping” projects which Members are continuing to identify will form a key component of that plan.  A draft Masterplan is due to be completed in early January of this year and will form the basis for consultation with key stakeholders in the City including Government Departments, key delivery agents (such as Invest NI, NITB, Roads Service, Universities etc), Partnership Boards, the Voluntary and Community sectors and the Private Sector.

 

A high profile launch of the draft Masterplan at an Investment Conference in February could provide the perfect opportunity to demonstrate what the Council intends to do over the next 4 years to contribute to delivering the future vision of the City in the form of the Stimulus Package. This is likely to attract a high profile audience, including Government Ministers and generate significant media interest in both the City Masterplan and the Belfast Stimulus package.

 

2.8.2    Investment / Internationally focused event

 

An event targeted at potential institutional investors, promoting the potential investment opportunities which exist within the City.  This could be arranged in conjunction with Invest NI and other key bodies such as Belfast Harbour Commissioners and the recently established Asset Team set up via the Strategic Investment Board.  Important to recognise the huge landbank which exists within the City running from the gasworks Northern Fringe to Maysfield to sirocco to shatter zone to queens quay to odyssey site to TQ.  Such an event could be used to build on our need to create a coherent integrated international relations and marketing strategy for the City.

 

2.8.3    Partnership Focused Conference

 

The package could be central to a partnership focused conference where the package is presented and the contribution of all partners to its implementation is discussed and agreed.  This would include contributions from partner organisations and other sectors including the business and voluntary sectors and funders in order to validate and confirm their support for the Council’s initiative.   It would also consolidate the Council’s value of collaborative leadership in delivering change and improvement in the city and in tackling issues that are larger than any one organisation.

 

The Council will need to also consult upon its investment package and this would provide a perfect opportunity for feedback from key partner agencies. Such an event could be used to:

 

(i)    reinforce the significance of Belfast as an important economic driver for the region

(ii)   promote the investment package

(iii)  showcase and lobby for key city projects.

 

2.8.4    Press Launch

 

The Stimulus Package could be introduced via a ‘press launch’ with emphasis being placed on the specific actions that the Council is committing to and the sums that are being invested.  This could take the form of a press launch/briefing with interview opportunities offered, a press conference at which a prepared presentation is made by the Council’s agreed spokes-person/people.

 

There will be a varying financial costs to the Council depending upon the selected format of the proposed launch of the ‘stimulus package’.  The cost of the chosen option will be worked up by officers once the Members have given their direction.   The involvement of Government Departments or Agencies and any external partners will also need to be considered in terms of the role they would have in the launch.

 

3          Resource Implications

 

            The resource implications of taking forward the Council’s commitments as set out in the “investment package” will be discussed further in line with the budget setting process for 2012-2015.

 

4          Equality and Good Relations Implications

 

            Equality screening of all elements of the corporate plan will be taken forward throughout the process of its development.

 

5          Recommendations

 

            Members are asked to:

 

·         note progress and agree that the information contained at Appendix 1 forms the basis for further narrative for the stimulus package – final narrative will be agreed with Members in November.

·         note the list of projects included at Appendix 2 and agree that joint officer/Member groups are tasked with exploring further the feasibility of prioritised projects;

·         agree that the Council welcomes and endorses the introduction of the Draft Local Government Best Value (Exclusion of Non-Commercial considerations) Order (Northern Ireland) 2011;

·         consider a preferred focus for the launch of the stimulus package when complete.

 

Appendix 1

 

Information for update of stimulus package

 

POVERTY AND INEQUALITIES FRAMEWORK 

 

Belfast has the highest level of deprivation in Northern Ireland – and this translates into lower life expectancy and higher levels of illness as well as uneven access to services.

 

Belfast City Council cannot eradicate poverty but we can make our services more accessible, advocate effectively and use our resources so that we support people where they are now, facing the long-term effects of the recession. The Council is developing a poverty and implementation framework which will impact across the city, including the ‘hidden’ pockets of poverty which exist at sub-ward level. Under this Framework we will:

 

1.    Ensure that our services are more accessible;

2.    Target our resources more effectively;

3.    Work in partnership with other lead government departments to deliver on-the-ground projects that will support citizens; and

4.    Advocate for the people of Belfast who are experiencing poverty and inequalities.

 

In addition to the measures relating to procurement and social clauses, improving skills and reducing worklessness set out in other parts of the stimulus package, key actions will include: 

 

1. Support for social economy projects

 

§  Improve procurement practices to ensure social economy enterprises have an opportunity to bid for contracts

§  Undertake pre-enterprise social economy support in order to increase the number of social economy businesses.

 

2. Community tourism and outreach

 

§  Work with communities along key tourism routes and help them set up community tourism enterprises.

§  Expand development and outreach programme so that people in poverty can access cultural opportunities.

 

3. Support and fund advice provision infrastructure in Belfast

 

§  Maximise the uptake of rate relief in partnership with Land and Property Services.

§  Invest £800,000 a year in funding to ensure provision of generalist advice and which draw at least £8 million in unclaimed benefits.

§  Build capacity of the advice providers (on annual basis).

 

 

4. Reduce fuel poverty

 

§  Investigate the possibility of piloting a warm zones approach in two socially deprived areas of the city which would aim to demonstrate a proof of concept to reducing fuel poverty and carbon emissions.

§  Ensure that the most vulnerable people in Belfast participate in the fuel stamp initiative this scheme which has successfully helped residents save over £300,000 worth of oil stamps since its launch,

§  Explore funding opportunities for delivery of new energy efficiency powers.

 

5. Improve access to parks and leisure centres

 

§  Map out parks and playgrounds to ensure that all children have access to them.

§  Support people in the most deprived areas to gain access to leisure centres free of charge – in partnership with the Public Health Agency

 

6. Reducing Health Inequalities

 

§  The Council is a lead partner in a new a cross-sector partnership – the Belfast Strategic Partnership, set up to address health and life inequalities across Belfast.  The partnership is finalising its five-year health inequalities strategy, entitled ‘Framework for Action on Addressing Life Inequalities’ which will ensure that all partners are focusing on and aligning resources to some of the main aspects of heath inequality in the city, including mental health and emotional wellbeing; addressing lifelong learning related issues; alcohol and drug related health issues and early years and early interventions.  

 

SOCIAL CLAUSES

 

      The Council will:

 

-          Positively welcome and advocate for the introduction of the new legislation being brought forward by the DoE which will introduce greater flexibility  and relax the restrictions on matters which Councils can consider (including social clauses) in exercising their procurement functions.

 

-          Work with DEL and other key stakeholders (including the NIHE, Construction Industry Forum, Central Procurement Directorate, Strategic Investment Board, business representative organisations, community organisations and training organisations) to establish a City-Wide  social Clause Delivery Forum  which will actively  seek to mainstream social clauses in key public contracts. 

 

-          Actively work with key public and private sector bodies to negotiate social clauses as a condition of recent and future investment decisions and partnership projects.  This work builds on the Council’s approach to the Titanic Belfast project where Council worked with central government to ensure that social clauses were part of the contract in order to provide opportunities for unemployed young people and apprentices during construction.

 

-          Implement a range of employment and pre-employment support programmes which will provide local people with the necessary skills to access emerging employment opportunities linked to key developments across the city. 

 

SUPPORT FOR EMPLOYABILITY AND SKILLS DEVELOPMENT

 

It is proposed that the revised investment package incorporates the following initiatives and programmes which seek to support employment and skills development across the city.

 

CURRENT INITIATIVES UNDERWAY

 

i.      City-Wide Employability and Skills Strategy and Action Plan –

 

The Council is working with the Department for Employment and Learning (DEL) to get agreement on the development and delivery of a city-wide employability and skills strategy and action plan.  In conjunction with other partners, the plan will focus on a number of activities including:

 

-          Development of and agreement on an overarching strategic framework covering the breadth of the worklessness and skills agenda in Belfast, which informs and shapes partner organisations’ business plans

-          Mobilisation of mainstream and discretionary funds to deliver the agreed strategy

-          Addressing gaps in provision and barriers to delivery that hinder progress in achieving the agreed priorities

-          Development and management of appropriate data management systems which support enhanced labour market intelligence and help target interventions to ensure delivery of agreed targets

-          Monitoring performance against targets

-          Sharing best practice from partner organisations and wider to enhance the quality of provision.

 

ii.  Targeted employability support initiatives

 

-          HARTE (Hospitality and Retail Training for Employment) Programme - £35k Council investment this year towards a £460k initiative which seeks to get 200 long-term unemployed people into employment in the hospitality and service sector.

 

-          Stepping Stone Initiative - £8k Council investment this year towards a £430k programme which focuses on building employability skills of unemployed individuals. 

 

-          Tools for Life - £20k Council investment this year towards a £450k employment programme concentrating on young people not in education, employment or training. This programme aims to increase the employability of 135 young people

 

-          Jobs on the Move – £25k Council investment this year towards a £780K engagement and outreach work programme which seeks to provide pre-employment support for around 1200 people

 

-          Learn 2 Earn - £5k Council investment this year towards a £220k support programme focusing on the hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism industry. 

 

ii.    Young Persons Employment Initiative

 

The Council recently ran, in partnership with DEL and North City Training Bryson Charitable Group’s Training and Employment Unit, a pilot programme which provided young people (aged 18-24), who had been unemployed for more than one year, temporary waged work experience over a 26 week period. 36 placement opportunities were facilitated of which 5 were graduate opportunities.  Following the success of this pilot, the Council agreed to engage with North City Training on a further 3 year programme, offering 10 placement opportunities each year. 

 

iii.   Community Outreach Programme - This Programme operates an unpaid work experience placement scheme for, on average each year, 200 students from schools and further education / university establishments and 30 unpaid disability work experience placements from a range of disability organisations. 

 

The Council has also engaged, on a pilot basis, with the Probation Board for NI (PBNI) and Youth Justice Agency (YJA) to provide work experience placements for individuals required to carry out community service orders. 

 

iv.   Public Employment Partnership (PEP) - The Council, along with Northern Ireland Housing Executive and Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, recently participated in a pre-employment training programme for the long term unemployed organised by North Belfast Partnership Board. The aim of the programme was to assist the long term unemployed gain the necessary skills and experience to support them in gaining employment. As part of the programme the Council facilitated site visits, work experience placements and mock interview sessions. The Council facilitated 19 placements across various disciplines e.g. refuse collection, street sweeping, gardening, cleaning, community services and administration.  Of the 19 participants, 7 (37%) have gained employment.  While this application was unsuccessful, the model could be adopted by Council and other public sector partners should alternative resources be available.

 

v.    Industrial Placements – In the last 4 years the Council has funded 83 paid industrial placements to support young people gain vital experience as part of their university course.

 

NEW PATHWAYS TO SUPPORT EMPLOYABILITY

& SKILLS ACROSS THE CITY 

 

The Council will also actively explore a number of new pathways to supporting the development of employability and skills across the city.  These might include:

 

-          City-wide Bursary Schemes - the development of a bursary scheme to enable the unemployed and those on low incomes get back to work, progress in work or go on to further education and training.  The Department for Employment and Learning (DEL) has recently commissioned a feasibility study about making a bursary scheme available across the city.   It is proposed that the Council should work with DEL to ensure that any emerging recommendations represent the maximum benefit to people across the whole city. 

 

                  In order to ensure meaningful engagement and underline commitment to this outcome, it is proposed that a sum should be committed through the Council’s estimating process to ensure effective delivery of the recommendations with a view to seeking match funding from DEL and the private sector.  A sum of up to £100,000 is potentially available through re-alignment of the Council’s thematic budget.

 

      There are also a number of internship programmes that may be considered. These include:

 

-          the Graduate Acceleration Programme – Queen’s University and University of Ulster, along with Business in the Community have developed a programme centred on providing graduates with meaningful work experience and a valuable qualification. This programme is supported by DEL and is delivered through Steps to Work.  There is an opportunity for the Council to support this work.  Placement providers may be required to pay up to £1,500 towards graduate grant.

 

-          UUJ’s Professional Experience Programme - a 26 week internship with the University of Ulster’s part-time online Graduate Certificate in Professional Practice. Financial contribution from employer of £2,500 per graduate, with University contribution of £5,000.

 

-          Belfast Metropolitan College’s  Career Academy - national programme designed to help young people raise their aspirations and prepare them for a career in business through a 6 week paid internship (summer months) which provides expertise insight and mentoring support.

 

-          Belfast Metropolitan College’s Career advocates programme - separate from Career Academy – identify various Council staff to provide 1-2-1 mentoring and information to students on specific areas of expertise.

 

            Further assessment of these options will be required, in line with council capacity and financial commitments.  Members may wish to focus on those programmes which help the placements gain formal accreditation as well as the experience.  Specific participation targets will be established for any internship programmes put in place by the Council.

 

SUPPORTING LOCAL PROCUREMENT

In recognition of the Council’s significant spending power and potential impact on local suppliers, Members have asked that consideration be given to identifying what practical steps could be undertaken to increase awareness among small businesses of the Council’s tendering processes and to improve the overall capacity of small businesses to compete for public tendering opportunities. In 2010/2011 the Council spent £88.9m in procuring goods and services, of which £60.4m (68%) was delivered through local (Belfast based) suppliers. 

 

 

EXISTING SUPPORT

 

The Council already supports a number of specific initiatives targeted at local businesses including:

 

1. Procurement support initiatives:-

 

-          Input into ‘meet the buyer’ events – providing overview of Council tendering processes and raising awareness among local suppliers

-          Organisation of tendering workshops (in response to requests from local organisations) at a range of venues across the city

-          Local suppliers database created, allowing potential suppliers to provide their details for use by those engaged in purchasing activities across the organisation

-          Encouragement to introduce new suppliers for quotations – as a way of increasing the number of new businesses working with the Council

-          Advertising emerging contracts - All procurement opportunities (both tenders and quotations) are advertised on the Council’s website

-          RSS Email alerts – the Council has put in place a notification service where businesses on the Councils supplier database can receive automatic notifications of contract opportunities including those below the official tender threshold (£30,000). 

 

2.    The Smarter Procurement programme – a programme run twice a year for 10 local businesses designed to help small businesses and social enterprises identify and take advantage of new sales opportunities in the public and private sectors. It aims to provide participants with the knowledge to identify procurement opportunities and develop the skills required to construct bids to enable them to tender for contracts more effectively.

 

3.     The Construction Sales Growth Programme - which has been designed to support 50 local sub-contractors and enable them to identify and exploit supply chain opportunities through one-to one mentoring support, workshops and partnership opportunities.  This programme has a target of generating £1million of new business for participating companies.

 

4.    eSourcing NI – the Council currently uses this web based portal to further publicise tenders.  This is an electronic tendering system which enables suppliers to complete and tender on-line thereby reducing their costs. It provides access to central and local government opportunities and it increases accessibility for SMEs, Social Economy Enterprises and other potential suppliers who wish to do business with the public sector.  Companies can register on the portal and they will then receive alerts when a new tender/project has been published.  Given that this is a relatively new system, it may be appropriate to increase awareness of how it works.

                                

  NEW SUPPORT PROGRAMMES UNDER ACTIVE CONSIDERATION AND DEVELOPMENT

 

i.      Procurement Spend Profile – detailed baseline audit underway to establish and breakdown the Council’s current procurement spend profile with a particular focus on scale and location of suppliers and classification of spend.  This information will enable the council to develop focused capacity building sessions for local businesses.

 

ii.    Enhancing Corporate Capacity and Knowledge – Strategic Review of Procurement recently completed and Council approval secured to appoint a senior procurement and contract manager.  Will actively work to build greater procurement awareness, knowledge, expertise and skills across Council departments and produce develop a strategic approach to council-wide procurement that enables the council spend to be directed towards meeting agreed objectives e.g. SMEs, Green Suppliers etc.,

 

iii.   Structured programme of awareness raising/capacity building workshops for local suppliers:

 

§  How the Council procures goods

§  Tips on how to complete necessary paperwork

§  Suggestions on building consortiums to enable bidding for large contracts

§  Tips for selling

§  Information-sharing on upcoming opportunities

iv.   Workshops can be supplemented with 1-2-1 mentoring support (the Council’s Economic Development Unit currently holds a mentor database).

 

v.    BCC Internet Update – in conjunction with Corporate Communications, undertake a review and update the Procurement section on the Council’s web-portal to make it more visible and accessible for potential local suppliers.

 

vi.   Procurement Guide – to review and update the ‘Selling to Belfast’ publication and development of a new user friendly ‘How to do business with the Council Guide’. This can be used as a check-list when considering to submit a bid for a procurement contract.   

 

vii.  Debriefing Sessions – 1-2-1 debriefing sessions with unsuccessful suppliers to go through step by step why a particular submission did not succeed and to provide advice for future bids.

 

viii.Procurement Surgery Sessions (PSS) – Programme of  specialist support for local businesses to help them get an understanding of the procurement process and to provide practical and ‘hands on’ assistance as they prepare quotations and build organisational capacity to become tender ready. 

 

Sector Specific Procurement Surgery Sessions could be organised to specifically cater for specific upcoming contracts that are due to be advertised in approximately 12/18 months time (which the Council already post notifications on its website) – the aim being to give potential suppliers an insight to what is required by the Council whilst giving businesses the opportunity to feedback information and ideas that can help develop tender specification. Ultimately, this can help the Council in packaging their contracts appropriately and intelligently.  Clearly this would have resource implications which would need to be bid for as part of the estimating process. 

 

ix   'Consortium Toolkit' – a digital guide and support for businesses who are developing, or considering developing, a consortia bid for a large procurement contract. The Toolkit would contain model documents, templates and business planning tools to create a business strategy that will equip organisations to make robust decisions.    Research underway to explore potential of this for Belfast and the associated cost, which would be recouped through a minimal charge per a copy of the ‘Toolkit’.

 

Work is underway to develop a draft comprehensive programme of procurement support initiatives which the Council would intend to roll-out across the city and a report will be submitted to SP&R in November 2011.

 

External Relations and International Marketing

 

§  The Council will develop an International Relations Strategy to support attracting tourism, foreign direct investment, commercial investment, European funding and talent to the city. 

 

§  In the first instance, we will carry out a review of all of our current international linkages to assess how the development of international civic relationships can support the development of investment and trade in the global market place. 

 

§  We are actively seeking to develop new linkages (civic business relationships) with other key cities – to enable us to draw from international knowledge and connections and to benefit from sharing best practice approaches.  This will be the focus of the current programme of the ‘State of the City’ development debates. 

 

·         We will work with key agencies in the city to consolidate key strategic international relationships to support economic growth and competitiveness.

·         At a more local level, we will develop an external relations strategy.  This will ensure that Members lead the development of strategic relationships with key bodies in the city and the NI Executive to ensure that priorities for city success and competitiveness happen, resources and plans are aligned and that the Council has a coherent approach to engaging on key strategic issues which feeds back into its own governance and decision making structures.

 

Marketing the City

 

·         Over £7 million investment in next 4 years in supporting the marketing and visitor servicing activities of the Belfast Visitor and Convention Bureau; and leveraging an additional £8 million investment with over 500 local tourism, hospitality and service businesses benefiting from this activity.

 

Developing the City’s Tourism Product

 

·         £2m investment over next 4 years in developing the city’s tourism products in order to deliver the actions in the Integrated Tourism Development Framework.  In particular we will focus on the 11 city places identified within the strategy to ensure that all parts of the city benefit from the potential growth in tourism over the coming years – particularly 2012/2013.

 

Appendix 2

 

Initial Summary Feedback

NORTH/SOUTH/EAST/WEST/SHANKILL and CITY CENTRE –

AREA BASED BRIEFINGS

 

Please note a fuller report on the outcome of the briefings will be brought to Committee in November.

 

Summary

 

1.    All area workshops discussed city centre projects and agreed importance of coherent city leadership on key regeneration projects

2.    Agreed capital projects (i.e. ERDF and green projects) were not discussed in detail

3.    Smaller neighbourhood projects were mentioned – these will need further exploration in the people and communities workshop.

4.    Multiple plans for the city – need for the Council to advocate for a clear development vision and deliverable projects.

 

5.    Next phase of prioritisation to move from N/S/E/W/S to city.  Projects need to be considered in the context of the emerging corporate plan and masterplan and affordability over a 4 to 5 year period.

6.    Call off lists to be created for swift, efficient project delivery

7.    Set of ‘Guiding principles’ for projects to be developed– need to agree a set of transformational principles against which capital projects can be tested for their benefit. Further work to be carried out on vision – however need to maintain flexibility in approach.  Potential discussion for Party Leaders Forum.  

 

North – 10th October

Agreed prioritised projects

 

1.    Girdwood Community Hub – Peace III project – decision due end of October.

2.    Loughside– work ongoing – currently in planning.

3.    North Foreshore – ERDF application for green technology park being progressed for funding.  Leisure development brief out – closing date November.

4.    North Belfast Cultural Corridor - agreed that a special meeting on the North Belfast Cultural Corridor should be held within the next month to scope this project and agree it (discussion to look at the boundaries of the project etc).  Member/officer team to be established. Request for the Member/Officer workshop/meeting to be held on a Saturday morning.

5.    Old Grove – paper being brought to Committee this month re demolition.

 

SOUTH – 11th October

Key points of agreement

 

1.       Windsor Stadium – need to ensure community benefit and community engagement re this project.  To be progressed with Deloitte’s.

2.       Lagan Canal – Agreed that first steps should be to revisit the estimated costings for this project to test assumptions, identify realistic costs, other potential funding sources and the profiling of spend for this project.  Also agreed that a consideration should be given to undertaking a best practice visit to other sites to examine the potential impact of such regeneration projects for cities and communities.

3.       Markets Tunnels – further detail to be taken back in relation to the findings of the completed economic appraisal and the anticipated funding which may be required from the Council. 

4.       Gasworks Northern Fringe – Given the current economic climate there is an opportunity to review/update the Masterplan proposals to see if there would be any scope to support the social economy and/or create small business park on this site.  Potential for this site re the ERDF digital hub proposal.

                                

5.       AnDroichead – Need to determine the current status of this project and if it is still considered viable. This will determine the next steps. 

6.       Tropical Ravine – Awaiting HLF decision.

7.       Shaftsbury Square – advocacy/lobbying role for central government to take action in regards to this regards.

 

EAST – 12th October

Prioritised projects

 

1.       Leisure provision – East – key priority.  Agreed that a wider workshop was required to discuss the bigger picture and the longer term strategic planning for the East including availability of suitable sites and the potential to link development to social housing, how to tackle vacant sites etc, the potential for ‘Meanwhile’ projects etc.  Attendees to include the DSD, DETI and the East Belfast Partnership Board.

2.       Vocational College – lack of training/vocational space.  Discussions to be progressed with Development Department/DEL/BMC re opportunities for progressing this with other partners.

3.       Sirocco Quay – developer of project has been placed in administration. Key strategic site in the city that the Council should explore what options would be available in the interim and in terms of long term investment in the site.

 

WEST – 14th October

Key points of agreement

 

1.       Casement – need to ensure community benefit and community engagement re this project.  To be progressed with Deloitte’s.  Presentations on proposals to be made to Committee later in the year.

2.       St. Comgall’s – discussions to be progressed with Falls Community Council. Agreed that the estimated costings for the overall project should be revisited to test assumptions and identify realistic costs, other potential funding sources and other partners (e.g. St Peter’s) as well as inter-community focus

3.       Gaeltacht Quarter – Key project - need to progress with the GQ Board and also with DSD etc.

4.       Belfast Hills – Need to have a wider conversation re this.  Potential for other sources of funding (SIF and NITB {post 2013}).  Needs to link to Blackmountain discussions

5.       Blackmountain –Broad concept as shared space activity centre – needs further work on concept as initial discussions have focused on interface management.  Potential catalyst project as part of the wider Belfast Hills. 

6.       Glen10 – longer term project for development.

 

7.       Glencolin – Community space alternative to be added to the list

8.       Andersonstown Gateway - longer term project for development. Need to clarify the position re the Barracks site and potential for development trust.

9.       Springfield Recycling Centre – Need to meet with InvestNI to progress this and resolve the access issues.  Cross party meeting to meet with InvestNI.

10.   Springvale – Located on interface – needs to have inter-community engagement and support.  ERDF application - Potential partners/providers to be procured under EU regs.

11.   Divis Street Narrowing – Status of planning application to be checked and if possible a statement of support in relation to this progress to be forwarded to FAB. 

12.   Rapid Transit – Advocacy/lobbying role

13.   Springfield Dam – potential partnership project – to be progressed with DSD.  Link to Paisley Park.

14.   Argyle Business Park – Phase III expansion – potential to be supported by Council/ERDF.  Phase IV – further development required. 

15.   FallsWomens’ Centre – expansion and purchase of adjoining property.  

 

SHANKILL – 17th October

Prioritised projects

 

1.       Argyle Business Park – Phase III expansion – potential to be supported by Council/ERDF.  Phase IV – further development required. 

2.       Shankill Piazza - development of an open space between Shankill Library and Nelson Memorial.  DSD owned land.  Further development required.

3.       Hammer Complex – Cairn Lodge Boxing Club – redevelopment potential – further work to be progressed.

 

CITY CENTRE/CITYWIDE 

 

-          University of Ulster – Council policy position and potential role in brokering agreements to be brought to Committee for discussion.  Open days being held end of October. 

-          Conference Centre/Exhibition Centre

-          Council Accommodation - Council Accommodation Working Group to be reconvened (future of Maysfield site etc. to be considered as part of this discussion)

-          Leisure Estate - acknowledgement that the Council’s leisure estate requires substantial investment to bring it up to C21^st standards.  Need to agree a set of principles in relation to the future provision of leisure facilities.  Noted that the planned investment in stadia may act as a catalyst and provide potential redevelopment opportunities

-          BVCB/Welcome Centre – awaiting business plan.”

 

            The Chief Executive outlined the main aspects of the report and indicated that Council officers would work with Members to refine the details associated with the projects as outlined within Appendix 2.  This would then inform a further report to be submitted to the Committee in late November/early December and would tie in with a report on the rate estimate and medium term financial strategy, together with the emerging Masterplan document.  At that stage Members would have to prioritise projects in terms of affordability, deliverability alignment with Masterplan and balance in terms of investment across the City.  He also pointed out that the Committee needed to consider how it wished to launch the stimulus package, mindful that there would be a period of consultation required.

 

            During discussion, the Members made the following points:

 

·         There appeared to be no projects identified within the inner city and further consideration needed to be given to the Shaftesbury Square/Sandy Row area, with a view to having a scheme in that locality included;

 

·         Councillor Ó Muilleoir had indicated that the Minister for Culture, Arts and Leisure had agreed to meet with him to discuss the Lagan Canal Project and had offered to open the meeting to include representatives from the other Political Parties on the Council and he sought the Committee’s view in this regard;

 

·         The Markets Tunnel project should be included within the City Centre/City?wide schemes and renamed as the Lanyon Place Tunnel;

 

·         There was a need to look at the effectiveness of current employability schemes and identify what has been achieved regarding the placement of people into full-time employment;

 

·         The international marketing strategy should be undertaken within the Council’s own resources, with Council staff being developed to undertake such tasks;

 

·         The Council needed to undertake a twin track approach, with the stimulus package being developed in parallel with meetings being sought with the Executive Ministers to obtain support for and a commitment of funding for elements of the investment package;

 

·         The council needed to ensure that the issue of the development of Belfast was placed on the agenda of the Northern Ireland Executive in order to develop the synergy between the Council and the Executive in relation to a vision for the City;

 

·         The stimulus package needed to set objectives and outcomes, for example, what does the Council wish to achieve in ten years time with regards to economic and social regeneration, what is the number of new jobs it wishes to see created and how the stimulus package  would impact on tackling inequalities;

 

·          The launch of the stimulus package could incorporate elements of all three options as outlined in the report, that is, a Belfast Masterplan Focused Launch, an internationally focused event and a Partnership Focus Conference; and

 

·         There needed to more procurement initiatives, such as ‘meet the buyer’ events.

 

            In response, the Director of Development advised the Committee that the issue of a feasibility study on the former Gilpins Factory Site in Sandy
Row had been raised with the Department for Social Development, which was developing a Masterplan for the Shaftesbury Square area to include Sandy Row.  He indicated that there was some funding available in the Strategic Neighbourhood Action Programme to co-fund projects with that Department but that he would submit a report to the Development Committee once the Department had completed the aforementioned Masterplan exercise.  With regard to an internationally-focused event, he suggested that this could be held outside of Belfast, at a venue where a number of investors were located.

 

            After further discussion, the Committee adopted the recommendations contained within the report and agreed:

 

(i)    that the question of the launch of the stimulus package be considered in the first instance by the Budget and Transformation Panel, with a view to the holding of an engagement event in January with key stakeholders;

 

(ii)   that a report on the effectiveness of the employability schemes be submitted in due course to the Development Committee, with any lessons which had been learnt being factored into the stimulus package;

 

(iii)  that a report on the marketing of the City is submitted to the Committee in due course;

 

(iv)that a twin-track approach be undertaken, with the investment  package being developed in parallel with meetings being sought with the Northern Ireland Executive Ministers to seek support and a commitment of match funding for the investment package;

 

(v)  that the stimulus package should include a range of objectives and outcomes which the Council would like to see achieved;

 

(vi)to accept the offer for the other Party Groupings on the Council to meet with the Minister for Culture, Arts and Leisure with regard to the Lagan Canal.

 

(vii)   that a paper be submitted to Committee in due course in relation to developing an external relations strategy; and

 

(viii)   that a further report be brought back to Committee assessing the Council’s potential involvement in the Green New Deal initiative including an examination of any legal or financial issues.