Agenda item

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

 

“1         Relevant Background Information

 

1.1       Members will recall that the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee, at its meeting on 17th February 2012, agreed to adopt the recommendations of the Joint Group of the Party Leaders’ Forum and the Historic Centenaries Working Group in relation to a programme to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.  At that time, the programme of events was at a planning stage.  

 

1.2       This report seeks to update Members on the final programme of events.

 

2          Key Issues

 

2.1       Sunday 3rd June

 

            A Service of Thanksgiving to mark the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee will be held in St Anne’s Cathedral Belfast at 11 00 a.m. on Sunday 3rd June.  All Members of Council will be invited to attend this Service.

 

2.2       Sunday 3rd June

 

            The theme throughout the UK on Sunday 3rd June will be the ‘Big Sunday Lunch’ where local communities will be encouraged to celebrate through street parties and other activities.  A small grants scheme with a budget of £30,000 has been successfully administered whereby groups registered with the Council applied for funding to organise Jubilee events over the Jubilee weekend.  A total of 122 groups across all areas of the city will receive funding through this small grants scheme.  The Lord Mayor will attend a street party in the North, South, East and West of the city and these occasions, organised at a local level, should also provide elected Members with the opportunity to attend events in their constituencies.

  

2.3       Sunday 3rd June

 

            The Lord Mayor will host a Diamond Tea Party in the Banqueting Hall at City Hall from 3.00 p.m.– 4.30 p.m. for couples currently living in Belfast and celebrating a 60th wedding anniversary in 2012.  This event is by invitation only and will take the form of an afternoon tea culminating in a short concert by a pianist and singer performing music from the 1950’s.

 

2.4       Sunday 3rd June

 

            A special screening of the film ‘The Queen’ will be held in the Group Space, Ulster Hall on Sunday evening.  Archive footage of the Queen’s visits to Northern Ireland over the last 60 years will also be shown at this event.

 

            Tickets are free for this film and a small number of tickets are still available.

 

2.5       Monday 4th June

 

            A ‘Coronation Carnival’ will take place at City Hall.  This is a free event, open to the public from 11.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. and tickets are not required.

 

            All function rooms throughout the building will accommodate a full programme of activity for all ages and will include archive film footage, craft sessions, novelty photo booth, photographic exhibition, balloon modelling, face painting, story-telling, children’s games from 1950’s, ‘nearly true tours’, music, dancing demonstrations and mini fashion shows from the era.

 

            The Bobbin will be open for refreshments and the Continental Market will be in the grounds of City Hall from Friday 1st to Monday 4th June.

 

2.6       Monday 4th June

 

            Themed tea dances will be held in the Ulster Hall at 2.00 pm and 7.00 pm.  This is a free event although tickets for the public have all been allocated.

 

2.7       Monday 4th June

 

            The Council had agreed previously to take part in a UK-wide Beacon Lighting event.  At that time the Cave Hill had been agreed as a notional location but a number of other locations were also under consideration.  Since the meeting in February, further details have been provided by the Co-ordinator for the lighting of the beacons across the UK.  Just over a month ago we were advised that Belfast was to be given a lighting time after 10.30 pm and concerns about the suitability of the Cavehill from a health and safety perspective have been raised.  The concerns include safe access for elected Members and the public wishing to attend and witness the lighting of the beacon considering that the event will take place late in the evening.  As a result, officers have been actively considering a number of other sites to find the most appropriate location that will provide for a safe event to which the public can be invited to attend. 

 

            Discussions have been held with the Department for Social Development in relation to the possibility of the beacon being located at the Lagan Weir and the event being jointly hosted by the Department and the Council.  The Department is in the process of refurbishing the millennium island as part of an ongoing maintenance programme and this work will be completed before 4th June.  The Minister has indicated that he would be delighted to have a joint event with the Council and to locate the beacon at that location.  This is an ideal location which will allow the event to be opened up to the public.  Also, by sharing the costs with the Department, we will be able to include a better programme around the event itself.

 

            It is recommended therefore that the Jubilee Beacon is located at the Lagan Weir and that the event is organised jointly with the Department for Social Development.

 

2.8       Tuesday 5th June

 

            There are no planned events on this date due to the build schedule for the arrival of the Olympic Torch outside the front of City Hall on Wednesday, 6 June.

 

2.9       Tuesday 12th and Thursday 14th June

 

            Four tree planting events will take place in the North, South, East and West of the city.  The first event will take place in Orangefield Park on Tuesday 12th June at 10.00 a.m. followed by Blythfield that afternoon at 2.00 p.m.  On Thursday 14th June a tree planting event will take place at Glencairn at 10.00 a.m. and at Grove at 2.00 p.m. that day.

 

            A plaque will be unveiled at each tree planting location by the Lord Mayor and representatives from each local community will be invited to these events.  Small containerised oak trees will be presented to local school children and other community representatives who will attend these events.

 

            Members will be invited to the tree planting event within their constituency.

 

3          Resource Implications

 

3.1       Financial

 

            The programme of events will be delivered within the agreed budget of £56,600.

 

3.2       Human Resources

 

            There may be some staff costs associated with attendance at the events over a Bank Holiday period but these will be met from within existing budgets.

 

3.3       Asset and Other Implications

 

            None

 

4          Equality Implications

 

4.1       None

 

5          Recommendation

 

5.1       The Committee is asked to approve the final programme to mark the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee as set out above.”

 

            After discussion, the Committee adopted the recommendations.

 

Additional Proposal

 

            Moved by Councillor Reynolds,

            Seconded by Alderman Campbell,

 

      That the Committee agrees, in addition to the Beacon Lighting event to be held at the Lagan Weir, that a second beacon be placed on the Cave Hill, in accordance with any health and safety requirements.

 

            On a vote by show of hands six Members voted for the proposal and eleven against and it was accordingly declared lost.