Minutes:
(Mr G. Copeland, Events Manager, attended in connection with this item.)
The Committee considered the undernoted report:
“1 Relevant Background Information
1.1 The purpose of this report is to:
- Seek permission from Members for the planned programme of activities and broadcasts connected to the Live Site Screen at City Hall.
- Seek approval from Members for the Live Site Screen to be left in situ until a permanent site can be created. This would be connected to plans for the Donegall Square public realm, which the Department of Social Development are currently undertaking.
1.2 In April 2010 the Strategic Policy & Resources Committee agreed that a Live Sites Screen should be positioned in the grounds of City Hall for a three year period. The Screen is part of 22 ‘live site’ LED screens locations across regional capitals and key cities in including Derry~Londonderry, which is part of its preparations for the City of Culture in 2013.
The Council has agreed to allocate £20,000 per year connected to the screens maintenance and security. For Members’ information the screen is operated in partnership with: BCC; LOCOG; BBC; DCAL and associated London 2012 commercial sponsors – BT; Lloyds TSB and Cisco. With events animation funded via DCAL and LOCOG at the cost of £25,000 per year.
1.3 Members are now being asked to approve the outline programme of activities (See Appendix 1) inclusive of the use of the City Hall grounds connected to broadcasting on the Live Site events. And to consider whether the Live Site Screen should stay in situ beyond its existing planning consent which will expire at the end of April 2014. Such a decision would be subject to NI Planning Service approval.
2 Key Issues
2.1 Process for the Use of the Grounds of City Hall
As Members will be aware, the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee have delegated authority for routine requests for use of the City Hall grounds to the Director of Property & Projects on the basis of an agreed set of criteria. This process is based on a clear criteria which was agreed by Council August 2006 and would apply to the Live Site activity. This criteria is as follows:
- be primarily for non commercial purposes
- if the event is operated by an external group no funding or other significant resources from the Council will be required
- be non-offensive and comply with the Council’s equality and good relations obligations
- have the potential to help promote Belfast City Council and/or the city of Belfast
- not unduly affect the day-to-day operation of the building, or involve significant risk of damage to buildings infrastructure and/or fabric
- broadly be considered to contribute to one or more of the Council’s corporate strategic objectives
- provide the Council with appropriate insurance cover and/or indemnities etc. where appropriate
Although the vast majority events would fit within this criterion Officers would seek approval from Members for the attached programme alongside finances to enable these events to be staged.
2.2 2012 Live Site Events
Appendix 1 highlights the current proposed events that would involve the Live Site screen and the usage of the ground of City Hall. The potential events range from activity connected to London 2012 competitions, Gaelic games and Euro 2012 Championships and Ulster and Irish Rugby competitions. Members are asked to note that there are certain events that cannot be broadcast. These are:
- Golf’s Irish Open in June 2012 cannot be broadcast as the broadcast rights sit with Sky Television
- Heineken European Rugby Cup cannot be broadcast as the broadcast rights sit with Sky Television
- Latter stages (semi-final & final) of the All-Ireland football and hurling matches are subject to Ulster counties qualifying
2.3 Councillors should be aware that editorial control does not sit with BCC, but is subject to the BBC’s editorial broadcast policy.
2.4 Additional Costs for Proposed Events
A number of additional large sporting events have been identified including the Soccer European Championship games of England and the Republic of Ireland, GAA matches involving Ulster counties and Ulster and Ireland Rugby games – Members are requested to determine whether they wish these events to be shown and, if so, agree the additional financing of £27,000 which will be required.
2.5 Live Site Planning Consent
NI Planning Service has granted planning consent, for the Live Site screen, to stay in situ until April 2014. However, Members are being requested to permit BCC Officers to seek an extension to this date. Such a request is based on planned refurbishment of the Donegall Square by the Department of Social Development as part of phase two of the Streets Ahead programme. It is anticipated that any agreed public realm plans would be completed by the start of 2015. Therefore, the future location of the Live Site screen could be considered in the context phase two of the Street Ahead programme.
3 Resource Implications
3.1 The following are the key resource implications for Council.
3.2 Financial
The Council has agreed to finance £20,000 annually for maintenance and security of the Live Site Screen. This was approved by the Development Committee at its October 2009 meeting.
In addition the Department of Culture, Arts & Leisure (DCAL) have agreed to fund up £25,000 for 2012/13 in order to assist events, connected to the Live Site Screen, which the Council would deliver on their behalf. The DCAL finance is time bound and will only be available up the end of the 2012/13 year.
However, in order to deliver other sporting events via the Live Site the Council would be required to finance an additional £27,000 as per the programme in Appendix 1.
3.3 Human Resources
The City Events and Venues Section would assist with the deliver of events connected to the programme in Appendix 1.
3.4 Asset and Other Implications
Use of the City Hall grounds and occasional usage of function rooms within City Hall.
4 Equality and Good Relations Considerations
4.1 As with all major civic events, public events like the above have the potential to bring together people from a wide range of backgrounds and therefore promote good relations in the city.
5 Recommendations
5.1 Members are requested to agree and recommend.
- the existing process of approval for the use of the City Hall grounds be applied to the use of the London 2012 Live Site Screen events subject to Council ratification
- the attached programme in Appendix 1 and whether they wish the additional events to be shown with the requirement for additional financing of £27,000
- that Officers seek permission to extend the planning consent for the Live Site screen and for the future position of the screen to be considered as part of the DSD’s Streets Ahead (Phase 2) plans.
8 Documents Attached
Appendix 1 – 2012/13 Live Site Programme of Activity
Appendix 1
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Live Site Events |
Date(s) |
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Olympic Rings Spectacular Unveiling
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19th May 2012 |
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100 days to go to Paralympics |
21st May 2012 |
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Diamond Jubilee events |
3rd & 4th June 2012 |
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Torch Relay Evening Celebration
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6th June 2012 |
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Radio One Hackney Music concert |
23rd or 24th June 2012 |
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Cisco Wimbledon Finals
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7th to 8th July 2012 |
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Olympic Opening Ceremony |
27th July 2012 |
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Games Time (LOCOG Priority) |
27th July to 12th August 2012 |
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Live Site Events |
Dates(s) |
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Olympic Closing Ceremony
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12th August 2012 |
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Paralympics Flame Festival Evening Celebration
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25th August 2012 |
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Paralympics Opening Ceremony |
29th August 2012 |
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Games Time |
29th August - 9th September 2012 |
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BBC Proms (screen only) |
8th September 2012
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Paralympics Closing Ceremony
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9th September 2012 |
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Total Events costs |
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£25,000.00 |
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Events 2012/13 Requiring Additional BCC Funds |
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Gaelic & Hurling – Ulster & All Ireland Finals |
August and September 2012 x 4 events
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£6,000.00 |
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European Championships |
Potential 6 Rep. of Ireland games |
£9,000.00 |
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Potential 6 England games
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£9,000.00 |
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Ulster & Ireland Rugby Games |
April 2012 to March 2013
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£3,000.00 |
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Total Additional Event Costs |
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£27,000.00” |
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After a lengthy discussion in the matter, the Committee adopted the recommendations and agreed further that investigations be undertaken to ascertain whether future games involving the Northern Ireland Football Team could be screened also on the live site screen.