Agenda item

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

 

“1.0       Relevant Background Information

 

1.1       The Local Investment Fund (LIF) has been developed to support the delivery of key regeneration projects in neighbourhoods and also as a means for Members to connect with local communities, in preparation for their formal role in community planning under RPA.

 

2.0       Key Issues

 

2.1       Area Working Group (AWG) recommendations on LIF proposals

 

            At the most recent round of AWG meetings, officers updated Members on the external meetings they have facilitated on the LIF proposals. In accordance with Council procedures, individual Members declared any conflicts of interest and this was noted in the minutes of the AWG. Members are asked to note that only the South and Shankill AWGs have met in time for the preparation of this report and put forward project recommendations. 

 

            On the basis of the information presented, the South and Shankill AWGs have made the following recommendations for the consideration of the Committee:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Proposal	Ref No.	Up to £	AWG Comments
SOUTH AWG
May Street Presbyterian Church  -	SLIF007	£200,000	Subject to seeking match funding
Purchase of derelict shop at Sandy Row	SLIF011	£51,000
FASA	SLIF019	£150,000
Mornington Community Project	SLIF052	£200,000	Subject to further detail including plans and a cost breakdown to be provided by end of March 2013
St Malachy’s Youth Centre **	SLIF054	£40,000	Committee is asked to note that it previously approved in principle (in June) £30,000 for this project. Subsequent discussions with the Group have revealed a gap in funding and the South AWG has recommended that they receive an additional £40,000 to make up this shortfall
SOUTH sub-total		£641,000
SHANKILL AWG
Highfield/Springmartin floodlit Astroturf sports	ShLIF009	£50,000	Committee is asked to note that it previously approved in principle (in October) up to £100,000 for this project subject to discussions with DSD for additional funding. Subsequent discussions have revealed a gap in funding and the Shankill AWG has recommended that they receive an additional £50,000 to make up this shortfall
West Belfast Orange Hall		£50,000
SHANKILL sub-total		£100,000

 

            All of the above have been assessed against the prioritization matrix and the summary has been circulated.  It is recommended that Committee approves the above projects subject to confirmation of costs, clarification of legal issues, sustainability etc.  

 

            Total LIF Commitment to date

 

2.2       48 LIF projects have been approved in principle by the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee (SP&R) at its meetings in June, August, September and October. To date (including the recommended projects at 2.1 above) the amount that had been committed in principle is £4,100,893.40. This is subject to confirmation of detailed costings and sustainability as well as seeking authority from the relevant Committees on leasing arrangements. 

 

 

** Assuming the above projects at 2.1 are approved by Committee and ratified at Council.

 

            Reopening of LIF

 

            Members will recall that they previously agreed that a cut-off date of the 22nd June should be put in place for LIF project proposals due to the volume of proposals which were received and the officer time needed to process these. At this time it was agreed that the Fund could be reopened again later in the year, subject to funding still remaining, to allow for further proposals.  Since this time officers have processed the projects proposed and these have been discussed by Members at the appropriate AWG.  In the interim Members have been approached with other project proposals and a number of AWGs have requested that the Fund is now reopened and it is recommended that this is agreed by SP&R.

 

            Feasibility Fund

 

2.3       The SP&R Committee, at its meeting on 22nd June, approved the establishment of a Feasibility Fund up to the value of £500,000.  The Fund is intended to be used to move projects to a stage where Members can make decisions regarding future financing. 

 

2.4       The following projects have been recommended for progressing to feasibility –

 

 

SOUTH AWG  - Projects proposed for Feasibility Funding
Project Ref	AWG Recommendations
SLIF015 – LORAG Watersports facility	All the proposed Lagan Canal projects to be combined into one Feasibility Study
SLIF028 – The River Lagan Corridor
SLIF048 – Lagan River Walk
SLIF057 – Bryson Lagan Sport

 

SHANKILL AWG  - Projects proposed for Feasibility Funding
Project Ref	AWG Recommendations /comments
ShLIF010 – Ainsworth Avenue – replacement community centre	Feasibility study

 

2.5      As outlined to Committee at its meeting on 21st September, any feasibility work undertaken will be commissioned, procured and led by the Council through the Property & Projects Department. If the above projects are agreed, Council officers will progress these to the next stage.   

 

            Update on Area Working Group Workshops

 

2.6       At its meeting on 22 June, SP&R Committee agreed to a series of workshops examining the role of Members in place-shaping and community engagement, in the context of the LIF, as well as the wider context of community planning. 

 

2.7       The first round of these workshops, which were facilitated by Jon Huish, took place during the last week of August and the first week of September. The objective of the initial workshops was to develop a shared understanding the local area, its assets, issues and existing investments. A joint workshop, to which all Members were invited, was then held on 24th September. This workshop explored best practice around place-shaping and started to identify the capacity and processes needed to undertake effective community engagement.

 

2.8       The next series of workshops, which are taking place on during the last two weeks of November, are focusing on –

 

-     agreeing draft priority outcomes,

-     agreeing priority projects going forward into the Social Investment Fund and the Belfast Investment Fund 

-     identifying the best mechanisms for community engagement

 

3.0       Equality Implications

 

            The overall programme of LIF investments will be screened at regular intervals to ensure that the Council is fulfilling its obligations as part of the Equality Scheme, as well as ensuring that it is in line with the Investment Programme’s underpinning principles related to good relations and balanced investment.

 

4.0       Resource Implications

 

            Human: Resources are currently being allocated to individual projects.

 

            Financial: As outlined in para 2.2 above

 

            Assets: Further work to be completed.  Will be presented to the Committee for agreement in due course.

 

5.0       Recommendations

 

            It is recommended that the Committee:

 

1.     endorses the South and Shankill AWG project recommendations in paragraph 2.1;

2.     notes the current remaining levels of LIF allocation as set out in paragraph 2.2;

3.     agrees that the LIF is reopened for new project proposals subject to remaining funding;

4.     endorses the South and Shankill AWG Feasibility Fund recommendations as set out in paragraph 2.4; and

5.     notes the update on the ongoing Area Working Group workshops”

 

 

 

            After discussion, the Committee adopted the recommendations.