Agenda item

            (Mr. D. Rogan, Head of Contracts, attended in connection with this item.)

            The Head of Contracts submitted for the Committee’s consideration the undernoted report:

“1.0  Relevant Background Information 

1.1    At its meeting in April 2012, the Strategic Policy and Resources (SP&R) Committee agreed to convene the Area Working Groups (AWGs) to support effective ‘place-shaping’ and make recommendations to SP&R Committee on investment decisions for the local area including the Local Investment Fund and the Feasibility Fund.

2.0    Key Issues

2.1Over the past month, all the AWGs have met to discuss outcomes and emerging area plans.  A number also made recommendations for SP&R Committee consideration, outlined below.

2.2       West AWG

         West AWG agreed that the following projects be recommended to SP&R Committee for feasibility support:

2.3    Greater Shankill AWG

         On the basis of the information presented, the Shankill AWGs agreed to recommend to the SP&R Committee the following as feasibility projects:

*        Councillor Kingston declared an interest in this project and took no part in the discussion

         In relation to the Local Investment Fund, the Greater Shankill AWG made the following recommendation for the consideration of the SP&R Committee:

2.4    East AWG

         The East AWG considered the potential for feasibility support and recommend to the SP&R the following as feasibility projects:

         The AWG also discussed the availability of other funding streams, and the Council review of Leisure in consideration of what could be available to the area and the necessity for a planned approach to maximise the potential impact for the East of the City.

2.5    North AWG

         On the basis of the information presented, the North AWG made the following recommendation for the consideration of the SP&R Committee:

2.6    South AWG

         As part of the outcomes workshop, South AWG noted the potential opportunity available at the Ulidia Resource Centre on the Ormeau Road. The South AWG considered the potential for feasibility support and recommend to the SP&R the following as a feasibility project:

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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: Proposed allocations as outlined in the report and summary detailed below:

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5.0    Recommendations 

         It is recommended that Committee:

1.          Endorse the Feasibility Fund recommendations, arising from the individual Area Working Group, as set out above; and

2.          Approve in principle the allocation of Local Investment Funding, as agreed by the Greater Shankill Area Working Group and North Area Working Group.”

            The Head of Contracts reported that, subsequent to the report having been issued, two of the Working Groups, that is, the East and West Area Working Groups, had held meetings and were looking to have the undernoted decisions approved by the Committee:

·     East Area Working Group

      The East Area Working Group had agreed, at its meeting on 23rd January, to add application number ELIF011- Development of a New Ballymac Friendship Centre to the list of projects being subjected to a feasibility study which was to update the Ballymac Friendship Centre’s 2011 Economic Appraisal.

·        West Area Working Group

      The Committee was reminded that it had previously agreed to provide £100,000 of intervention funding to each of the Area Working Groups for specific initiatives relevant to their particular areas.  Whilst most of the Groups were still considering the use of the fund, the West Area Working Group had agreed to use the monies to lever in funding for an integrated multi-agency plan to address anti-social behaviour, criminal activity and environmental degradation in the Lower Falls area.  This was due to start this weekend with a community clean-up in the area, with some environmental improvements being included in the near future.

            The Committee adopted the recommendations contained within the report and approved the two additional projects which had been submitted on behalf of the East and West Area Working Groups.