Agenda item

            The Committee considered the undernoted report

 

“1     Relevant Background Information

 

1.1    Belfast is one of 100 cities around the world to be awarded a Smart Cities Challenge grant - worth an estimated $400,000 in consultancy work– which will provide Belfast City Council and its partners with access to some of IBM`s top experts to analyse and recommend ways Belfast can become an even better place in which to live with an improved quality of life.

 

1.2     Each city has to work on a different city problem.  The key differentiators for Belfast were the issues of ‘segregation’ and ‘persistent deprivation’.

 

1.3    A team of 5-6 top ‘IBM experts’ from across the globe will spend 3 weeks looking at a key issue for Belfast [from Mon 16 Sept – Fri 04 October]. They will use analytics and predictive modelling to try to address a city problem and provide a roadmap for building on this and enabling better decisions to be made as a city.  This will be vital to the new function of community planning.

 

1.4    A range of workshops and meetings have been held both internally and with external stakeholders in an attempt to refine the city’s key problem for this project.  The Health sector have been particularly interested to date.

 

2       Key Issues

 

2.1    The ‘aspiration beyond segregation’ project proposes to:

 

·         Focus on 2 small geographical areas with some of the worst health indicators and to examine the statistics / perceptions and underlying issues including the effect of segregation.

 

·         The two areas suggested are Upper Springfield / Black Mountain and Inner East, including Short Strand; a population size of 10,000 is considered appropriate;

 

·         Focus either on Cardio Vascular Disease (worst health indicator in Upper Springfield) and/or Mental Health which is a concern in Inner East.  This decision can only be made following an initial review of the data available, which will happen over the summer months;

 

·         Look at evidence of what works here and elsewhere;

 

·         Use predictive modelling and some live interactive approaches, including live data created from a social survey using social media;

 

·         Determine what services are needed in local areas to address locally specific issues;

 

·         For Whiterock / Black Mountain - attempt to predict what community assets and services would be placed within the Whiterock Community Corridor – Phase 2.

 

·         For Inner East the link could be made to the potential for new joined health / educations facilities, the review of facilities at Templemore or any another regeneration scheme for the area.

 

·         Develop a model and a route map for decision-making on dealing with local disadvantage through better provision of services and facilities.

 

2.2    The route map could ultimately be used to inform the review of Leisure, the provision of community assets and local investment and regeneration decisions.

 

2.3    It could therefore not just have potential for BCC but also for other organisations investing in and providing services to the city such as Health and social care, education, BRO etc when collaboratively determining the level and type of provision which should be made in areas of the city and it could influence decision making around One Public Estate Programmes.  Ultimately it could create a decision making platform for Community Planning and Local Area Regeneration Plans.

 

2.4    To make the Belfast Challenge happen, the following steps are necessary:

 

·         Internal team to complete a detailed project plan and action list for the next 3 month period;

 

·         Confirm buy-in of all other relevant agencies as part of a wider steering Group, including:

 

Ø  PHA and DHSSPS and others in health sector

Ø  BRO

Ø  OFMDFM – Delivering Social Change

Ø  NISRA

Ø  Universities

 

·         Agree MOU with PHA/ DHSSPS;

 

·         Obtain legal advice on data sharing;

 

·         Initial data collation and additional research to be undertaken to finalise decision on the health indicators to focus on – PHA and DHSSPS to advise;

 

·         Further research and collation of info to be complete by end of July 2013;

 

·         Gaps identified during August;

 

·         Pack to go to IBM by mid August;

 

·            Agree focus of social survey;

 

·         Schedule of key interviews / visits to be established for week 1 of challenge;

 

·         Time slots will be arranged for the Chief Executive, Directors and Members to allocate time in their calendars between Mon 16 Sept and Fri 4 October.

 

3       Resource Implications

 

         Financial

 

         None, this consultancy is provided by IBM as a philanthropic initiative.

 

         Human Resources

 

         A project team has been established involving a range of officers across Health & Environmental Services, Development and Finance & Resources Department.  This is also supported by IBM officers.

 

         However a programme for delivery now needs to be developed and this will require intensive action between now and 16th September 2013. 

 

         Asset and Other Implications

 

         None

 

4       Equality and Good Relations Considerations

 

         There are no known equality and good relations considerations associated with the IBM Belfast Challenge at this time. 

 

5       Recommendations

 

Members are asked to note the project update including the areas in which the project will focus.”

 

            The Committee noted the information which had been provided.