Agenda item

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

“1.0     Purpose of Report or Summary of main Issues

1.1        Following the Notice of Motion moved by Alderman Convery at the council meeting on 3 January, this report provides Members with an update on how use of the Outcomes Based Accountability methodology has developed within the council to date and plans for its on-going use.

1.2       The report also provides Members with a brief update on proposed area engagement events taking place over the coming weeks to support consultations on the Belfast Agenda and Local Development Plan (Preferred Options Paper).

2.0       Recommendations

2.1       Members are asked to:

a)     note the OBA methodology developments being explored within the council as part of the emerging Belfast Agenda, Corporate Planning and partnership development processes; and

b)     note the proposed area engagement events

3.0       Main report

            Background

3.1       Notice of motion

            As Members are aware the undernoted motion, which was moved by Alderman Convery (& seconded by Cllr Attwood) at council on Tuesday 03 January has been referred  to the Committee for consideration:

3.2       ‘Belfast City Council notes that the Programme for Government has been developed under the Outcome Based Accountability (OBA) principles.

            Belfast City Council notes that two Outcome Based Accountability (OBA) pilots have been taken forward in Whiterock and Inner East, as part of the Belfast Agenda.

            Belfast City Council agrees to embed the OBA principles in all Council decision making processes in the Council to make sure we achieve outcomes which show measurable improvements for people and communities in every part of the city.’

3.3       Outcomes Based Accountability (OBA) in the Programme for Government

As the motion above notes the new Programme for Government has been developed using the Outcomes Based Accountability methodology. This has resulted in: 

-       A set of outcomes identifying the quality of wellbeing conditions the Northern Ireland Executive would like to see improved across the region. Alongside this, a set of population indicators is being proposed to enable the measurement of the achievement of the outcomes.

-       Emerging programmes of work being designed cross-departmentally and with partners that will result in improving these measures and improve the quality of life of residents.

3.4       Work to date on OBA in the Council

            Members will also recall that the Council has been exploring the use of the Outcomes Based Accountability methodology in a variety of ways over the past two years.  Activities have included:

-       Workshop Mark Friedman (developer of the OBA methodology) with Members and partners (Sept 2014)

-       OBA Capacity building programme with officers and partners (Spring 2015)

-       Briefings for Area Working Groups on the OBA approach and discussion of outcomes for local areas as part of AWG workshops;

-       Locality planning: testing the use of OBA across the city in locality settings with communities and partners to help local people shape targeted interventions and test the process with a view to further roll-out.

-       Belfast Agenda: as the lead partner for community planning in Belfast the council has supported the drafting of the Belfast Agenda for consultation to include:

o   development of a long-term citywide outcomes framework seeking to improve the quality of life over the next 20 years and align with Programme for Government population outcomes and indicators; 

o   development of a citywide performance framework in line with the principles of OBA (a City Dashboard);

o   working with partners to develop the proposed broad work-streams in the Belfast Agenda into specific programmes which will include performance frameworks in line with OBA methodology.

            Next steps

3.5       Since it is intended that the Belfast Agenda will form the framework for the council’s future plans and key strategies, including the corporate plan it is inevitable that these will have a focus on delivering the long-term outcomes that have been set for the city as well as the targets that have been set for the next four years.

3.6       As Members are aware the council’s new Corporate Plan is under development, following a workshop with the SP&R Committee on 28 October to which all Members were invited. The corporate plan will reflect and evidence the council’s contribution to the Belfast Agenda programmes of work and population outcomes as well the specific programmes of work that the council will be delivering. 

3.7       In the months ahead, the outcomes in the Belfast Agenda will continue to shape the councils emerging plans and strategies at both a city and local level.  As ever, Members will lead and shape this process through a series of workshops, including the Committee workshops planned for February, through discussion at Area Working Groups and through the committee decision making processes themselves.  The partnership work that Members play a leading role in will also help ensure alignment to our long-term goals with partnerships such as the Belfast Strategic Partnership on life inequalities, the Shared City

Partnership, the PCSP and others playing a key role in the on-going development and roll-out of implementation plans.  Regular reports on the work of these partnerships and the process of alignment will be brought to Members. 

            Area engagement events

3.8       To support the ongoing public consultation on the draft Belfast Agenda, and the upcoming consultation Local Development Plan (Preferred Options Paper), a series of area based engagement events are planned to take place in late January/early February 2017. These events are as follows:

            These events will provide an opportunity for members of the public to hear about the key plans affecting the future of Belfast and how to give their views, together with opportunities to provide some initial feedback.

3.9       Financial & Resource Implications

            There are no additional resource implications as a result of this report.  Alignment of resources to the delivery of the Belfast Agenda will be part of the on-going organisational and financial planning processes

3.10     Equality or Good Relations Implications

            The Belfast Agenda includes outcomes related to improving equality and good relations in the city.”

            The Committee noted the contents of the report.