Agenda item

            The committee considered the undernoted report:

 

“1.0     Purpose of Report or Summary of main Issues

 

1.1       The Committee held its annual planning workshop on 6th March for Members to shape the upcoming work and agenda of the Committee and the new Corporate Plan, informed by the Council’s budget setting process for 2017/18.  The workshop also provided the opportunity to consider the role that the Committee will play in ensuring that the Council’s contribution to delivering the Agenda is maximised.

 

1.2       The Belfast Agenda has at its core a commitment to inclusive growth.  The Committee is familiar with the four main priorities in the Belfast Agenda which demonstrate the centrality of growing the local economy to improving quality of life in Belfast. It sets out an ambition for growth and opportunity that includes four headline goals to focus collaborative efforts on economic and social growth of Belfast so that by 2035:

 

-       Our city is home to an additional 70,000 new residents

-       Our urban economy supports 50,000 more jobs

-       There will be a 50% reduction in the life expectancy gap between the most and least deprived neighbourhoods

-       Every young person leaving school has a destination that fulfils their potential

 

1.3       The Committee has already noted that delivering the ambitions in the Belfast Agenda will require a significant uplift in the investment and resource commitment from the Council to ensure that, along with partner organisations, we develop appropriate support, services and programmes to grow the economy, improve the skills base, support city development and enhance the ‘lived experience’ in the city.  

 

2.0       Recommendations

 

2.1       The Committee is asked to:

 

-       Note the contents of the report and provide any additional comments;

-       Agree that officers use this information to compile a revised Committee Plan for 2017-18, for consideration at its meeting in May/June 2017;

-       Agree to receive a presentation from the West Belfast Area Learning Community (ALC) at an upcoming meeting of the Committee outlining activities to improve educational attainment in the wider west Belfast area.

 

3.0       Main report

 

3.1       Key Issues

 

            The City Growth and Regeneration Committee is responsible for:

 

-       The development and implementation of strategies, policies, programmes and projects directed towards regeneration and growth of the city in the context of outcomes agreed in the community and corporate plans and other corporate strategy decisions.

-       Oversight of the exercise of Council functions in relation to economic development, urban development, tourism, culture & arts, European and international relations, car parks, city markets, city events, Belfast Castle, Malone House and Belfast Zoo.

 

3.2       With input from Prof Neil Gibson (UUEPC) the workshop provided an opportunity to set the Council’s ambitions and Committee’s progress and priorities within the current economic context and outlook.  The purpose of the workshop was to:

 

-       Review the performance and achievements against the Committee Plan in 2016/17; and

-       Translate the priorities of the Belfast Agenda into a work plan for the Committee to deliver in 2017/18.

-       Appendix 1 contains a copy of the presentation on the Economic Outlook (Ulster University Economic Policy Centre - UUEPC) and the remaining presentations are in Appendix 2.

 

3.3       It has been recognised that to deliver on the city ambitions there is a need for a step change in what we do and how we work.  The Committee has agreed to an uplift in investment in 2017/18 to enable preparatory and developmental work to be undertaken in order to significantly enhance the small business and investment services and align this with the planned employability and skills programmes, including the Belfast Works Programme which focuses on developing skills and employment opportunities for those furthest from the labour market and the Smart Cities Framework. This was supported at the workshop which emphasised the importance of supporting city growth, regeneration and community involvement to demonstrate that the Council is directly leading and delivering on inclusive growth for Belfast.

 

3.4       The key priorities and issues raised at the workshop are summarised under the priorities in the draft Belfast Agenda.

 

3.5       Growing the Economy – Summary Key Priorities and Issues

 

            The following key priorities and issues were highlighted:

 

-       Create a comprehensive & co-ordinated Business Support Service

-       Develop an ‘Enterprise Framework’ to encourage a culture of enterprise to make Belfast a great place to do business

-       New ways of doing business – collaborative opportunities, partnerships, investments , building on what works ‘Plug & Play’

-       Continue to invest in the City Delegation to MIPIM

-       Attract and support investment into Belfast by establishing a City Investment Advice Service (and concierge service)

-       Build on the city’s relationships across the UK, Republic of Ireland and internationally to promote and position the city as a place to do business, invest in and visit

-       Use the expertise of the Economic Forum to support a balanced approach to investment and targeting; e.g. promoting and supporting existing high-value, large employment sectors (such as retail and manufacturing) versus small scale sectors with high potential (such as Cyber Security) and; to consider alternative economic models that may enhance inclusive growth

 

3.6       The Committee recognised that attracting investment and high value sectors to Belfast generates wider city and community economic benefits. However, the need to strengthen efforts to reduce economic inequalities and tackle poverty was emphasised and would assist in defining the Council’s approach to inclusive growth. Discussion also highlighted the value of building strong relationships with the business sector and engaging communities in designing programmes and partnerships to grow the economy. 

 

3.7       Working & Learning

 

            The following key priorities and issues were highlighted:

 

-       Develop the employability pipeline, including Belfast Works, and build on the ‘academy model’ focusing on key employment sectors and opportunities created by growth in hospitality/retail and social care

-       Build stronger links with schools, communities and families to address educational inequalities and support the transition to employment; e.g. create mechanisms to recognise and share learning from those schools that are performing well; use community facilities for educational workshops, careers advice etc.

-       Engage with and understand the experience of those who are furthest from the labour market to identify realistic solutions and pathways to employment

-       Leverage the power of the city’s anchor institutes to maximise social clauses, opportunities through public procurement and the supply chain as well as employment opportunities

-       Create a culture where ‘all jobs matter’ and are valued

 

3.8       The Committee reinforced the need to address the skills and employability challenges within the city and supported the proposal to seek enhanced devolution of powers and finances through a City Growth Deal to support an integrated skills and employability programme.  However, the Council’s key role in engaging with communities was emphasised in addressing and bridging gaps to secure regeneration as well as growth.  A City Growth Deal should include investment in communities.

 

3.9       City Development

 

            The following key priorities and issues were highlighted:

 

-       Deliver the key regeneration projects in the City Centre Regeneration & Investment Strategy in a way that creates local opportunities and connects the city and its communities e.g.  the Linen Quarter and Transport Hub; North East Quarter; Titanic Quarter and East Bank etc

-       Animate the city through a targeted programme of events, activities and interventions including interim uses to revitalise the city as a welcoming,  social, cultural and liveable city

-       Develop a ‘liveability strategy’ to encourage city centre living, support diversity and connections to existing city centre communities

-       Boost the City’s reputation as a visitor destination for leisure and business tourists – enhancing the cultural offer, delivering the Integrated Tourism Strategy and connecting the infrastructure e.g. Belfast Waterfront, community tourism trails, Titanic Belfast etc.

-       Create a new world class visitor attraction in the city – the ‘Belfast Story’ visitor attraction

-       Deliver the city car parking strategy to increase connectivity and accessibility

-       Promote and position Belfast as a place to do business, invest and visit – delivering the place positioning strategy and building on the successful ‘Team Belfast’ approach at MIPIM

 

3.10     Regeneration powers are critical to developing and growing the city, combined with the need to improve the city’s infrastructure (sewage, roads, digital etc) in order to service an increased city population.  As a landowner the Council also has a role in leading by example to regenerate and make better use of its own sites.  The housing market and housing needs were considered vital to promoting city centre living and growing the population.  Central to success is connecting and engaging with communities to understand the lived experience of the city to ensure that strategies and plans address the issues that matter to people.

 

3.11     A holistic approach to designing and developing interventions, programmes and plans will be key to tackling the city’s challenges and issues in a way that makes a real difference to the quality of life and experience of the city.  Increasing the city’s competitiveness is vital to deliver on the Belfast Agenda and will require a partnership approach at all levels to ensure that communities are connected to the opportunities for growth and benefit from that growth.  The key elements of the Committee work plan over the next 12 months will therefore be based on the following:

 

-       City growth, regeneration and development; 

-       Further developing the skills and employability programme;

-       Developing and delivering a comprehensive small business service;

-       Revisiting the transfer of regeneration powers;

-       Engaging and connecting communities;

-       Understanding the city– getting beneath the statistics

-       Exploring new ways of working to co-design and co-deliver solutions; 

-       New approach to events, festivals and culture

 

3.12     This approach will be vital to grow and develop the city in an inclusive way that benefits all communities. A Committee Plan will be presented to Committee in June.

 

            Financial & Resource Implications

 

3.13     The Committee Plan will be developed in the context of the cash limits previously agreed by Committee and approved by Council in February 2017.

 

            Equality or Good Relations Implications

 

3.14     Programmes and activities contained within the Committee Plan will be subject to appropriate equality and good relations considerations.”

 

            In response to a Member’s question regarding the promotion of city centre living, the Director of City Centre Development reminded the Committee that this issue would be covered in the upcoming study visit to Leeds and that she would circulate details of an upcoming seminar on that topic to the Members.

 

            In response to a further Member’s question regarding the potential impact that Brexit might have on the City, both socially and economically, the Chief Executive advised the Committee that a piece of work in relation to this was ongoing and would be presented to the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee in the coming months.  She explained that, pending that Committee’s approval, a report would then be submitted to the City Growth and Regeneration Committee.

 

            After discussion, the Committee adopted the recommendations.