Agenda item

            The Committee considered the following report:

 

“1.0     Purpose of Report or Summary of main Issues

 

1.1       The purpose of the report is to provide an update to the Committee on the progress with the public access defibrillator pilot programme and seek agreement on priority sites for future provision in Council assets, where money becomes available.

 

2.0       Recommendations

 

2.1       The Committee is asked to:

 

·        Note the update on the pilot programme;

·        Agree that future provision of public access defibrillators will be undertaken where money becomes available to fund the purchase and installation of devices;

·        Approve the proposed locations for future provision of public access defibrillators in Council assets.

 

3.0       Main report

 

3.1       Update on Phases 1, 2 and 3 of public access defibrillator provision

 

            Members will be aware the Council has been undertaking a public access defibrillator pilot programme. As part of this programme defibrillators were initially installed in 6 parks in May 2016, namely:

 

·        Victoria Park

·        Waterworks Park

·        Fullerton Park

·        Tullycarnet Park

·        Boucher Road Playing Fields

·        Falls Park

 

3.2       A second phase of installation took place in September 2017 across a further 8 Council sites, namely:

 

·        Grove Playing Fields

·        Cherryvale Playing Fields

·        Blanchflower Stadium

·        Wedderburn Playing Fields

·        Woodvale Playing Fields

·        Henry Jones Playing Fields

·        Woodlands Playing Fields

·        City of Belfast Playing Fields

 

3.3       Installation at Botanic Park is also due to take place as part of the second phase. The installation at Botanic Park has been delayed due to the ongoing project at the Tropical Ravine.

 

3.4       A third phase of installation is due to take place shortly across a further 8 Council sites thanks to the kind donation received from the family of the late Mark Murphy, which covered the cost of buying the 8 defibrillators for these sites.

 

            The locations for the third phase of the programme were agreed through the Area Working Groups in January/February as:

 

·        Ormeau Park (public toilet area facing into the park)

·        Orangefield Park

·        Shore Road Playing Fields

·        Suffolk Playing Fields

·        Strangford Playing Fields

·        Loughshore Playing Fields

·        Musgrave Park

·        Ulidia Playing Fields

 

3.5       Proposal for future phases of public access defibrillator provision

 

            It is proposed that future public access defibrillators are installed in priority Council sites as money becomes available to fund the purchase and installation of the devices. The focus for public access defibrillators on Council sites continues to be on recreational facilities and those sites with significant public access or high footfall.

 

3.5       Proposed locations for the installation of future public access defibrillators in Council Parks/Playing fields include:

 

·        Dunville Park

·        Sally Gardens

·        Sir Thomas and Lady Dixon Park

·        Blythefield

·        Dixon Playing Fields

·        Alderman Tommy Patton Park

·        Clarendon Playing Fields

·        Glenbank Park

 

3.7       It was agreed at the People and Communities Committee meeting held on 5^th December 2017 that consideration would be given to the potential of extending defibrillator provision to other Council assets such as Community Centres.

 

3.8       Priority proposed locations for the installation of future public access defibrillators in Community Centres include:

 

·        Cregagh Community Centre

·        Dee Street Community Centre

·        North Queen Street Community Centre

·        Ardoyne Community Centre

·        Hammer Community Centre

·        Highfield Community Centre

·        Morton Community Centre

·        Markets Community Centre

 

3.9       The provision of defibrillators at all sites would be subject to the identification of a suitable location with an electrical supply and confirmation with the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS) that there are no other public access defibrillators within a short distance.

 

3.10     Financial & Resource Implications

 

            The cost of purchasing a defibrillator, an external cabinet, paediatric pads and ancillary items is approximately £1400 per site. The costs associated with the installation of a defibrillator is dependent on a site specific survey for each site. It is proposed that future installation of defibrillators at Council sites will be undertaken when money becomes available.

 

3.11     Equality or Good Relations Implications

 

            The Council’s Good Relations Unit have advised that proposals for extending the deployment of defibrillators will have a positive effect on the Health and Wellbeing of people who work, live and visit Belfast and that this is a positive equality action.”

 

            A Member advised that he had previously highlighted that defibrillators were not available in the Council’s community centres and he asked that consideration be given to funding this programme of works from any in-year departmental underspend.

 

            Following discussion, the Committee agreed:

 

·        the future phases of the defibrillator programme as outlined in the report; and

·        that the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee be requested to consider the installation of a defibrillator in each of the Council’s Community Centres with the money for this programme of works to be met from year end underspend.