Agenda item

            The Strategic Director of City and Neighbourhood Services submitted for the Committee’s consideration the following report:

“1.0      Purpose of Report or Summary of main Issues

1.1       To advise Committee of progress with the Stadia Community Benefits Initiative and update on the action plan.

2.0       Recommendations

2.1       The Committee is asked to:

·        Consider the content of the report.

3.0       Main report

3.1       The Council has been undertaking the Leisure Transformation Programme to renew its Leisure facilities across the City. This Programme has been influenced by the Partnership opportunities presented by the NI Executive Stadia Programme.

3.2       The Council, Department for Communities (DfC) and the Irish Football Association (IFA) have recognised the opportunities presented by the Stadia Programme, have committed to work together to maximise these benefits, and have agreed to establish a Stadium Community Benefits Initiative as part of the Belfast Community Benefits Initiative (‘the Project’) to implement and deliver agreed objectives including promoting equality, tackling poverty, and tackling social exclusion within the Belfast area.

3.3       In March 2016 the Council, DfC and IFA signed an agreement which sets out their respective commitments to the project. As other major stadia are developed in Belfast it is anticipated that other sports governing bodies shall become parties to the agreement. At its April 2018 meeting People and Communities committee agreed that Council would work with the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) within the Stadia Community Benefits Initiative and recognised their significant planned investment in gaelic games in the city to support their Gaelfast strategy. GAA activities are now fully incorporated into the action plan in this financial year with Gaelfast staff imbedded into the governance structure at Communications Board, Delivery Board, Policy and Performance Board.

3.4       The agreement is for a period of ten years with financial commitment from Council and IFA in place to the end of March 2026. Delivery is managed through monthly meetings of the Delivery Board which reports quarterly to the Policy and Performance Board. Financial and performance reports will be presented to Council and other partners’ Boards as necessary. Formal review of the agreement will be carried out in years 5 and 10.

3.5       The Policy & Performance Group is responsible for agreeing the Benefits Realisation Plan and associated annual targets. Work was undertaken to ensure the end benefits/outcomes are aligned to partners’ strategies. To measure the progress of this the Council and the IFA have developed a range of indicators/intermediate benefits which are monitored through programme delivery:

a.      Number of coaching sessions provided

b.     Number of coaches engaged in delivering coaching

c.      Number of sessions improving club governance

d.     Number of volunteering opportunities

e.      Participation opportunities for under 16s

f.       Female participation rates

g.     Number of people completing skills development programme

h.     Number of sessions for under-represented groups

i.       Number of sessions for school and youth groups

j.       Community group usage of stadia

k.      Number of clubs attaining club-mark

l.       Educational opportunities

m.    Number of programmes targeting ASB

n.     Improved collaborative working

o.     Number of disabled participants

p.     Number of older people participating

3.6       Following the completion of a baseline assessment in early 2017, annual work-plans were developed for years 1, 2 and 3.

3.7       Programme delivery for year 3(19-20) is currently under-way including similar programmes as last year. IFA and GAA agreed a transition year action plan drawing additional resources for this years activities.

3.8       At the end of quarter 2, the performance report for 2019-20 indicates that the majority of intermediate benefits are on target. The board received satisfactory assurance that these benefits would be caught up in quarter 3 and 4. Quarter 1 & 2 (19-20) performance report is attached at appendix 1.

3.9       To improve collaborative working and increase the community benefits through the 2020-2021 workplan, a joint planning workshop was held in the National Football Stadium at Windsor Park to identify specific themes.

3.10      Financial & Resource Implications

            In accordance with the Council’s obligations under its DfC Funding Agreement for the Olympia Regeneration Project, the Council has committed a sum of £100,000 per annum for a minimum of ten years, so that a minimum of £1,000,000 is contributed in total to the Project.

3.11      Equality or Good Relations Implications/Rural Needs Assessment

            There are no additional impacts related to this report.”

            The Committee noted the contents of the report.