Agenda item

            The Committee considered the following report:

 

“1.0      Purpose of Report or Summary of Main Issues

 

1.1             The purpose of this report is to provide an update on the progress of all motions for which the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee is responsible.

 

2.0       Recommendations

 

2.1       The Committee is recommended to

 

                                          i.          note the updates on all motions for which the Committee is responsible; and

 

                                         ii.          agree to the closure of a number of motions, as referenced in Appendix 1 and noted in paragraph 3.8 below.

 

3.0       Main Report

 

            Background

 

3.1       At the Committee meeting on 25th October 2019, the following motion was agreed:

 

            ‘That this Council notes that other Councils produce a monthly status report in relation to motions and agrees that Belfast City Council adopts a similar practice and produces a monthly motion update which will be brought to each full Council Meeting, detailing the following:

 

1.      Date received

2.      Motion title

3.      Submitted by which Councillor

4.      Council meeting date

5.      Committee motion is referred to

6.      Outcome of committee where Notice of Motion will be debated

7.      Month it will be reported back to committee

8.      Other action to be taken.’

 

3.2       As a first step, officers undertook a review of existing motions to ensure any that had been completed could be reported to Committee as closed before commencing the live database.  This review was undertaken in 2020 and recommendations were brought to the Committee to close 69 motions. 

 

3.3       The remaining motions were added to a new database with all additional motions from this point in time now added to the database for quarterly reporting to the relevant Standing Committee.  Appendix 1 is the first of the quarterly updates showing 54 currently active motions and Issues Raised in Advance which the Committee is responsible for.

 

3.4       At the Committee meeting on 20th November, there was a query in relation to a missing motion on Abortion Imagery.  Upon investigation, it was realised that the query raised was in relation to an Issue Raised in Advance at Committee rather than a motion.  Members are asked to note that all outstanding Issues Raised in Advance at Committee have now been added to the database and will be regularly reported through this database.

 

            Motions Updates

 

3.5       The Committee is asked to note that, given the current pressures in responding to the pandemic, it has been difficult to afford the usual time towards progressing motions.  Nevertheless, there has been progress in a number of motions. 

 

3.6       Likewise, given the nature of remote working at present, it has proven more difficult than usual to coordinate the updates across all departments.  Members will note that estimated completion dates and Next Steps require further updates – these will be progressed and reported back at the next quarterly update.

 

 

      Closure of Motions and Issues Raised in Advance

 

3.7At the Committee meeting on 20th November, it was agreed that motions could be closed for one of two reasons:

 

·        Category 1 - Motions which contained an action that has been completed and recommend they are closed.

 

All motions within this category contained a specific task that has since been complete.  It is worth noting that, when Committee agree to action a motion, there are sometimes additional actions agreed alongside the motion.  As these are not technically part of the motion, they are taken forward through normal committee decision making processes.  The motion can, therefore, be closed, but additional actions related to it will continue to be progressed and reported to the committee.  These additional actions are not contained in this report, but will be noted in the live database moving forward.

 

·        Category 2 – Motions which have become Council policy and recommend they are closed.  These notices of motion did not contain a specific task that could be complete.  Instead, they were more strategic in nature and required changes in Council policy and/ or strategy for long term outcomes.  Those listed within this category have all been agreed by Committee and are now either Council policy or are currently being implemented through a Council strategy that is managed by a Standing Committee through the corporate planning process. 

 

3.8The Committee is asked to agree that the following 13 motions be now closed:

 

      Category 1 Recommended Closures:

 

·        Regeneration Powers (Ref number 42).  This was an issue raised in advance at Committee on 24th January 2020 and had a specific task of writing to the Minister for the Department of Communities requesting that she consider again the transfer of regeneration powers to local councils.  This task has been undertaken, along with further representation in regards to the devolution of powers to local government, including in the draft response to the PfG Outcomes Framework which is one the agenda for today’s meeting.

 

·        Flying of the Flag on 19th February to mark the Birthday of the Duke of York (Ref number 60).  This was a time sensitive issue and the manner has now been resolved.

 

·        Celebration of Donor's Day (Ref number 75).  City Hall was illuminated pink to mark Donors' Day on 29th January 2021.

 

·        Light Up the City Hall Request - World AIDS Day, 1st December (Ref number 81).  City Hall was lit red to mark World AIDS Day on 1st December 2021.

 

·        New Lodge Bonfire (Ref number 84).  This was a time sensitive issue and the manner has now been resolved.

 

·        Lighting Up City Hall for World Suicide Awareness Day on 10 September (Ref number 94).  City Hall illuminated on 10 September 2020.

 

·        Babyloss Awareness Week Virtual Book of Remembrance 9-15 October (Ref number 109).  Virtual Book of Remembrance arranged for 9 - 15 October 2020.

 

·        Unit Fees for St. George's Market (Ref number 118).  Members agreed to the setting up of rental relief for Council Tenants at a special committee meeting on 10th December 2020. The criteria and process around this has been left with officers to set and does not require to be sent back to Members. A draft approach is now being reviewed by legal, audit and others.

 

·        Belfast Leisure Centres - Proposed Redundancies (Ref number 126).  This was a time sensitive issue and the manner has now been resolved.

 

·        Illumination of Belfast Castle (Ref number 133).  Belfast Castle illuminated in blue on 29 November 2020.

 

·        Pay for Student Nurses (Ref number 135).  Response from Minister of Health noted by the Committee on 19th February 2021.

 

·        Funding for Palliative and End-of-life Care (Ref number 141).  Response from Minister of Health noted by the Committee on 19th February 2021.

 

·        Proposed Future Development - Writer's Square (Ref number 155).  Response from Minister for Communities noted by the Committee on 19th February 2021.

 

 

      Category 2 Recommended Closures:

 

·        Report by the Environmental Audit Committee into the impact of disposable coffee cups in the UK (Ref number 5).  This issue will be considered as part of the internal sustainability review being undertaken by KPMG on behalf of the Council under the Climate Adaption and Mitigation Plan.

 

·        City Tree Initiative (Ref number 36).  City Tree Initiative is being progressed as part of One Million Trees programme.

 

·        SUDS and the City (Ref number 68).  Council have made significant progress with DfI in relation to the use of SUDS in Belfast, as evidenced by their extensive inclusion in the recent Living With Water in Belfast consultation document, including Distillery Street/Westlink.  These will now be taken forward across Belfast in partnership between the Council, DfI and NI Water, subject to funding being available.

 

3.9Additional information in relation to these Notices of motion and Issues Raised in Advance are available in Appendix 1, a copy of which has been circulated.

 

3.10      Financial and Resource Implications

 

      There are no additional financial implications required to implement these recommendations.

 

3.11      Equality or Good Relations Implications/

      Rural Needs Assessment

 

      There are no equality, good relations or rural needs implications contained in this report.”

 

The Committee adopted the recommendations.