Agenda item

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

 

“1.0      Purpose of Report or Summary of main Issues

 

1.1             To update Committee on the agreement at the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee that all Standing Committees will receive a quarterly update on the Notices of Motion they are responsible for and to provide the first quarterly update for People and Communities Committee.

 

2.0       Recommendations

 

2.1       It is recommended that the People and Communities Committee:

 

·        Notes the process for reporting Notices of Motion through Standing Committees agreed by the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee and outlined in paragraphs 3.1 to 3.3;

·        Notes the updates to all Notices of Motion that P&C Committee is responsible for as referenced in the Appendix 1 which is attached to the report; and

·        Agree to the closure of 24 Notices of Motion, noted in paragraph 3.7 below.

 

3.0       Main report

 

3.0       Background

 

3.1       At the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee on 25th October 2019, the following Notice of Motion was agreed:

 

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

 

1. Date received

2. Notice of 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 Notices of Motion 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 November Strategic Policy and Resources Committee Committee to close 69 Notices of Motion. 

 

3.3       The remaining Notices of motion were added to a new database alongside all subsequent Notices of Motion to enable quarterly reporting to the relevant Standing Committee.  This is the first of the quarterly updates for People and Communities Committee showing 52 currently active Notices of Motion and Issues Raised in Advance which this Committee is responsible for.

 

            Notice of Motion Updates

 

3.4       People and Communities 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 Notices of Motion.  Nevertheless, there has been progress on a number of Notices of Motion. 

 

3.5       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 Notices of Motion and Issues Raised in Advance

 

3.6       At the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee Committee on 20th November, it was agreed that Notices of Motion could be closed for one of two reasons:

 

·        Category 1 - Notices of Motion which contained an action that has been completed.  All Notices of Motion within this category contained a specific task that has since been complete.  It is worth noting that, when Committee agree to action a Notice of Motion, there are sometimes additional actions agreed alongside the Notice of Motion.  As these are not technically part of the Notice of Motion, they are taken forward through normal committee decision making processes.  The Notice of 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 - Notices of Motion have become Council policy or absorbed in to a strategic programme of work.  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. 

 

3.7       The Committee are asked to agree that the following 24 Notices of Motion are now closed:

 

            Category 1 Recommended Closures:

 

·        Unadopted Alleyways (Ref number 8).  Update report presented to People and Communities December 20 addressing motion. Further relevant report on Alleygating Phase 5 programme approved by the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee March 21.

·        Domestic Violence (Ref number 21).  Safe City Status accreditation in place which we must work to retain every year. The Notice of Motion is closed as the specific tasks have been completed.

·        Alley-gating Programme (Ref number 31).  Alleygating Phase 5 report presented to the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee in March 21 with agreement to take forward recommendations.

·        Purple Air (Ref number 37).  Members have been updated on relevant air quality issues including the Air Quality workshop and the Air Quality Action Plan over several reports since this issue was raised. We are undertaking a detailed assessment for the city area that will employ a combination of additional ambient air quality monitoring alongside detailed atmospheric dispersion monitoring.  This is therefore closed as the specific tasks have been completed.

·        Girdwood (Ref number 41).  Update provided to North AWG in January 2020 as requested.

·        Compass Counselling (Ref number 64).  Funding of £20k provided.

·        Dunmurry Manor Care Home (Ref number 65).  NoM noted with no specific actions required.

·        DNA Testing of Dog Fouling (Ref number 66).  Update report presented to People and Communities March 21.

·        Breathe Life WHO Campaign (Ref number 69).  Recommend to close as development of our new Action Plan must follow strict UK government guidance and templates and the Breathe Life Campaign would not naturally form part of that technical development process. We have limited resources and it is important that they are directed to the development and management of the city’s AQ Action Plan and the PM2.5 assessment. A lot of the work associated with the Breath Life Campaign is already addressed through the UK legislative framework for local air quality management and there would be limited additional value in substantially replicating this work via the Breathe Life framework.

·        Potential Opening of an entrance into Cherryvale Park from Knockbreda Road (Ref number 70).  Consultation process complete - pending Council ratification in April, officers will progress actions agreed by People and Communities March Committee relevant to this issue.

·        Cemeteries (Ref number 85).  As there are no revenue budgets available for rolling maintenance of the boundary fencing, railings, gates, etc. to the Council’s cemeteries, it is recommended that this matter is referred to Physical Programmes for consideration in future planning, and therefore considered closed in terms of issues for People and Communities.

·        Cherryvale Playing Fields (Ref number 86).  This motion referred to extending the consultation, which was agreed and incorporated into the consultation process.

·        Alleyway Transformation (Ref number 87).  Action undertaken to write to DfC, DoJ and DfI regarding support and assistance for transforming alleyways. Update report presented to December 2020 People and Communities Committee. Pilot project delayed due to Covid but will be picked up when possible. Engagement with DfI re funding for greening alleyways ongoing. Report to Strategic Policy and Resources Committee/AWGs regarding Phase 5 of the Alleygating Programme in March 21. Recommend close as action specific to this issue has been addressed.

·        Pest Control Issues (Ref number 88).  Updated provided by Director of City Services in regard to provision of pest control operations in the context of Covid at August People and Communities. A further update on Environmental Health Services was presented to People and Communities in October 2020, with ongoing updates provided to Members at Strategic Policy and Resources Committee within Organisational Recovery reports.

·        Odour Colin Area (Ref number 90). People and Communities February 21 - the Committee agreed to write to the DAERA Minister seeking the Department take immediate action to eradicate the invasive smell coming from the Mullaghglass site. Director of City Services issued letter on 3rd March to Minister. Recommendation to close as specific action taken and issue currently being addressed by Legal Services.

·        Alleygating Programme (Ref number 95).  The Member's comments were noted and included in the December People and Communities update report. Report on Phase 5 of Alleygating Programme presented to March 21 Strategic Policy and Resources Committee with agreement to take forward.

·        Residents Parking Schemes (Ref number 96).  CNS confirmed on 18/02/21 this is closed.

·        Recycling Centre (Ref number 106). Members were updated on response from LCCC on the use of the Cutts, and advised that any further review of a new facility in this area would need to be considered as part of a capital project.

·        Gates at Cherryvale (Ref number 107).  Consultation extended as agreed - responses presented to People and Communities at March 21 meeting.

·        Review of Permission to Belfast City Airport to enter Victoria Park for the Management of Un-hatched Eggs under Licence from the NIEA (Ref number 110).  Resolved at February 21 People and Communities when the Committee granted the requested permissions to enter Victoria Park to facilitate the continuation of pricking of un-hatched greylag goose eggs under licence issued by the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) and noted that the intervention to control birds in the flight path to the airport was a requirement of the airport’s Civil Aviation Authority licence; and granted officers authority to liaise with legal services to issue a relevant licence for a period of 3 years which would be subject to annual review in advance of renewal.

·        Roselawn Crematorium (Ref number 116).  Maintenance of the gates at Roselawn Cemetery is underway, with temporary wooden gates in place.

·        Urgent action to address invasive odour in Collin (Ref number 154). People and Communities February 21 - the Committee agreed write to the DAERA Minister seeking the Department take immediate action to eradicate the invasive smell coming from the Mullaghglass site. Director of City Services issued letter on 3rd March to Minister. Currently being addressed by Legal Services - recommendation to close.

 

3.8       Category 2 Recommended Closures:

 

·        Action on Avoidable Winter Deaths (Ref number 121).  Motion adopted at November 20 People and Communities - officers continue to work with the Council’s statutory, community and voluntary partners, via Community Planning and the Living Here Board, to implement a multi-sectoral targeted Avoidable Winter Deaths Programme for the winter of 2020/21 with the aim of delivering the Belfast Warm and Well Project.

·        Mental Health Awareness and Support Campaign (Ref number 122).  Following discussion at November People and Communities,  officers have followed up with the Chair of the Belfast Protect Life Implementation Group regarding the issues raised in the NOM - PHA are due to attend People and Communities in Spring 2021 to update on available Mental Health, Drugs & Alcohol and Crisis Intervention services. Officers also continue to take forward mental health and drug and alcohol focussed actions referred to in this motion via Community Planning and the Living Here Board.

 

3.9       Additional information in relation to these Notices of motion and Issues Raised in Advance are available in Appendix 1 which is attached to the main report.

 

            Financial and Resource Implications

 

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

 

            Equality or Good Relations Implications/

            Rural Needs Assessment

 

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

 

            The Committee adopted the recommendations as outlined in the report.