Minutes:
The Members of the Committee were reminded that, at the meeting on 18th June, they had agreed to recommend that, in accordance with the Council decision of 4th May, the Chief Executive exercise her delegated authority to retain the annual allocation of £500k for the Summer Community Diversionary Festival Programme, with a view to delivering the Programme later in the year.
They were reminded further that the Council, at its meeting on 1st July, had agreed that:
“due to the exceptional circumstances of this year and the fact that it is now July, that the open call for the Summer Community Diversionary Festival Programme is suspended for this year only. The funding, which is already included in the annual budget, is allocated to the same groups which were awarded funding following the open call in 2019, with the same amount again being ear-marked for each. These groups will be required to submit application forms which will be subject to due diligence, the application process will be opened to these groups immediately, that there be no fixed closing date so that applications can be assessed as they come in and funding awarded. Mindful that of the fact that some, though not all, events are planned for August, authority be delegated to the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee to hold a special Committee meeting on 2nd August to approve grants for those applications approved by then. All planned events obviously must be compliant with Covid restrictions at the time, with the use of Council Parks for approved events in August granted, if required, and that call-in on this matter be suspended.”
The Director of Neighbourhood Services informed the Members that, whilst the diversionary and festival fund was a rolling programme for 2021/22, officers had stipulated deadline dates for the submission of applications, to ensure that there was sufficient time for preliminary assessment in advance of them being presented to the Members of the Committee. He confirmed that the only application which had been received by the latest deadline date of 6th August related to the Eastside Partnership, which had requested funding of £82,470.
He provided a brief synopsis of the project, together with details of the assessment score, and confirmed that, if approved, officers would provide the applicant with a funding agreement and terms of grant, similar to those which had been issued in 2019. As part of the initial assessment, officers had identified that further clarification was required around the management costs associated with managing the overall programme of work. He added that, whilst officers would support successful applicants with the condition of grant, there could, based on the final documentation submitted, be changes to the proposed programme of works and/or a reduction in funding for individual applicants in ensuring compliance with the relevant Council policies and procedures.
After discussion, it was
Moved by Alderman Kingston,
Seconded by Councillor Beattie,
That the Members of the Committee agree to recommend that, in accordance with the Council’s decision of 4th May, the Chief Executive exercise her delegated authority to agree to allocate up to a maximum of £82,470 to the Eastside Partnership to deliver its community diversionary festivals programme.
On a vote, thirteen Members voted for the proposal and five against and it was declared carried.
The Members of the Committee agreed also to recommend that, in accordance with the Council decision of 4th May, the Chief Executive exercise her delegated authority:
i. to agree, in accordance with Standing Order 48 (a) (2) (c), that the aforementioned decision would not be subject to call-in, on the basis that an unreasonable delay could be prejudicial to the Council’s or the public’s interest;
ii. to note that, in compliance with existing Council polices and the use of the Council’s parks and open spaces, the decision to allocate funding to the Eastside Partnership would remain subject to:
a. the negotiation of satisfactory terms and conditions of use, including any relevant fees, via an appropriate legal agreement prepared by the City Solicitor, including managing final booking confirmation dates and flexibility around ‘set up’ and take down’ periods, and booking amendments, subject to:
· the applicant resolving any operational issues to the Council’s satisfaction;
· compliance with the Covid-19 restrictions in place at the time of the event(s); and
· the applicant complying with all relevant statutory licencing requirements.
iii. to agree that the Party Group Leaders be provided with information on how the Eastside Partnership project contributed to a positive image of Belfast and met the definition of a diversionary festival, as set out in parts 6 and 7 of the assessment criteria; and
iv. to agree that issues which had been raised in relation to the Wolfe Tones concert on the night of 15th August be referred to the Party Group Leaders for further consideration.