Agenda item

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

“1.0      Purpose of Report or Summary of main Issues

1.1             To provide an update to People and Communities Committee on Notices of Motion and Issues Raised in Advance by Members.

2.0       Recommendations

2.1       It is recommended that People and Communities Committee:

·        Notes the updates to all Notices of Motion / Issues Raised in Advance that the Committee is responsible for as referenced in Appendix 1; and

·        Agree to the closure of Issue Raised in Advance, as referenced in Appendix 1 and noted in paragraph 3.5 below.

3.0       Main report

            Background

3.1       Members will recall that the previous Notices of Motion update was presented to People and Communities Committee in December 2021. At this meeting, Committee agreed that the Notices of Motion update could move from a quarterly to a six-monthly update due to workload pressures on Council staff.

3.2       This report provides an overview of the progress on those Notices of Motion and Issues Raised in Advance which remained open following the December 2021 update.

            Notice of Motion Updates

3.3       There are currently 26 active Notices of Motion and Issues Raised in Advance which the People and Communities Committee is responsible for. An update on those Notices of Motion and Issues Raised in Advance which remain active on the live database is attached at Appendix 1.

            Closure of Notices of Motion and Issues Raised in Advance

3.4       At SP&R Committee on 20th November 2020, 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. 

3.5       Following an update of those Notices of Motion and Issues Raised in Advance on the live database, it is recommended that Members approve the following Motions/Issues for closure.

            Category 1 Recommended Closures:

3.6       Nutrition Support for Children in Out of Hours School Clubs (Ref no 33) – as noted in Appendix 1, an update report on this Motion was presented to People and Communities Committee in May 2022 which noted that promotion of physical activity and nutrition is an ongoing priority work area within the Belfast Agenda, and staff within BHDU will be able to continue to provide support and advice in relation to taking agreed work forward in partnership with Council community services staff. It is therefore recommended that this Motion is closed as the request specified within has now been addressed.

3.7       Request to present - Federation of City Farms and Community Gardens (Ref no 241) - Members are due to receive a presentation from this group at the June meeting of People and Communities Committee, therefore this Issue can be closed.

            Category 2 Recommended Closures:

3.8       Irish Language Street Signage Policy (Ref no 47) – as noted in Appendix 1, the public consultation on the dual language section of the Street Naming Policy, and the subsequent Equality Impact Assessment have now been completed. Officers are now preparing a report for SP&R Committee with findings from both and to outline the proposed next steps towards implementation of this policy therefore it is recommended that this Motion is now closed.

3.9       Tsar for the Holylands area (Ref no 205) – as detailed in Appendix 1, an Intervention Manager has been appointed, funded by BCC, DfC, PHA and DoJ (PCSP). This post will carry out the function of the Tsar as intended by the Motion, therefore it is recommended that this Motion is now closed.

            Financial & 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.”

            A Member sought an update in relation to the following two matters, Lighting of City Parks (Ref no 12) and Future Use of former Horticultural Training Site (Ref no 89).  The Director undertook investigate the status of both and to update the Member directly.   The City Services Director also advised that, whilst many of the motions had not progressed given resource pressure and covid recovery, there has been work carried out internally with the Core Improvement Team and discussed with the Chief Executive for the opportunity to create a performance  and improvement unit  within existing resources which, as part of their work,  would help to progress  some of the matters. It was noted this will take some time to establish.

            The Committee noted the update report and agreed to the closure of the following 4 Notices of Motion / Issues Raised in Advance:

·        Nutrition Support for Children in Out of Hours School Clubs (Ref no 33);

·        Request to present - Federation of City Farms and Community Gardens (Ref no 241);

·        Irish Language Street Signage Policy (Ref no 47); and

·       Tsar for the Holylands area (Ref no 205).