Agenda item

            The Interim City Solicitor submitted for the Committee’s consideration the undernoted report:

 

“1.0      Purpose of Report/Summary of Main Issues

 

1.1       To present to the Committee the following requests from various clients for the use of City Hall Grounds:

 

·        Action Cancer Breast Foot Forward Walk – 9th June, 2023

·        Belfast One Film Screening – 15th and 16th July, 2023

·        Pride Picnic – 22nd July, 2023

·        Belfast Mela Carnival Parade Party – 19th August, 2023

·        Shine – October 2023

 

2.0       Recommendations

 

2.1       The Committee is asked to:

 

                                            i     authorise the use of the City Hall grounds on dates listed above; and

                                          ii     authorise the events to take place on the basis of the submission of an event management plan and risk assessment to ensure delivery of a safe public events.

 

3.0       Main Report

 

            Background Information

 

3.1       Members will be aware that requests for the use of City Hall are normally dealt with under the authority delegated by the Committee to the Director of Legal and Civic Services using criteria agreed for this purpose. Occasionally however, it is necessary to place such requests directly before the Committee and those in this report fall into this category.

 

            Key Issues

 

3.2       Several requests have been received for events over the spring and summer period and this report seeks to update the Committee on larger events using the City Hall grounds, due to the larger scale of activities involved it is deemed necessary to seek Committee approval.

 

            The Proposed Events

 

3.3       The proposed events would take place on the front lawns only and areas such as the Titanic Garden and Cenotaph will remain open to the public. Access to the City Hall building will not be affected.

 

3.4       The event would be free to enter. In each case, the organisers would be providing all stewarding/marshalling staff and first aiders and would of course have to comply with the usual conditions including indemnities for damage and submission of a formal event-management plan.

 

            9th June 2023 - Action Cancer Breast Foot Forward Walk

 

3.5       The Breast Foot Forward walk has taken place at the City Hall since 2014. It is Action Cancer’s flagship fundraising event and raises circa £60,000 each year. The City Hall is the starting point for the event, with entertainment and warm up activities, before 800 participants take part in 5k or 10k walk around Belfast returning to the City Hall as the end point. This is an annual event in the City Hall calendar and has been delivered without incident.

 

            15th and 16th July 2023 - Belfast One Cinema Screenings

 

3.6       This event aims to encourage people to experience the city centre shops and hospitality while they are in town.  Organisers will be offering attendees information about potential offers provided our business members.  Belfast One plan to show 4 films per day.  Films early in the day will be aimed at young children and families and later films at a slightly older audience.  All films will be rated appropriately. The event will be ticketed and access managed. There will be a big screen and audio equipment and additional entertainment by way of face painting and film props. Previous events in 2022 were very popular and were delivered without incident.

 

 

            22nd July 2023   Belfast Pride Family Fun Day

 

2.7       This event would take place on the front lawns would include a radio roadshow, various performers on a stage, food stalls and children’s attractions. The event would last from 12 noon to 5.00 p.m., although access would be required earlier and later in the day for set ups and strip downs. The event would be free and the organisers estimate up to 5,000 people would be in attendance. Previous event in 2022 and 2019 were very popular and were delivered without incident.

 

            19th August 2023   Belfast Mela Carnival Parade Party

 

3.8       In 2022, ArtsEkta launched a new event as part of the festival titled ‘Mela Carnival, a spectacular opening to the festival and begin a series of 50 events across a full week which will culminate in the traditional event at Botanic Gardens. The 2022 event was very successful and it wishes to host the event again this year.

 

            A 800-participant carnival parade will begin at Writers Square, proceed onto Royal Avenue into Donegal Place and end at City Hall grounds. ArtsEkta requests the use of the City Hall grounds for a free to access carnival party and celebration event for the participants, family/friends and wider audiences with stage entertainment, performers, food traders and carnival floats.

 

            14th October 2023 - Cancer Research Shine Night Walk

 

3.9       The Shine Night Walk is a 10k walk around Belfast starting and ending at the City Hall. The grounds infrastructure includes stage entertainment, gantry, marquees and warm up activities for 700 participants. The event took place in 2022 and was very successful and well delivered by Action Cancer fundraising team.

 

            Financial and Resource Implications

 

3.10      There would be no costs for the council as the various organisers would bear any/all stewarding and equipment costs etc themselves. The utilities costs on the day are of a very minor nature and the normal event support in the form of electrical and water provision in the grounds will be provided.

 

            There are no concerns from an asset management point of view, although the organisers would be required to provide the usual insurances, indemnities, and obligations.

 

 

            Equality or Good Relations Implications/

            Rural Needs Assessment

 

3.11      There are no direct good relations, equality or rural needs implications arising from this report.”

 

            The Committee:

 

1.      authorised the use of the City Hall grounds on dates listed below; and

 

2.      authorised the events to take place on the basis of the submission of an event management plan and risk assessment to ensure delivery of a safe public events:

 

·        Action Cancer Breast Foot Forward Walk – 9th June, 2023

·        Belfast One Film Screening – 15th and 16th July, 2023

·        Pride Picnic – 22nd July, 2023

·        Belfast Mela Carnival Parade Party – 19th August, 2023

·        Shine – October 2023