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 Issues Raised in Advance and Notices of Motion as referenced in Appendix 1 and noted 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 June 2022.

 

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 June 22 update.

 

            Notice of Motion Updates

 

3.3       There are currently 36 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       Proposal for pedestrian crossing at new BCC playpark on Upper Dunmurry Lane (Ref 38)

 

            Following discussion on this Issue Raised in Advance ..’the Committee agreed to write to the Department for Infrastructure in regards to an update on the Pedestrian Crossing requests for Upper Dunmurry Lane and Cherryvale’.

           

            Upper Dunmurry Lane - Whilst DfI had hoped to deliver this scheme in the 2022/23 financial year dependent upon confirmation of budget and availability of contractor resource, unfortunately the scheme is yet to be progressed. Officers will continue to liaise with DfI to progress this request.   

 

            Cherryvale - DfI continue to undertake the relevant safety assessments required to progress the installation of this crossing. Officers will continue to keep Members updated going forward. It is therefore recommended that this Issue is closed as the specific actions within have been undertaken.

 

3.7       Historic Graveyards – (Ref No. 48)

 

            This Motion proposed that ‘…Council organise a tour of the two cemeteries for Members; prepare a maintenance and conservation plan; provide a report on the plan and costs and set a timeframe for the completion of the required works’.

 

            Site visits have taken place one of which included Chief Executive, Director of Physical Programmes and Director of City Services. With funding support from DfC, Historic Environment Division, condition surveys have been carried out by a conservation architect. The resulting reports include indicative costings for the work required. Proposed works will now follow the standard council process for development as capital projects. It is therefore recommended that this Motion is closed as the requested actions have now been undertaken.

 

 

3.8       Support for Young People and Students (Ref 123)

 

            This Motion proposed that ‘..this Council notes the adverse effect COVID-19 has had on our city’s young people and students. Accordingly, we call upon the Council to facilitate an ad hoc meeting with key stakeholders to amplify the wide range issues and ensure a joined up approach is taken.’

 

            As previously noted, officers met with Cllrs Kate Nicholl and Sian Mulholland in January 2021 to discuss this Motion and followed up with a short note of key discussion points and potential direction. Feedback from Members on how to progress this Motion was not received. As both the proposer and seconder of this Motion are no longer BCC councillors, and with relevant Community Planning Partners including EA, BHSCT, UU and QUB continuing to support Children and Young People through both Covid response and recovery periods, it is recommended that this Motion is now closed.

 

3.9       Recent Violence and Public Disorder (Ref 182)

 

            This Motion proposed that ‘..Council will: commit to supporting all elements of the Youth Service, including our own Belfast Youth Forum; and will convene an urgent meeting of the relevant statutory agencies and third sector organisations to develop a consistent, young person led approach for the coming summer period; engage with Trade Unions to ensure safety of our staff and; will support the ongoing process for the formation of a NI Youth Assembly; and seek assurances that Youth Citizens’ Assemblies will be considered as an engagement model to make recommendations for the city on addressing poverty, inequality, eradicating paramilitarism, integrating communities, expanding opportunity and tackling the climate crises’.

 

            Following on from previous updates on this Motion, a new Children & Young People Coordinator was recently appointed and is currently refreshing membership and involvement of the BCC Youth Council.  Links have also been made with the NI lead for the UK Youth Parliament and we plan to also reach out to the NI Youth Assembly lead and to the EA lead for their youth engagement forums in due course.  We will continue to support C&YP actions identified under community planning as well as via our own service areas within CNS - for example in relation to planning for, and responding to, disorder at a local level - our Community Safety team and PCSPs are funding a number of initiatives focused on diversionary activity and linking with key stakeholders through the partnerships (city and areas) re. same. In light of these ongoing actions, it is recommended that this Motion is now closed.

 

3.10     City Centre Safety for Women (Ref 218)

 

            ‘At the request of Councillor Black, the Committee agreed that an update report be submitted to a future meeting, to include relevant information and feedback, from the PSCPs, Partners and other Stakeholders, on the issue of City Centre Safety for Women’.

 

            Following on from previous updates on this Issue Raised in Advance, a report and suggested actions focused on 'inclusive and safe' (including those relating to the safety of women in the city centre) are to be considered internally by officers before being discussed more broadly with the PCSPs to see what can be achieved in 2023/24. As the Clean, Green, Inclusive and Safe action plan will pick these issues up going forward, it is recommended that this Motion is now closed.

 

3.11     Request to present to Committee – Inclusive Parks (Ref 251)

 

            A presentation from Playboard NI and the Mae Murray Foundation was received at People and Communities Committee in June 2022 therefore this Issue Raised in Advance can be closed.

 

3.12     Cleansing Task Force (Ref 255)

 

            The first meeting of the Cleanliness Task Force was held on 17 August 2022, with a number of meetings held since. It was agreed at the Cleanliness Task Force held on 28 April 2023 that the Task Force had fulfilled its Terms of Reference and that no further meetings would be required at this time. It is therefore recommended that this Motion is closed.

 

3.13     Review of Non-Residential Fees for the re-opening of graves in Blaris Cemetery for Collin Residents (Ref 265)

 

            This Issue Raised in Advance requested that that a letter be issued to Lisburn and Castlereagh (LCCC) seeking a review of non-residential fees for the re-opening of graves in Blaris Cemetery for Collin Residents. A further Member asked the Committee to write to the Minister for Communities to establish if there were any plans to review the Burial Ground Regulations in relation to fees for burials and to ascertain if the Department had any plans to work with Councils to ensure that residents were not faced with disproportionate charges during a bereavement. The Committee accordingly agreed to issue the letters as requested.

 

            Correspondence was issued to LCCC and DfC as agreed by Committee and responses received. An update report was provided to Committee in October 2022. In their response, Department for Communities advised that the Burial Grounds Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1992 were made under section 181 of the Public Health Ireland Act 1878 Act (the 1878 Act). This section does not provide the Department with the power to make regulations regarding burial fees which is the sole responsibility of Councils. LCCC replied to advise that there was a three year period following Local Government Reform from April 2015 to March 2018 where the resident rate was applied. LCCC advised that their position on this matter has been reviewed following by the Northern Ireland Public Sector Ombudsman following a similar challenge and had been supported in decision making and consistency on the matter. Given that the specific actions have been undertaken and that LCCC have outlined their position on this issue, it is recommended that this is now closed.

 

3.14     Support for Parents (Ref 275)

 

            This Motion proposed.. ‘to support parents, the Council commits to providing a list of existing initiatives which it delivers, with a view to working with the voluntary and community sector, as well as other partners, to explore if such initiatives may be improved, as well as seeking to bring forward new programmes during the cost-of-living crisis. The Council also commits to seeking parents’ views on any further support it will provide to families to ensure that parent voice is a significant factor in the design and implementation of new initiatives that will help tackle the cost-of-living crisis for parents’.

 

            The first action within this Motion regarding support for Parenting Week 2022 has been completed. A number of support programmes for parents are delivered via our community and play centre programming and via external organisations who book our centres.  These include Parent and Toddler clubs, After-Schools Programmes, Homework Clubs, Summer Scheme Programmes and Money Saver Events.  Our Play Service also provides a number of further targeted support projects including cultural confidence projects for Ethnic Minorities where we deliver sessions to parents and children from ethnic minority backgrounds and project support for Refugees delivered at three hotels in the city and in Botanic Park.  The team are also delivering support to a Neurodiverse Parents Group with sessions for parents to talk and share experiences of children with neurodiverse profiles. Given the volume of ongoing work in relation to this Motion, it is recommended that this Motion is now closed.

 

3.15     Bins not being removed from the street (Ref 276)

 

            This is being progressed as part of the actions arising from the Special P&C committee on the 22nd March 2023 therefore it is recommended that this issue is now closed.

 

3.16     Belfast Cycle Network (Ref 288)

 

            This Motion requested that the Council engage with PSNI and Department for Infrastructure, to develop a long-term, comprehensive strategy to ensure that the Belfast cycle network is kept clean and free from obstructions, such as parked cars and commercial bins.

 

            Officers continue to engage with key partners, in particular DfI, through established Community Planning structures.  Processes are in place within council to address any cleansing issues which are raised; however, enforcement of obstructions lies with DfI. Given that the specific actions within have been undertaken, it is recommended that this Motion is now closed.

 

3.17     Missed bin collections (Ref 299)

 

            This is being progressed as part of the actions arising from the Special P&C committee on 22nd March 2023 therefore it is recommended that this issue is now closed.

 

            Category 2 Recommended Closures

 

3.18     Belfast City Council Cycling Champion (Ref 124)

 

            This Motion proposed that ‘this Council agrees to introduce a Belfast City Council - Cycling Champion within the Council to support active travel and bicycle use; and agrees to write to the Minister for Infrastructure calling on the publication of the Belfast Bicycle Network’.

 

            An internal officer Connectivity and Active Travel Group has been established and is seeking to ensure that our policies, projects, interventions, funding opportunities and programming are aligned to not only our internal corporate priorities but link with various external structures and plans e.g.Belfast Metropolitan Transport Plan, Belfast Cycling Network. This work will also feed into an All Party Member workshop on the sustainable and active work and engagement that Council are undertaking. Officers intend to present a paper to CMT in the coming weeks regarding a three-year workplace Active Travel Plan which includes the nomination of a senior CMT officer as an Active Travel Champion, therefore it is recommended that this Motion is now closed.

 

3.19     Graffiti Removal (Ref 244)

 

            This Motion proposed that ’…this is not a problem unique to Belfast but is one for which we should consider innovative solutions alongside traditional cleaning methods Council will also work in an inter-agency capacity to address issues around unwanted graffiti across the city. In doing so, Council should consider how its team can be made available to other agencies on a commercial basis’.

 

            As per recent updates to the Cleanliness Task Force, a database has been established to track problem graffiti areas to enable the alignment of resources. Environmental Education and Outreach Team are working with the Neighbourhood Manager (OSS) on a pilot to support community groups in graffiti removal. Officers continue to work with partner agencies in regard to education and awareness, with a number of environmental school visits undertaken which include the issue of the impact and cost of graffiti. It is officers' intention to write to the Permanent Secretaries of each department to encourage consideration of participation in graffiti removal for team building days/activities. As the specific points within the Motion have been addressed and reporting will be ongoing, it is recommended that this Motion is now closed.

 

3.20     Financial & Resource Implications

 

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

 

3.21     Equality or Good Relations Implications/Rural Needs Assessment

 

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

 

            The Committee:

 

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

·        Agreed to the closure of Issues Raised in Advance and Notices of Motion as referenced in Appendix 1, with the exception of the Review of the Non-Residential Fees for the re-opening of graves in Blaris Cemetery for Collin Residents; and the Belfast Cycle Network.  It was agreed also that the Cleansing Task Force be retained.