Agenda item

            The Director of Property and Projects submitted for the Committee’s consideration the following report:

“1.0     Purpose of Report/Summary of Main Issues

1.1       The Council’s Physical Programme currently includes over 400 capital projects via a range of internal and external funding streams, together with projects which the Council delivers on behalf of external agencies. The Council’s Capital Programme forms part of the Physical Programme and is a rolling programme of investment which either improves existing Council facilities or provides new facilities. This report includes a stage movement request relating to the Capital Programme, an update on leisure, details on site visits for Members for Neighbourhood Regeneration Fund in line with the approach agreed by Committee, requests for the Council to act as delivery agent and an update on contracts awarded.

2.0       Recommendations

2.1       The Committee is requested:

                                             i.        Capital Programme: Stage movement – to agree to move the HWRC and CAS Containers project to Stage 2 – Uncommitted under the Waste Plan Programme due to operational requirements;

                                           ii.        Leisure Programme – to note that the Leisure Transformation Programme was recently awarded Runner Up in the ‘’A whole council approach to tackling health inequalities’ category at the MJ Awards and that a detailed update on Leisure will be brought to the Committee next month;

                                         iii.        Neighbourhood Regeneration Fund – to note the arrangements for the NRF site visits;

                                          iv.        Council as Delivery Agent – to agree, in principle, that the Council act as the delivery agent for Colin Community Health and Wellbeing Hub project which is receiving external funding from the Executive Office under the Urban Villages Initiative subject to the Council receiving a management fee for the delivery, full funding packages being in place and further discussions with Legal Services; and

                                           v.        Contracts awarded in Q1 2023/24 – to note the update in relation to contracts awarded.

3.0       Main Report

            Capital Programme

3.1       Members will be aware that the Council runs a substantial Physical Programme which includes the rolling Capital Programme – a multimillion regeneration programme of investment across the city which improves existing Council assets or provides new council facilities. The Council also delivers externally focused funding streams such as Belfast Investment Fund (BIF), Local Investment Fund (LIF), Social Outcomes Fund (SOF) and Neighbourhood Regeneration Fund (NRF), as well as numerous capital programmes that we deliver for central government. Our funding partners include National Lottery Heritage Fund, SEUPB Peace IV, the Executive Office, DfC, DfI via the Blue Green Infrastructure Fund and Living with Water Programme, DAERA, Ulster Garden Villages, Levelling Up Fund (LUF) and others.  When appropriate, the Physical Programmes Department is happy to arrange site visits to any projects that have been completed.

3.2       Members agreed that all capital projects must go through a three-stage process where decisions on which capital projects progress are taken by the Committee. This provides assurance as to the level of financial control and will allow Members to properly consider the opportunity costs of approving one capital project over another capital project. Members are asked to note the following activity on the Capital Programme:

            Proposed Stage Movement - HWRC and CAS Containers (Compactors and Skips)

3.3       The network of Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs) and Civic Amenity Sites (CAS) is an essential business unit within the Resources and Fleet Service. Residents can deposit a significant range of large bulky items for re-use and/or recycling at the sites. The sites accept around 30,000 tonnes of waste per annum and account for almost 25% of the total tonnage of household recycling captured during the year. A number of these containers are coming to the end of their useful/economic life.

The Committee is asked to recommend that the HWRC and CAS Containers project is moved to Stage 2 – Uncommitted on the Capital Programme. An Outline Business Case will now be worked up on the proposal with further detail to be brought back to Committee in due course.

            Leisure Programme

3.4       Members are asked to note that the Council’s Leisure Transformation Programme was recently awarded Runner Up in the ‘A whole council approach to tackling health inequalities’ category in the Municipal Journal Awards. The MJ Awards recognise excellence in local councils across the UK in supporting their communities and making an impact and this award recognises the transformational impact that the Leisure Programme has had across the city.  Members will also be aware that the £17m Templemore has recently opened and has received positive media and community feedback and was the sixth out of the seven projects under Leisure Phase 3.

            Members are asked to note that work is ongoing on finalising the business case for the remaining project under the current Leisure Programme which is the facility at Girdwood.  £6m has been ringfenced for this.  This is a partnership project with DfC who have funded the business case and the latest draft has been forwarded to them for review.  In addition, Members will be aware that Space and Place Consultants have been appointed to look at the other centres which have not been taken forward under the other leisure phases - Shankill, Ozone, Whiterock, Ballysillan, Belvoir and Loughside. Members previously agreed that the scope of this work be extended to also look at the leisure focused independently managed community facilities.  Members will also be aware that there are a number of other inter-linked pieces underway which relate to leisure including the Sports Development and Physical Activity Strategy and the development of the new 10-year Pitches Strategy which has recently been agreed.  

            Members are asked to note that a detailed update on leisure, to include Girdwood and Leisure Phase 4, will be brought back to Committee next month. 

            Neighbourhood Regeneration Fund

3.5       Members will recall that in June they received an updated timeline for NRF which confirmed that Member site visits would be arranged for September to Stage 2 projects. Site visits have now been arranged in conjunction with the groups and are as follows:

Members are encouraged to attend any and all of these arranged visits and all of the Area Working Groups will also be provided with these details. Invitations for these site visits will be issued by Democratic Services.  The meeting point for all visits is City Hall and transport will be provided, returning to City Hall afterwards. Members are asked to RSVP as soon as possible when contacted. The Committee is asked to note the arrangements for the NRF site visits.

Council acting as Delivery Agent

3.6       Members will be aware that the Council is asked to deliver externally funded initiatives for a range of funding bodies including Urban Villages (UV) projects and DfC match funded schemes. These requests recognise both the successful track record of the Council as delivery agent as well as the unique role of the Council as civic leader in the city.In total, the Council is acting as delivery agent for over 90 projects worth in excess of £65m (this includes both completed, live and planned projects).  Members are reminded that the Council’s Insurance Unit has advised that the Council’s Professional Indemnity Insurance only provides cover for services provided to third parties for a fee.  This means that, where it is acting solely as the delivery agent for a third party project, the Council can only rely on its professional indemnity insurance policy if a management fee is received.  Committee is asked to note therefore that the Council will be advising in the future that it will only be able to consider acting as the delivery agent for any third party projects if the proposal includes a management fee.  

3.7       Members are asked to note that the Council has recently received a request to act as the delivery agent in principle for an additional transformational project under the Urban Villages Initiative – the Colin Community Health and Wellbeing Hub. Committee is asked to note that this project is being 100% externally funded with the Executive Office as core funder. An application is also being lodged with SEUPB under PeacePLUS Theme 1.4 (see separate report at SP and R Committee this month). There is no Council financial commitment to the project. The Committee is asked to agree in principle to the Council acting as delivery agent for this project subject to the Council receiving a management fee for the delivery, full funding package being in place and further discussions with Legal Services.

3.8       Contracts awarded – Q1 2023/24

Members are asked to note the award of tenders for capital works, including services related to works for Q1 2023/24, in the attached appendix.

3.9       Financial and Resource Implications

            Financial – None

            Resources – Officer time to deliver as required

3.10     Equality or Good Relations Implications/

Rural Needs Assessment

All capital projects are screened as part of the stage approval process.”

            After discussion, during which the Director of Property and Projects confirmed that the forthcoming update report on the next phase of the Girdwood project would make reference to the outcome of the consultation process, the Committee adopted the recommendations.