Agenda item

            The Committee considered the following report:

 

“1.0     Purpose of Report or Summary of main Issues

 

            At the meeting of the Strategic Policy and resources Committee on 20th October 2023, ratified at Council on 1st November 2023, it was agreed to proceed with the proposal for the erection of dual language street signs in the Gaeltacht Quarter, in line with the process set out in the report.

 

1.2       This report is to update members on the results of the work undertaken to consult with the occupiers of the streets within boundary agreed by the Committee on the 20th October. It also updates members on the progress made in considering the proposal for the erection of new signage.

 

2.0       Recommendations

 

2.1       Members are asked to consider the contents of the report and to:

 

2.2

a.     Agree to the erection of dual language street nameplates, with the second language being Irish, in the list of 301 streets contained in Appendix A which were included in the consultation and where any level of objections raised did not meet the agreed 15% threshold, including the following 10 streets in the list, for which there are no occupiers:

 

2.3       Ardmonagh Way, Ballymurphy Street, Dairy Street, Divismore Way, Monagh By Pass, Mulhouse Road, Springview Street, Stanley Street, Theodore Street, Turin Street

 

2.4

b.     Agree that a full survey be carried out for Clovelly Street for which the level of objections to the proposed approach met the 15% threshold.

 

3.0       Background

 

3.1       At the meeting of the Strategic Policy and resources Committee on 20th October 2023 it was agreed:

 

i.       to proceed with the erection of Dual language Street signs in the Gaeltacht Quarter, in line with the process outlined within the report;

ii.     that the threshold for objections to this process which would trigger the requirement for an application and engagement of the current full process for a specific street within the Gaeltacht Quarter be set at 15% of residents;

iii.    that applications which are deemed subject to the full process due to the threshold of objections being met be dealt with alongside existing applications;

iv.    that the project be added to the Capital Programme as a capital project and prioritised; and

v.     that those streets which form the boundary of the Gaeltacht Quarter also be included as part of the area, with only that portion of the Donegall Road within the boundary of the Gaeltacht Quarter, as set out in the appendix to the report, to be included.   

 

            This was ratified by full council on 1st November 2023.

 

            Consultation

 

3.2       Significant work was undertaken to identify and review the streets within the boundary agreed for the Gaeltacht Quarter project which did not already have dual language street signs in place, and also to identify the individual addresses within each of these streets, for consultation. Particular attention was taken along the agreed boundary, where streets continued through the boundary and on either side of the peace line wall and gates, to ensure letters were only delivered to properties within the boundary. This resulted in 8887 addresses being identified for the purposes of the consultation with residents. Letters were issued to all residents through a mail drop using an external company ‘Postal Sort’. The purpose of this letter was to advise residents about the proposal to erect dual language street signage and also to give residents the opportunity to object to the proposal for their street.

 

3.3       Elected members were given the list of streets subject to the proposal in advance of the resident consultation to allow for any potential for adverse impacts to be raised.

 

3.4       A public advert was placed in both the Irish News and the Andersonstown News to inform residents of the Gaeltacht Quarter of the approach being taken and how an objection could be made.

 

3.5       Results

 

            Of the 302 remaining streets identified within the Gaeltacht Quarter which did not already have dual language street signage in place, 10 did not have any occupiers. These are included in the recommendations section above.

 

3.6       The consultation with residents of 8777 properties in the remaining 292 streets, was issued on 24th January 2024 with a closing date for objections of 4pm on 23rd February 2024

 

3.7       In total, 21 objections were received from residents of 16 individual streets using the reply form provided.

 

3.8       From the analysis of these objections, there was one street (Clovelly Street) were the level of objection to the proposal met the agreed 15% threshold as agreed by members. Of the 15 letters issued to residents in this street there were 3 objectors to the proposal which is a 20% objection rate. One resident provided comment, ‘as this is mixed area I think this would cause tension for us and our neighbours’

 

3.9       The remaining 18 objections were spread across 15 streets with no objection rate over 6% for any of these streets.

 

            Additional project tasks

 

3.10     Work and discussions are ongoing between staff within Property and Projects and Building Control to consider the next part of the project, to erect the nameplates. The proposal is to follow the existing process and utilise the current street signage contract and contractor. Whilst the project will be managed by Property and Projects, the Building Control Service will work in conjunction with the project manager to provide the necessary guidance, assistance and oversight. This may also require a resource to be provided by the Building Control Service to carry out some of the duties associated with the project.

 

3.11     It is suggested that the erection of the nameplates will be undertaken in a number of established clusters, potentially clusters of approximately 30 streets. The main tasks associated with the project include:

 

·        On site identification of all existing nameplates in each street to supplement data already collected as a desktop exercise using google street view.

·        Engagement with homeowners where signs are on properties and to advise about the need for access to their property for the erection of new nameplates. (From existing desktop work to date there are approximately 75% of signs erected on private property)

·        A work order to be raised for each street with the location, type of sign and the translation for every identified existing sign using information captured at site survey stage.

·        Quality checks of work orders prior to issue to contractor and also of manufactured signs prior to erection on site.

·        Checks of nameplates once erected and payment of invoices and dealing with any on site issues regarding installation.

 

3.12     The project has been discussed with our street signs contractor who has confirmed they have the necessary capacity to carry out the work within the project subject to agreement of detailed project plan timescales. Our current estimates for the project are based on completion within 6 months following Council ratification of the project moving to Stage 3 – Committed under the Capital Programme. 

 

3.13     As discussed above a desktop analysis had found that the majority of the existing street nameplates are erected on the walls of private properties.  BCC will need to engage with each resident of these properties to inform them of the proposal to change to a dual language nameplate. This is a more time-consuming exercise and therefore the staffing to carry out this engagement and the tasks associated with identifying the location and type of signage are being considered to avoid any detrimental impact on the current processing times for the existing applications.

 

            Translations

 

3.14     Translations for the streets have been requested from Queens University who intend to have these completed this month.

 

3.15     Financial and Resource Implications

 

            Following consideration at SP&R Committee in March 2024, Members moved the project to Stage 2 – Uncommitted on the Capital Programme. The Physical Programme Update report also presented to Members this month seeks approval to move this project to Stage 3 – Committed in line with the agreed three stage approval process for capital projects.

 

3.16     Equality or Good Relations Implications/

            Rural Needs Assessment

 

            A draft equality screening has been carried out on the decision to erect dual language street signs en bloc within the Gaeltacht Quarter. The decision has been screened out as having minor impacts, but with the additional consultation actions set out in the previous report and agreed by members. The screening finds that the measures proposed align closely with the Council’s Language and Good Relations strategies. In general, this equality screening indicates that there are sufficient safeguards, within the new procedure, to ensure there are no adverse impacts in relation to equality of opportunity and good relations issues.

 

3.17     The consultation with residents provided an opportunity for feedback of any equality or good relations issues associated with the proposed approach. Only one comment was received from a resident in Clovelly Street as discussed above at 3.8. 

 

3.18     The consultation actions have now been carried out and results are being brought to committee for consideration.”

 

            After discussion, it was

 

            Moved by Councillor I. McLaughlin,

            Seconded by Councillor Ferguson,

 

      That the Committee agrees to defer consideration of the matter in order to undertake further engagement with those communities on the boundary lines at interface areas.

 

Amendment

 

            Moved by Councillor R. McLaughlin,

            Seconded by Councillor Beattie,

 

      That the Committee agrees to adopt the recommendations as set out in paragraph 2 of the report.

 

            On a vote by show of hands, fifteen Members voted for the amendment and five against and it accordingly declared passed.

 

            The amendment was put as the substantive motion and passed.