Agenda item

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

 

“1.0      Purpose of Report or Summary of main Issues

 

1.1       This report provides a draft People & Communities Committee Plan summarising the Committee’s key priorities for 2024-25. 

 

2.0       Recommendations

 

2.1       The Committee is asked to approve the draft People and Communities Committee Plan priorities for 2024-25.

 

3.0       Main report

 

            The 2024-25 draft P&C Committee Plan has been developed in the context of the Council’s Corporate Plan and the Belfast Agenda and considering the Belfast Agenda Refresh.  Consequently, the new Committee Plan contains the commitments within the Corporate Delivery Plan, which fall under the remit of this Committee, plus additional deliverables that have been agreed by the P&C Committee throughout 2023-24 and are relevant to the Standing Orders.  The draft plan sets out the main priorities and programmes of work that the Committee oversees to maximise the Council’s contribution to the Belfast Agenda.

 

3.2       The structure of the delivery plan is themed under the following:

 

·        Our People and Communities

·        Our Place

·        Our Planet

·        Compassionate City

·        Improving Our Services

·        Organisational Priorities

 

3.3       A series of priorities fall under each theme, each with several committed deliverables for 2024-25.

 

3.4       Members will recall that the People and Communities Committee is responsible for the development and implementation of strategies, policies, programmes, and projects aimed at improving life at a local level in the context of the outcomes agreed in the community and corporate plans and other corporate strategy.  This includes:

 

·        Developing and delivering programmes, events, and activities to promote health, safety, and well-being at a local level.

 

·        Administering and enforcing the Council’s powers and duties under the Public Health Acts and all environmental health and building related legislation and regulations.

 

·        Securing and providing adequate provision for the recycling, treatment and disposal of commercial and domestic waste including bulky waste and the collection and disposal of abandoned motor vehicles.

 

·        Exercising the Council's powers for improving local environmental quality in relation to housing legislation, managing controlled waste, emergency planning and community safety and anti-social behaviour, clean neighbourhoods and other environmental or regulatory issues not falling within the remit of any other Committee. 

 

·        Managing, maintaining, and maximising the benefit of the Council’s parks, pitches, playgrounds, and other public spaces as well as community centres and other indoor facilities.

 

·        Developing and implementing activities to ensure the delivery of corporate strategies and initiatives in respect of the promotion of health and physical activity, environmental protection, community safety and other such areas under the domain of this Committee.

 

·        Overseeing the delivery of the Council’s frontline services and associated community assets including Environmental Health Services; Cleansing; Waste Management; Parks and Leisure service (excluding Zoo, Malone House and Belfast Castle), Neighbourhood and Development Services; Community Services, Community Safety and EmergencyPlanning.

 

3.5       Summary of Committee Plan Priorities

 

·        The draft Committee Plan identifies the following key areas of focus:

·        Build capacity within our communities

·        Addressing vulnerabilities and responding to societal challenges

·        Increase opportunities for people to be physically active 

·        Community Safety

·        Heritage Tourism

·        Off-Street Car Parking

·        Open Spaces

 

 

·        Reservoir Improvement Programme

·        Transition to low carbon

·        Promote sustainable circular economy approaches

·        Climate Resilience

·        Belfast Youth Council

·        Good Relations Action Plan

·        Community Safety

·        Bereavement Services

·        Port Health

·        House in Multiple Occupancy

·        Digital Development  

·        Asset Management 

 

3.6       It is likely many of these areas of focus will take several years to deliver. The draft plan includes and outlines the key deliverables for 2024-25 that we are working towards achieving. 

 

3.7       It is proposed that Committee receive a 6 monthly progress update regarding the priorities.  This will be in addition to usual reports that will be brought to Committee regarding individual priorities and deliverables. 

 

3.8       The Departmental Plan on which the committee plan is based reflects that the department is continuing to focus on the delivery of business-as-usual services while progressing the transformation and improvement agenda.

 

3.9       Financial & Resource Implications

 

            The Committee Plan and annual programme of work aligns with the budget agreed by Strategic Policy & Resources Committee on 9th February 2024, for 2024-25 for the People and Communities Committee, of £105,332,936.

 

3.10      Equality or Good Relations Implications

 

            There are no implications directly relating to this report however individual strategies, programmes and actions will be subject to the council’s equality, good relations, and rural needs requirements.”

 

            The Committee approved the draft People and Communities Committee Plan priorities for 2024-25.