Agenda and minutes

An apology for inability to attend was reported from Councillor McVeigh.

            The minutes of the meeting of 22nd September and the special meeting of 28th September were taken as read and signed as correct.  It was reported that those minutes had been adopted by the Council at its meeting on 2nd October.

            In respect of agenda item (8a) Minutes of the Meeting of the Shared City Partnership – in so far as it related to Good Relations Grant Aid 2017/18 – the following Members declared an interest and left the meeting whilst this item was under consideration:

·        Councillor O’Neill in that a relative was employed by Prime Cuts;

·        Councillor Walsh undertook some employment for Coiste Na NIarchimi; and

·        Alderman Spence as he was on the Board of Currie Primary School.

Each of the aforementioned organisations had submitted an application for funding.

The information contained in the following four reports is restricted in accordance with Part 1 of Schedule 6 of the Local Government Act (Northern Ireland) 2014.

      Resolved – That the Committee agrees to exclude the members of the Press and public from the Committee meeting during discussion of these items as, due to the nature of the items, there would be a disclosure of exempt information as described in Section 42(4) and Section 6 of the Local Government Act (Northern Ireland) 2014.

            The Committee agreed to defer consideration of this matter to enable the Ulster Unionist Party to receive a briefing.

The Committee agreed to defer consideration of the report which provided an update on the City Hall Exhibition to enable Party Briefings to take place.

The Committee was reminded that, at its meeting on 18th August, it had agreed to relocate the Fleet Management Unit to City and Neighbourhood Services by April, 2018.  Currently it was part of the Facilities Management Section, which formed part of the Property and Projects Department.  The Fleet Unit procured, managed, maintained, repaired and disposed of all the vehicles comprising the Council’s fleet.  In addition, the Committee was reminded of the high profile public services, such as domestic refuse collection and street cleansing, including parks, that were dependent on the effective and efficient management of fleet assets.  Therefore, the Committee had agreed also to authorise the Director of City and Neighbourhood Services Department to submit a further report outlining how the Fleet Management structure and associated support services could best be integrated into the City and Neighbourhood Services Department to support the objectives of that Department’s change programme.  Accordingly, the Director submitted a report in this regard.

            The Committee agreed to:

(a)    Create a new permanent post of Logistics Manager (PO10), to manage the waste collection and fleet elements within the City and Neighbourhood Services Department, with implementation for January 2018.

(b)    Create a new permanent post of Fleet and Transport Manager (PO6) to recognise a revised reporting line and responsibilities and to delete the Fleet Manager post and ensure the temporary postholder was dealt with appropriately in line with BCC HR policies and procedures.

(c)    Realign the reporting line of the Transport and Priority Waste Manager and function from Cleansing Services to report to the newly created Fleet and Transport Manger post, and to refresh the Transport and Priority Waste Manager job description.

(d)    Realign the reporting line of the Operations Manager (Waste Collection and Recycling) to report to the newly created Logistics Manager post and refresh the Operations Manager (Waste Collection and Recycling) job description.

(e)    Realign the reporting line of the Technical Standards and Compliance Officer from the Parks and Cemeteries Operational structure to report to the newly created Fleet and Transport Manger post.

(f)     Create a temporary Commercial Waste Collection Manager post to manage and drive improved customer service and operational delivery of Commercial Waste Collection operations and exploit opportunities to maximise income generation.

(g)    Realign the reporting line of the Occupational Road Risk Assistant to the Transport and Priority Waste Manager following the deletion of the Occupational Road Risk Manager post.

(h)    Realign the reporting line of the Waste Transfer Station Officer from the Head of Service to the Waste Manager (Service Planning and Delivery).

(i)     Approve the overall revised staffing structures as detailed in appendix 3 to the report.

(j)     Approve that, after a bedding in period of 12-18 months, this structure be reviewed to ensure that it remained fit for purpose and make further structural refinements if required.

The Committee was advised that the Council had been in discussions with Administrators representing Ormeau Gasworks Limited (OGL) in an effort to address and resolve the structure, title issues and to protect the Council’s interests at the Gasworks and particularly on the dissolution of OGL.  It was proposed that the Council establish a temporary Special Purchase Vehicle (management company) (SPV) to facilitate an assignment from the Administrators of the Head Leases in respect of Plots 2, 3, 4, and 5 at the Ormeau Gasworks, Belfast, together with a transfer of the arrears portfolio, it any.

            The Committee:

·        Agreed to the establishment of a SPV to enable assignment from the Administrators to the SPV of the head leases which relate to Plots 2, 3, 4, and 5 at the Ormeau Gasworks Limited site, Gasworks, Belfast;

·        Noted that the temporary SPV would be managed and controlled by the Council and would ultimately deal with processing of rent and service charges and agreed to provide an indemnity to the Director of Property and Projects and the City Solicitor who would be appointed as directors;

·        Noted that it was intended that the SPV would assign its interest to the relevant subtenants where agreement could be reached and, where agreement could not be reached with subtenants, to deal with those plots in the most advantageous way possible that benefitted the Council.  Thereafter, the temporary SPV would be wound up and cease to exist when all structure and title issues had been resolved to the Council’s and the SPV’s satisfaction; and

·        In accordance with Standing Order 47(2)(a), due to the urgency of the matter where an unreasonable delay could be prejudicial to the Council’s or public’s interests, agreed that the decision would not be subject to call-in.

The Committee was reminded that, at the meeting of the Council on 2nd October, the following notice of motion, which had been proposed by Councillor McVeigh, and seconded by Councillor Hutchinson, was, in accordance with Standing Order 13(f), referred to the Committee for consideration:

“This Council recognises the devastating impact that unemployment and benefit cuts can have upon citizens, families and communities.

The Council will explore, as part of a wider employability initiative and with the help of the Executive, the implementation of a Citizens’ Basic Income (CBI) scheme.  In order to inform this process, the Council will undertake a feasibility study into how it might support a pilot study concentrated within our most deprived communities.

The CBI initiative would mean, for those identified as part of the initiative, the replacement of benefits and pensions with an unconditional flat rate payment.  Citizens would then be able to work and earn additional income on top of the basic payment.  Such a scheme has the potential to help eradicate poverty and homelessness in the City.”

            The Committee agreed that a report on the matter be submitted to a future meeting.

The Committee considered further a report in relation to the notice of motion on Party Leaders’ Forum and agreed that it be deferred to be considered again by the Party Leaders’ Forum.

The Committee considered the following report:

“1.0     Purpose of Report or Summary of main Issues

1.1       To seek the approval of Members on the proposed governance, delivery and content for the Decade of Centenaries Programme.

2.0       Recommendations

2.1       That the Decade of Centenaries commemoration programme be delivered by the Good Relations Unit with the governance emanating from the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee, the Shared City Partnership and party group leaders.

2.2       That all other Commemoration proposals and projects be dealt with by the Historic Working Group, with Good Relations input as required, where any potential commemorative activity is of a sensitive nature.

2.3       To agree the proposed Decade of Centenaries programme for delivery over the coming 6 years. The programme includes activity within the current Council term, with agreement in principle on activity to be delivered following the Council elections in 2019. Any activity agreed for beyond 2019, would be reviewed at that stage.

3.0       Main report

3.1       The Members will be aware of the programme of work in relation to the Decade of Centenaries, which has been ongoing since 2011. The Decade of Centenaries was considered by the Diversity Working Group until March of this year, when that group ceased. Following this a Historic Working Group (HWG) was created to ‘prioritise historic events and related issues. That would mean a move away from a Good Relations focus, with Good Relations primarily being discussed by Party Leaders and the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee.’

3.2       The HWG met on 3 August and agreed the following Terms of Reference:

·        to consider how the Council can maximise and promote the historic richness of legacies and assets of Belfast;

·        to develop a long term plan to celebrate, promote and commemorate our historic assets and events

·        to apply the agreed core set of principles established to commemorate any events;

·        to advise on the detailed decade of centenaries programme once agreed via Party Leaders and Strategic Policy and Resources Committee; and

·        to make recommendations to the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee regarding the issues above.

3.3       The Committee will know that the Council delivers an annual District Council Good Relations programme which includes a work stream on Decade of Centenaries. Since the beginning of the Centenaries period, the Good Relations Unit has been the main council unit responsible for the delivery this work.

3.4       Members will also be aware that the Shared City Partnership (SCP), formerly the Good Relations Partnership, is a working group of council established to advise on good relations issues. This group is also the formal mechanism for consideration of PEACE IV proposals.

3.5       On this basis it is considered more appropriate for the Shared City Partnership, rather than the Historic Working Group to oversee the Decade of Centenaries programme since this programme has clear good relations outcomes. This would take Decade of Centenaries out of the remit of the Historic Working Group and remove this remit from the HWG’s terms of reference thus avoiding duplication. However, all other  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3c

The Committee considered the following report:

“1.0     Purpose of Report or Summary of main Issues

1.1        The purpose of this report is to update Members on proposals to recast the focus of the City Centre Social Outcomes Fund to support the city’s growing tourism infrastructure.

2.0       Recommendations

2.1       The Committee is asked to:

-        agree that the £4m City Centre Social Outcomes Fund, which was previously agreed by Committee in September 2015, is re-aligned to support capital tourism projects and/or social economy opportunities, with an emphasis on the development of community tourism. 

-        agree that investment under this fund is prioritised in the East and West given the substantial investment in the Belfast Rapid Transit network and the area surrounding the Transport Hub in the city centre which will act as the focal gateway for tourists arriving in the city.

-        note that, if agreed, an outcomes framework will be developed and that this investment will also form part of the Council’s contribution to the City Deal. 

-        agree in principle the recommendations as laid out in the Table 1 below and to note these projects will be subject to the Council’s three stage approval process for all physical projects.  It is therefore recommended that these projects are added as Stage 1 – Emerging Projects with further information to be brought back to Committee in due course.

-        note that work is continuing on tourism opportunities in other areas of the city as outlined at 3.12 below and that the potential for a further phase of funding will be examined for similar projects in the other areas of the city as this work develops. 

3.0       Main report

3.1       Members will be aware that one of the ambitions laid out in the Belfast Agenda is to increase the number of tourists to the city along with the amount of tourism spend. This is supported by the vision which is laid out in the Council’s Integrated Tourism Strategy, which was approved by Committee in May 2015, to ‘welcome the world and share its history by creating a destination that the world wants to experience first-hand’ and which sets a challenging target of doubling the value of tourism by 2020.  One of the other facets of the Belfast Agenda is to grow the city’s economy and to increase the opportunities in the city for social economy and entrepreneurship. The substantial investment which is either currently underway or planned in tourism infrastructure across the city including the £100m Integrated Transport Hub which will act as the gateway access point for visitors arriving in the city, the  proposed new cruise ship terminal at the Belfast Harbour, the growing number of hotels and the Belfast Rapid Transit (BRT) system provide the opportunity to act as catalysts for a range of social economy opportunities related to tourism including cafes, walking tours, cultural and tourism trails, craft and art opportunities etc.

3.2       The majority of tourism at the moment is concentrated in and around the immediate  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4a

The Committee was reminded that the Greater Clarendon (Sailortown) Masterplan had been published by the Department for Communities (DfC) in December, 2016 following a consultation exercise to which the Council had submitted a corporate response.

            The plan committed the Department to the preparation of a Delivery Framework and to the establishment of a forum of key stakeholders which would:

• Support the development of the Delivery Framework;
• Support and advise in terms of the delivery and monitoring of the Framework; and
• Provide a key communication channel with other stakeholders.

            The forum membership would be drawn from across the private, community and business sectors and statutory agencies.  The first meeting was scheduled to be held on 16th November and it was expected that it would meet at least on one further occasion in December/January to finalise the Delivery Framework.  Thereafter, the Forum would meet to support and advise in terms of the delivery and monitoring of the Framework as well as continue to provide a key communication channel with stakeholders.

            The Department for Communities had issued an invitation for all Members of both the Castle and Oldpark District Electoral Areas to be appointed to the Forum.  It was pointed out that the appointments were not based on proportionality but geographically based.  Therefore, it would be appropriate for the Committee to accept the invitation.

            The Committee approved the appointment of all Members of both the Castle and Oldpark District Electoral Areas to the Clarendon (Sailortown) Stakeholders Forum.

The Committee was advised that Erica Starling Productions had been commissioned by BBC Northern Ireland to make a documentary about the decriminalisation of homosexuality in Northern Ireland.  As part of that documentary, they were keen to film Councillor Dudgeon due to his involvement with the campaign for decriminalisation.

            The Democratic Services Manager reported that the production company had requested specifically to film Councillor Dudgeon during the monthly Council meeting on 1st November, 2017.  The company had been advised that, should permission be granted, they would be required to film from a static position at the rear of the Council Chamber.  It was not anticipated that the filming would cause any disruption to the proceedings of the meeting.

            In previous years, the Council had permitted the filming of individual members about whom documentaries were being made, although those documentaries were about the year in office of sitting Lord Mayors.

            If the Committee was minded to accede to the request, then, following the ratification of the minutes of the meeting of the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee at the Council meeting on 1st November, representatives of the production company would require access to the Council Chamber to commence filming.

            The Committee agreed to accede to the request from Erica Starling Productions to film at the monthly Council meeting on 1st November, 2017.

The Committee considered the undernoted report:

“1.0     Purpose of Report or Summary of main Issues

1.1       The purpose of this report is to:

·        Provide members with an update on initial thoughts around developing our approach to area planning using Peace IV as a catalyst to develop this work.

2.0       Recommendations

2.1       The Committee is asked to:

·        Note the contents of this report

·        Approve the further development of this work with initial engagement through Party Group briefings and Area Working Groups.

3.0       Main report

            Area Planning

3.1       The Belfast Agenda is the city’s first community plan which sets out our joint vision and long-term ambitions for Belfast’s future, as well as outlining our priorities for action over the next four years.

3.2       One of the key priorities identified in the draft document is ‘living here’ with a key work stream to ‘Design an integrated, inter-agency approach to neighbourhood regeneration and maximise the impact of local assets and investment’.

3.3       Despite significant capital and revenue investment in local areas across Belfast, too often we are not maximising the opportunities and resources available to us. Through our community planning process, we now have an opportunity to start to integrate a range of programmes and services at an area level in order to improve outcomes for our residents, and visitors.

3.4       To start to progress this, some of the key pieces of work that we want to develop with members and partners include;

-       Developing our approach to area working and model for area planning;

-       Developing a neighbourhood regeneration framework which will include a range of key workstreams identified in the Belfast Agenda ,for example, employability and skills, health and wellbeing, community safety, good relations.

3.5       To help achieve the above we need to harness some of the opportunities that currently exist through current and planned investment in specific areas.  Where there are current investment opportunities the Council can lead on developing an emerging area planning model for delivering against the priorities identified in the Belfast Agenda. 

            Peace IV

3.6       One of the opportunities we have to test this area planning approach exists through Peace IV.  Council officers have been working closely with Special European Union Programmes Body (SEUPB) over the past number of months to submit an action plan for Belfast which, if successful will provide significant investment both capital and revenue to deliver a number of projects under the themes of Children and Young People, Shared Spaces and Services and Building Positive Relations.   We have received positive feedback from the SEUPB steering committee and are hopeful that we will be successful in our application for funding.

3.7       The Shared Spaces and Service theme that was submitted as part of this plan focused on delivery along the Springfield Road area. This area has a number of interfaces including the longest physical barrier in the city.  In the Peace IV submission, a number of sites are proposed are possible physical regeneration projects with significant programming opportunities also forming part of the submission.

3.8  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6a

The Committee considered the undernoted report:

“1.0     Purpose of Report or Summary of main Issues

1.1       The Council’s Physical Programme covers over 350 projects under a range of funding streams including the Capital Programme, the Leisure Transformation Programme, the Local Investment Fund (LIF), the Belfast Investment Fund (BIF) and the projects which the Council is delivering on behalf of other agencies. This paper provides an update for Members on the Physical Programme

2.0       Recommendations

2.1       The Committee is asked to note the contents of this report and –

            Communication and Engagement Activity – Physical Programme

·        note the update in relation to recent and planned communication activities as outlined at 3.2 below

            Belfast Investment Fund

·        North AWG - approve the recommendation from the North AWG as laid out at 3.3 below in respect of their BIF allocation

·        South AWG – Stranmillis Gateway – note that works are due to commence next month on the Stranmillis Gateway which will require the Council to enter into access agreements with adjoining Landowners. In order that construction is not delayed approval is sought to grant delegated authority to the Director of Property and Projects in conjunction with the Director of Legal Services to make arrangements and enter into any necessary Agreements to progress and complete the works (see 3.4)

            Local Investment Fund

·        note the recommendation of the South AWG in respect of the underspend of SLIF2-12- project (see 3.5) to be reconsidered for topping up some under-resourced projects subject to officer feedback. 

            Non-recurrent projects

·        agree the two proposed projects (Relocation of 5 Belfast Bike Docking Stations and match funding for the RDP- Basic Services Measures for Hannahstown Community Association) as outlined at 3.6 below 

3.0      Main report

            Key Issues

            Physical Programme – Communication and engagement activity

3.1       Members will be aware that the Council runs a substantial physical programme covering over 350 projects under a range of funding streams including the capital programme, BIF and LIF together with the projects that it is delivering on behalf of other agencies including the Executive Office and the Department for Communities.

3.2       A detailed overview of the recent and upcoming communication and engagement activities in respect of the physical programme is attached at Appendix 1 but Members are asked to note the following highlights

·        Extensive media coverage of the official opening of the £40m Connswater Community Greenway

·        the following LIF projects were officially opened – Palmerston Memory Garden (ELIF2-16 - £36,000); St Paul’s Amateur Boxing Club (WLIF2-12- £25,000); Cavehill Bowling and Tennis Club (NLIF2-01 - £100,000); Solas (SLIF2-04 - ££100,000) and Gort Na Mona 3G pitch (WLIF2-05 -£140,000)

            Members are asked to note that upcoming engagement and planned events in respect of projects under the physical programme

·        LTP - Andersonstown and Robinson development (Oct 18th) – ‘Cutting the sod’ photo-call/social media etc. to mark works starting on site on the two new £45m leisure developments

·        LTP - Stakeholder Engagement event (6th November – City Hall) – this is a meet and greet event for employability  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6b

Area Working Group (AWG) Minutes

            The Committee approved and adopted the minutes of the meeting of the South Area Working Group of 25th September; the North Area Working Group of 27th September; the West Area Working Group of 28th September; and the East Area Working Group of 5th October.

            The Chairperson advised that an issue which had been raised by a Member concerning the accuracy of the minute of the East Area Working Group meeting of 5th October, in so far as it related to the provision of alleygates, could be raised again at the next Working Group meeting.

            Social Innovation Challenge Programme

            The Committee:

• Approved the recommendation that Charter NI receive £15,000 of funding from the Social Innovation Challenge Programme on behalf of the Diamond Residents Group for its Street by Street project; and
• Approved the recommendation that Upper Springfield Development Trust receive £30,000 of funding from the Social Innovation Challenge Programme on behalf of the Social Prescribing Programme (£15,000) and the Community Safety Intervention Programme (£15,000).

The Committee approved the grant of a licence to Clanmil Housing Association for a builder’s compound to be located at the Annadale Embankment which would incorporate an additional access to facilitate construction works.

The Committee:

(1)   Approved the public advertisement and acceptance of tenders as listed in Appendix 1, Table 1 through the Council’s electronic procurement system;

(2)   Granted delegated authority to the appropriate Director, using pre-agreed criteria, to accept the most economically advantageous tender and allow month by month extensions where contracts were under review; and

(3)   Agreed to apply Standing Order 55(a) Exceptions in relation to contracts by direction of the Council acting on recommendations of a Chief Officer – in that the exception was justified in special circumstances for the completion of capital works to space in the former Belfast Telegraph building on the basis that there was an extreme urgency brought about by events unforeseeable to the Council.

Appendix 1 - Schedule of tenders for consideration

Table 1 - New tenders

The Committee considered the following report:

“1.0     Purpose of Report or Summary of main Issues

1.1       To consider a request from Féile an Phobail for the Council to cash flow a proportion of the up-front costs of the 30th anniversary / birthday events in August 2018 which will be recouped by the Council from the direct payment of ticket sales by ticket selling agent ‘Ticketmaster’ to the Council.

2.0       Recommendations

2.1       The Committee is asked to

·        Consider the proposal to cash flow the upfront costs of the Féile an Phobail 30th Anniversary / Birthday events planned for August 2018 up to a cap of £300k which will be recouped through the direct receipt of ticket sales from Ticketmaster, subject to appropriate legal agreements and insurance arrangements being put in place.

3.0       Main report

3.1       Féile an Phobail will celebrate its 30th Anniversary / Birthday in 2018 and is planning to hold three major headline events in the open event space in Falls Park in August 2018.

3.2       Féile an Phobail has written to the Council (Appendix 1) seeking cash flow support from the Council to manage the up-front costs of the events, with the Council recouping the cash flow payments via ticket sales directly from Ticketmaster, the ticket selling agent for the events.

3.3       The main reason for the cash flow request is that artist confirmation and initial marketing and promotion costs have to be incurred before ticket sales and the receipt of ticket sales income commence.

3.4       Council officers have reviewed the income and expenditure projections for the events and discussed these with Féile an Phobail. Ticketmaster have also confirmed the legal and insurance arrangements which would be necessary in order for Ticketmaster to channel ticket sales payments directly to the Council. 

3.5       On the basis of these discussions it is recommended that the Council’s cash flow financing limit be set at £300,000. This cash flow limit, together with the profiled income streams, should ensure the matching of income and expenditure for the events.

3.6       Risks to the Council

            There are two main risks to the Council with regard to the proposal:

·        That the projected ticket sales do not meet the projected levels required to meet planned expenditure.

·        That due to unforeseen circumstances, one or more of the events has to be cancelled and ticket sales have to be returned to Ticketmaster for refund to the public.

3.7       Risk Mitigation

            Ticket Sales: Major events at the Féile have a history of being sell out concerts. However, in order to reduce the risk related to ticket sales, the financial models have been tested on 75% ticket sales levels and this projects that income levels would provide adequate cover for the projected fixed and marginal costs.

            Event Cancellation: In order to mitigate the risk of ticket sales having to be refunded due to cancellation for unforeseen events, Féile and Phobail will be required to have in place adequate cancellation insurance. 

3.7       Financial and Resource Implications

            If Members agreed to the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7b

The Committee approved and adopted the minutes of the meeting of the Shared City Partnership of 9th October and agreed the following:

• To note the allocation of £102,594 to support 23 organisations to deliver good relations projects through the Good Relations Grant Aid Tranche 1 2017/18 which had been approved for funding under the delegated authority of the Director of City and Neighbourhood Services;
• That, should underspend in excess of £20,000 be identified through the Good Relations Action Plan, it would be redirected to support eight additional projects through the Tranche 2 Good Relations Small Grants programme;
• The adoption of Option 3, that is, to seek expressions of interest from organisations to deliver a large scale event to mark the International Day of Peace as an interim arrangement for 2018/19, until the results of the review of the City festivals and events was available; and
• Due to the significance of the International Day of Peace, that it be prioritised within the context of the review.

            The Committee approved and adopted the minutes of the meeting of the Budget and Transformation Panel of 12th October.

            The Committee was advised that, following nomination by the public, the Council had been shortlisted as a finalist in the GNI Magazine awards is respect of the “LGBT Friendly facilitator” category and had been invited to attend this year’s awards event which were scheduled to take place on the evening of 26th October in the Clayton Hotel, Belfast.

            The Committee approved the attendance of the Chairperson of the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee (or her nominee) and two Council officers at the Awards ceremony.

The Committee noted the responses which had been submitted on behalf of the Council to both the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust and South East Health and Social Care Trust consultation on Health Trust saving proposals.

The Committee approved the recommendations in relation to the requests for the use of the City Hall and for the provision of hospitality as set out below:

            The Committee agreed that arrangements be made for taking a Council photograph and that this be undertaken during a Council meeting, with the meeting being adjourned for a short period to allow this to take place.