Agenda and minutes

            No apologies were reported.

            No Declarations of Interest were reported.

            In accordance with Standing Order 14, the Committee agreed, as the meeting had been held later than seven clear days before the meeting of the Council, that the minutes of the meeting be submitted to the Council on 2nd October for ratification.

            The Committee was reminded that the Department of Health had requested that the Health Trusts collectively find £70 million savings out of this year’s budget.  On 24th August, each of the Trusts had commenced a consultation exercise on their proposals for how they would meet the required savings target.  The consultation process on the Health Trust Savings Proposals would close on 5th October, 2017.

            Accordingly, the Committee was being asked to consider whether it wished to make a Council response to the consultations or that the matter be left to the Political Parties to respond individually.  It was pointed out that, if the Committee were minded to agree to the submission of a Council response, it could not be approved by the Committee prior to the submission date.  However, any such response would be submitted with the caveat that it would be subject to future Committee approval and Council ratification.

            After discussion, the Committee agreed to submit a Council response to the consultation but that any such response should have full agreement of the Party Leaders before submission.

The Committee considered the following report which provided an update on the development of the bid for UK designated city for European Capital of Culture in 2023:

“1.0     Purpose of Report or Summary of main Issues

            The purpose of this report is to update Members on the development of the bid for UK designated city for European Capital of Culture in 2023 (ECoC2023), and to seek consideration and endorsement on a number of key issues to enable the effective Phase I submission by 27 October 2017.

1.2       This paper, its contents and recommendations are to be considered in conjunction with a parallel report and presentation on the emerging bid themes and cultural programme at the meeting on September 28th 2017 in restricted business due to the competitive and sensitive nature of these elements of the bid process at this stage. As agreed at SP&R on 22nd September this paper will not be eligible for call-in due to the urgency of the matter.

2.0       Recommendations

2.1       The Committee is asked to:

(i)          Approve the concept, themes and emerging cultural programme etc as set out in this paper and parallel paper and presentation in closed business as a basis for the submission of the final bid documents by the deadline of October 27th.

(ii)        Endorse the proposal that Belfast assumes the role of Lead City/Candidate City ‘in partnership with Derry and the surrounding area’ to develop and deliver this major transformational opportunity for this place and that this strong, innovative and collaborative approach is underpinned by the key partnership principles set out in Sections 3.39 - 3.44 of this report in relation to programming, marketing and communications, finance and resources and management and governance.

(iii)      Budget Commitment – Commit in principle to a £6.5m contribution towards an overall £55m financial strategy to deliver a European Capital of Culture 2023 programme of scale with spend profiled over a 5-year period. This will be subject to a detailed due diligence and business case being brought forward, with affordability likely to be supported through a small rate supported element and the prioritisation of a proportion of in-year budget reallocations into a specified fund for European Capital of Culture.

(iv)      Agree that the officer team continues to finalise the detailed and technical content of the Phase I framework (bid book) submission, subject to discussion and input from Members at meeting on 28 September, for submission to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sports (DCMS) by 27 October 2017 deadline as the part of the two staged bid process.

3.0       Main report

            Background

3.1       Members will be aware that Belfast City Council and Derry City and Strabane District Council have been progressing a bid for the much coveted award of European Capital of Culture 2023. This is a once in a generation transformational opportunity for both cities and the wider region to promote and showcase the cultural and creative aspects of our place as well as delivering many wider social and economic benefits to all our  ...  view the full minutes text for item 2b

            The Information contained in the following three 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 athese items as, due to the nature of the items, that there would be a disclosure ofexempt information as described in Section 42 (4) and Schedule 6 of the Local Government Act (Northern Ireland) 2014.

            The Chief Executive submitted for the Committee’s consideration a report on the core concept and programme to be presented in the bid book for the UK designation of European Capital of Culture 2023.

            With the assistance of visual aids, the Chief Executive reviewed the criteria for the bid, the emerging concept and themes, the developing cultural programme, the emerging flagships and the next steps.

            After discussion, the Committee approved the outline concept and programme and that the bid book could be submitted on that basis.

            The Committee noted that, in accordance with its decision of 22nd September, due to the urgency of the matter, these decisions would not be subject to call-in.

Application for the Grant od an          The Committee considered a report which provided details of a recent decision which had been taken by Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council to grant planning permission for TK Maxx at Drumkeen Retail Park.  The application had been submitted by Drumkeen Holdings Ltd to vary conditions 1 and 2 of its planning permission for the Retail Park.  Approval had been granted to allow for the construction of an internal mezzanine and the sale of mixed use comparison goods with no more than 75% of the net sales area used for the sale of clothing, footwear and fashion accessories.  Conditions 1 and 2 had restricted the use of these units to bulky goods.  Essentially, the application would allow the unrestricted sale of retail goods as defined in Class A1 of the Planning Use Classes (NI) Order 2015.

            The City Solicitor advised that the application breached Policy R4 of the draft BMAP, which related to Arterial Routes and Local Centres, and highlighted the potential impact such an application could have on Belfast City Centre.

            Moved by Councillor Attwood,

            Seconded by Councillor Beattie,

      That the Committee agrees to authorise the City Solicitor to undertake, on behalf of the Council, judicial review proceedings to challenge the decision.

            On a vote by show of hands, eleven Members voted for the proposal and four against and it was declared carried.

            The Committee agreed further that, due to the urgency of the matter, the decision would not be subject to call-in.

            (Mr. S. Hewitt, Building Control Manager, and Mr. P. Cunningham, Assistant Building Control Manager, attended in connection with this item.)

            The Committee considered an application for the grant of an Entertainments Licence by Limelight Belfast Ltd. for the former Belfast Telegraph Building in Royal Avenue.

            In response to a number of questions, the Committee was advised that the application for an entertainments licence had been submitted on 28th August and the statutory consultation period had expired on 26th September and no objections to the application had been received.  The company had, during that time, organised a sell-out event at the venue which was to be held on Saturday, 30th September.   However, there was an issue in so far as planning permission had not yet been granted for change of use for the building.  It was pointed out also that applications of this nature were normally dealt with under the Council’s Scheme of Delegation but it was felt that it would be prudent to place the application before the Committee for consideration and decision, given the Council’s current interest in the building.

            In response to a further question, the Committee was advised that the building met all Health and Safety conditions and technical requirements for the holding of an entertainments licence.                      

            Several Members expressed concern in relation to how the application was being dealt with.  It was pointed out that the Council had a quasi-judicial Licencing Committee which had delegated authority from the Council to deal with such applications and the application should have been placed before that Committee.

            After further discussion, it was

            Moved by Councillor Attwood,

            Seconded by Councillor O’Neill,

      That the Committee agrees to grant an Entertainments Licence to Limelight Belfast Ltd. to hold a one-off event in the former Belfast Telegraph Building, Royal Avenue on Saturday, 30th September.

            On a vote by show of hands, ten Members voted for the proposal and four against and it was declared carried.