Agenda and minutes

            Apologies were reported on behalf of the Deputy Lord Mayor (Councillor McDonough-Brown) and Councillors Hutchinson and Long.

            No declarations of interest were reported.

            The information contained in the report relating to the following item 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 this item as, due to the nature of the item, there would be a disclosure of exempt information as described in Section 42(4) and Section 6 of the Local Government Act (NI) 2014.

            The Committee was advised that Mr. Aidan Jennings, Senior Firefighter, Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service, was in attendance and he provided the Members with a detailed account of the response by the fire service to the fire at Bank Buildings and the subsequent and ongoing actions.

            Mr. Mark McCleary, Assistant Building Control Manager, then provided the Committee with details in relation to the current status regarding the cordon around the area and possible options in relation to the remaining structure of the building.

Noted.

            The Chief Executive tabled for the information of the Members a report which provided details regarding the Primark Building and the measures that the Council was working on with Primark to ensure that the public and adjacent building users were protected from any danger arising from the remaining structure, together with the measures being undertaken to support the many businesses affected by the fire.

            The City Solicitor then provided details of the legislative powers which the Council had to deal with any building structure deemed to be in a ruinous state and the works it was permitted to take.  He pointed out that the Council would attempt to recover the costs of such works.

            Moved by Councillor Reynolds,

            Seconded by Alderman Browne,

            That the Committee agrees:

                                 i.     to create a specified reserve (up to a limit to be determined by the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee) for such works and other measures which the Council might wish to put in place regarding the Bank Buildings and associated actions; and

                               ii.     that the Council be recommended to delegate authority to the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee to take any decisions on issues relating to the Bank Buildings and to approve any expenditure from the aforementioned specified reserve.

            The Committee agreed, in accordance with Standing Order 47 (2) (c), that the decisions would not be subject to call-in, on the basis that an unreasonable delay could be prejudicial to the Council’s or the public’s interest.

            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 3rd September for ratification.