Agenda and minutes

            Apologies for inability to attend were reported from Alderman McCoubrey and Councillors Beattie and Nelson.

No declarations of interest were recorded.

            The information contained in the report associated with 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 meeting during discussion of the following 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 Schedule 6 of the Local Government Act (Northern Ireland) 2014.

The Committee was provided with an update in respect of a number of bonfires which were being built across the City.

Annadale

The Committee was informed that the Bonfire Panel had requested that the bonfire located at Annadale Embankment be referred to the Committee for its consideration relating to the appropriateness of the location, which was on Belfast City Council land.  The Committee was advised that the last time a bonfire had been held on that site was in July 2019.

After discussion, it was

Moved by Councillor R. McLaughlin,

Seconded by Councillor de Faoite, 

      That the Committee agrees to instruct the contractor to remove bonfire material which had accumulated on Council land on Annadale Embankment.

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

            Inverary/Sydenham

            After further discussion, the Committee agreed that further engagement be undertaken with the representatives building the bonfire in Inverary/Sydenham, specifically regarding the removal of tyres from the site, with a further assessment to be requested from the PSNI before the Council would fulfil the request from the bonfire panel for the installation of a sand base at the site.

The Committee agreed, in accordance with Standing Order 48 (a) (1), that the aforementioned decisions would not be subject to call-in, on the basis that an inability to immediately implement the decisions would result in a breach of statutory duty.