Agenda and minutes

            The Chief Executive submitted the summons convening the meeting.

            Apologies for inability to attend were reported on behalf of Alderman McCoubrey and Councillor Heading.

            Councillors Hussey, M. Kelly and Newton declared an interest in relation to the Motion on Free Public Transport for Young People, on the basis that they were either employed or associated with organisations who were connected with Translink, and left the meeting whilst the item was under consideration.

            The Director of Finance declared an interest in relation to the item contained within the minutes of the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee, under the heading “Request for Funding – Belfast Indoor Bowls Club”, on the basis that he was a member of the Belfast Indoor Bowls Club, and left the meeting whilst it was being considered.

Moved by the Lord Mayor (Councillor Nicholl),

Seconded by Councillor McCullough and

      Resolved - That the minutes of the proceedings of the Monthly meeting of the Council of 1st December be taken as read and signed as correct.

            With the assistance of Mr. J. McConnell, a registered sign-language interpreter, the Lord Mayor read out a letter from a profoundly deaf student who was currently studying for her A-Levels at Jordanstown School and Belfast High School.

            She commenced by thanking the Council for the work that it had done in promoting access and inclusion for the Deaf Community, being the first Council in  Northern Ireland to sign up to the British Deaf Association’s BSL/ISL Charter, committing to provide better access to public services. 

            She expressed her wish to study at University after her A-Levels and outlined the different levels of assistance available at the Ulster University and the University of Edinburgh, both of which she had made an application to.

            She went onto detail the lack of a Sign Language Act in Northern Ireland and detailed the purpose of such an act and the need for it to be introduced to protect the language rights and health of the deaf individual.   

High Sheriff of Belfast

            Alderman Kingston paid tribute to Councillor Long, whose term as High Sheriff had ended in December, and congratulated him on carrying out his work during what had been a difficult year.  He wished his successor, Councillor Hussey, well for his incoming term as High Sheriff. 

Expression of Support

            Alderman Kingston requested that the Lord Mayor send a letter of support and solidarity to former Councillors Nigel and Diane Dodds who had recently been subjected to online abuse.  The Lord Mayor acceded to the request.

            Moved by Councillor Groogan,

            Seconded by Councillor Walsh,

      That the minutes of the proceedings of the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee of 17th December, 2021, omitting matters in respect of which the Council has delegated its powers to the Committee, be approved and adopted.

Amendment

Request for Funding – Belfast Indoor Bowls Club

            Alderman Rodgers requested that the minute under the above heading be amended to reflect that, as a result of the ongoing Covid-19 Pandemic, the British Isles Indoor Bowls International Series and Championships Series was now scheduled to be held in October 2022 and not March 2022, and agree to reallocate the award of funding towards the cost of hosting the event to October.

            The Council agreed to the request.

Amendment

West Belfast Area Working Group Minutes – 25th November

            Alderman Kingston requested that the minutes of the West Belfast Area Working Group, held on 25th November, be amended to reflect that the Working Group agreed the following two areas as the areas within West Belfast to be included in the Community Infrastructure Pilot:

1.   Colin - Black’s Gate (former Visteon site)

2.   Glencairn

Adoption of Minutes

            Subject to the aforementioned amendments, the minutes of the proceedings of the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee of 17th December were approved and adopted.

To consider further the minute of the meeting of the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee of 24th September, 2021, in relation to Consultation on Signage : Andersonstown, Lisnasharragh, Olympia and Templemore Leisure Centres – Options Paper, which had previously been called in, and for which a legal opinion has now been received.

            Moved by Councillor Groogan,

      That the minute of the proceedings of the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee of 24th September, 2021 re: Consultation on Signage be approved and adopted.

Amendment

            Moved by Councillor Beattie,

            Seconded by Councillor McLaughlin,

      That the minute and subsequent legal opinion received in respect of the call-in of the decision by the Council’s Strategic Policy and Resources Committee, at its meeting on 24th September 2021, in respect of signage at the Olympia Leisure Centre be referred to the next meeting of the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee.

            On a vote, thirty-six Members voted for the amendment and nineteen against and it was declared carried.

Moved by Councillor Cobain,

Seconded by Councillor Smyth,

      That the minutes of the proceedings of the People and Communities Committee of 7th December be approved and adopted, subject to the amendment of the minute in relation to the New Biodiversity Strategy for Northern Ireland – Pre Consultation Input to include the endorsement and submission of the final draft response to DAERA, as circulated to Members on 23rd December.

            At the request of Councillor Murphy, the Council agreed that a report be submitted to a future meeting of the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee, in regard to reviewing the current pest control services and giving consideration as how the Council proposed to deliver an improved service. 

Adoption of Minutes

            Subject to the foregoing amendment, the minutes of meeting of the People and Communities Committee of 7th December were approved and adopted.

Moved by Councillor Murphy,

Seconded by Councillor O’Hara and

      Resolved - That the minutes of the proceedings of the City Growth and Regeneration Committee of 8th December be approved and adopted.

Moved by Councillor Donnelly,

Seconded by Alderman Rodgers and

      Resolved – That the minutes of the proceedings of the Licensing Committee of 15th December, omitting matters in respect of which the Council has delegated its powers to the Committee, be approved and adopted.

            Moved by Councillor Carson,

            Seconded by Councillor Maskey and

      Resolved - That the minutes of the proceedings of the Planning Committee of 14th December, omitting matters in respect of which the Council has delegated its powers to the Committee, be approved and adopted.

            Moved by Councillor McCullough,

            Seconded by Councillor Black and

      Resolved - That the Minutes of the proceedings of the Standards and Business Committee of 6th January, 2022, omitting matters in respect of which the Council has delegated its powers to the Committee, be approved and adopted.

            In accordance with notice on the agenda, Councillor Smyth proposed:

“This Council supports the promotion and expansion of sustainable transport in Belfast as a critical step to averting climate change, address the significant levels of air pollution, reduce congestion and improve public health. Extending and improving uptake of sustainable transport is key to our City playing its part in averting climate breakdown. In order to create a societal shift in how people access public transport, this Council therefore calls upon the Minister for Infrastructure and Translink to introduce a pilot of free public transport for young people in Belfast.”

The motion was seconded by Councillor O’Hara.

Amendment

            Moved by Councillor Baker,

            Seconded by Councillor Beattie,

      That the motion standing in the name of Councillor Smyth and seconded by Councillor O’Hara be amended as follows:

To add the following sentence to the motion: “which will also include the West Belfast taxi association and the Shankill taxis.”

            The Council agreed to vote on the amended motion, when twenty Members voted for the amendment, eighteen against and with thirteen no votes it was declared carried.

            Accordingly, the motion as amended was put to the Council as the substantive motion and passed.

            In accordance with notice on the agenda, Councillor McReynolds proposed:

“This Council notes the widespread support across Belfast for the ending of animal cruelty and the improvement of animal welfare; expresses disappointment at the lack of legislative progression on banning the hunting of mammals with dogs in the Northern Ireland Assembly; reaffirms our support for ending this barbaric practice; and agrees to write to DAERA and the Committee for Agriculture and Rural Affairs to show our support for ending the practice of hunting for mammals with dogs.”

The motion was seconded by Councillor McAllister.

Amendment

            Moved by Councillor Garrett,

Seconded by Councillor Beattie,

      That the motion standing in the name of Councillor McReynolds and seconded by Councillor McAllister be amended as follows:

            To delete the wording from:

"expresses  disappointment at the lack of legislative progression on banning the hunting of mammals with dogs in the Northern Ireland Assembly; reaffirms our support for ending this barbaric practice; and agrees to write to DAERA and the Committee for Agriculture and Rural Affairs to show our support for ending the practice of hunting for mammals with dogs.”

            And replace it with the following:

“believes that the Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) is best placed to bring forward proposals with regards to the regulation of hunting in consultation with rural communities; and agrees to write to DAERA encouraging them to consider a public consultation on the regulation of hunting in the next mandate.”

The motion, as amended, therefore reads:

“This Council notes the widespread support across Belfast for the ending of animal cruelty and the improvement of animal welfare and believes that the Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) is best placed to bring forward proposals with regards to the regulation of hunting in consultation with rural communities; and agrees to write to DAERA encouraging them to consider a public consultation on the regulation of hunting in the next mandate.”

            The Council agreed to vote on the amended motion, on a recorded vote, twenty-one Members voted for the amendment, twenty-nine against and with three no votes it was declared lost.

            The original motion was put to the meeting, on a recorded vote, twenty-nine Members voted for the amendment, eighteen against and with seven no votes it was declared carried.

            The Members were informed that this would be the last meeting of the Council which would be attended by Mrs. Suzanne Wylie, Chief Executive, as she would be leaving the Council at the end of the month after thirty-three years of service to take up the post of Chief Executive of the Jersey Civil Service.

            The Lord Mayor and representatives of each of the Political Parties highlighted the valuable contribution which she had made to the Council and the City during that time and wished her well in her new role.

            The Chief Executive thanked the Members for their kind remarks.