Agenda and minutes

            Prior to the meeting commencing, the Lord Mayor read a passage from the Scriptures.

            The Chief Executive submitted the summons convening the meeting.

            Apologies were reported on behalf of Aldermen McCoubrey and McKee and Councillors Bunting, Carson, Corr Johnston, Dorrian, Howard, Jones, Kyle, McAllister, McDonough-Brown and Nicholl.

No declarations of interest were reported.

Moved by the Lord Mayor (Alderman Kingston),

Seconded by the Deputy Lord Mayor (Councillor Campbell) and

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

            The Lord Mayor, on behalf of the Council, extended his best wishes to those Members who would, on the following day, be seeking election to the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Moved by Councillor Hussey,

Seconded by Alderman Convery,

      That the minutes of the proceedings of the Strategic and Policy and Resources Committee of 17th February be approved and adopted.

Amendment

Review and Purpose of the

Diversity Working Group

Moved by Councillor Dudgeon,

Seconded by Alderman McGimpsey,

      That the decision of the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee of 17th February, under the heading “Review and Purpose of the Diversity Working Group”, be rejected and, accordingly, the Council agrees to adopt Option 3, that is, that the Diversity Working Group be brought to a conclusion and a Historic Belfast Working Group be established to prioritise historic events and related issues. This would mean a move away from a Good Relations focus, with Good Relations being discussed by Party Leaders and the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee.

            On a recorded vote, twenty-four Members voted for the amendment and twenty Members against, with two ‘no votes’, and it was declared carried.

Leisure Transformation Programme – Assets Update

            Clonduff Community Centre

            At the request of Members, the Lord Mayor, on behalf of the Council, condemned those responsible for the recent break-in and the damage caused to the Clonduff Community Centre, urged anyone with information on the incident to contact the Police Service of Northern Ireland and commended those Council officers who were working to ensure that groups which used the facility were accommodated elsewhere.

Adoption of Minutes

            Subject to the foregoing amendment, the minutes of the meeting of the Policy and Resources Committee of 17th February were approved and adopted.

Moved by Councillor Garrett,

Seconded by Councillor McCabe,

      That the minutes of the proceedings of the People and Communities Committee of 6th and 7th February be approved and adopted.

Minutes of the Strategic Cemetery and

Crematorium Working Group

            Plot Z1 - City Cemetery

            At the request of Councillor McCabe, the Chief Executive confirmed that the next report to be submitted to the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee on the Capital Programme Update would provide a timescale for the completion of the permanent memorial to mark the babies buried within Plot Z1 in the City Cemetery, which had now moved to a Stage 3 (Committed) project on the Capital Programme. 

            Jewish Graves - City Cemetery

            At the request of Alderman Spence, the Lord Mayor, on behalf of the Council, paid tribute to those Council officers who had been involved in overseeing the restoration of Jewish graves which had been damaged during an attack in 2016 in the City Cemetery.

            The Cenotaph

            As a result of a recent incident which had been highlighted by Councillor Corr, the Council agreed that a review should be undertaken of the security measures in place currently around the Cenotaph at the City Hall.

Adoption of Minutes

            Subject to the foregoing additions, the minutes of the meetings of the People and Communities Committee of 6th and 7th February were approved and adopted.

Moved by Councillor Graham,

Seconded by Alderman Spence and

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

Moved by Councillor Armitage,

Seconded by Councillor Copeland and   

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

Moved by Councillor Johnston,

Seconded by Councillor Armitage and

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

      Moved by Councillor Walsh,

      Seconded by the Deputy Lord Mayor (Councillor Campbell) and

             Resolved - That the minutes of the proceedings of the Belfast Waterfront and Ulster Hall Ltd. Shareholders’ Committee of 20th February be approved and adopted.

Proposed by Councillor Boyle,

Seconded by Councillor Mullan,

“Belfast City Council is responsible for a range of different enforcement services, including such things as on-street drinking, management of litter and addressing noise. It is important that, when carrying out enforcement duties in respect of these types of issues, our approach operates within the principles of consistency, proportionality and fairness, recognising the rights of all individuals.

This Council, therefore, agrees that it is timely for a review to be undertaken of enforcement activities across relevant Council Departments to ensure that such services are effective, efficient and responsive to the needs and demands across the City.”

(To be referred without discussion to the

People and Communities Committee)

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

“Belfast City Council is responsible for a range of different enforcement services, including such things as on-street drinking, management of litter and addressing noise. It is important that, when carrying out enforcement duties in respect of these types of issues, our approach operates within the principles of consistency, proportionality and fairness, recognising the rights of all individuals.

This Council, therefore, agrees that it is timely for a review to be undertaken of enforcement activities across relevant Council Departments to ensure that such services are effective, efficient and responsive to the needs and demands across the City.”

The motion was seconded by Councillor Mullan.

In accordance with Standing Order 13(f), the motion was referred, without discussion, to the People and Communities Committee.

Proposed by Councillor McVeigh,

Seconded by Councillor Beattie,

“This Council has demonstrated its support for amateur boxing in Belfast by developing and resourcing its boxing strategy.

This Council recognises the good results that this strategy has delivered, particularly through its support for sports officers who work specifically with clubs across Belfast.

We believe it is imperative that this support continues and calls on the Council to reaffirm its commitment to supporting amateur boxing in Belfast.

In particular, we call on the Council to continue to employ those sports officers who currently do work to support clubs and assist them in the work they carry out with boxing clubs.”

(To be referred without discussion to the

People and Communities Committee)

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

“This Council has demonstrated its support for amateur boxing in Belfast by developing and resourcing its boxing strategy.

This Council recognises the good results that this strategy has delivered, particularly through its support for sports officers who work specifically with clubs across Belfast.

We believe it is imperative that this support continues and calls on the Council to reaffirm its commitment to supporting amateur boxing in Belfast.

In particular, we call on the Council to continue to employ those sports officers who currently do work to support clubs and assist them in the work they carry out with boxing clubs.”

The motion was seconded by Councillor Beattie.

              In accordance with Standing Order 13(f), the motion was referred, without discussion, to the People and Communities Committee.

Proposed by Councillor O’Hara,

Seconded by Councillor Nicholl,

“This Council, at its meeting on 3rd January, 2017, rejected a motion which would have extended voting rights in Oireachtas elections to all Irish citizens living outside the Republic’s borders.

The Council agrees to rescind so much of that decision as relates to Irish Presidential elections and, accordingly:

“Agrees that Belfast is a rich and diverse city containing many different nationalities. Many consider themselves as British, others Irish and citizens of the Irish nation.

Recognising and respecting all traditions, this Council urges the Irish government to implement the recommendations of the constitutional convention and to allow the citizens of Belfast to participate in Irish Presidential elections.”

Signed by the Undernoted Members:

The Deputy Lord Mayor Councillor Campbell            Councillor Janice Austin

Councillor Ciaran Beattie                                           Councillor Mary Clarke

Councillor Stephen Corr                                            Councillor Matt Garrett

Councillor Emma Groves                                          Councillor Deirdre Hargey

Councillor JJ Magee                                                  Councillor Stephen Magennis

Councillor Gerard McCabe                                       Councillor Mary McConville

Councillor Jim McVeigh                                            Councillor Mairead O’Donnell

Councillor Charlene O’Hara                                      Councillor Séanna Walsh

(To be considered by the Council)

            At the request of Councillor O’Hara, the Council agreed, in accordance with Standing Order 13(i), that the motion standing in her name be withdrawn from the agenda.