Agenda and minutes

            The Chief Executive submitted the summons convening the meeting.

 

Apologies were reported on behalf of Councillors Copeland and Magennis.

No declarations of interest were reported.

Moved by the Lord Mayor (Councillor Hargey),

Seconded by Councillor Hutchinson and

 

      Resolved - That the minutes of the proceedings of the monthly meeting of the Council of 29th April be taken as read and signed as correct.

 

            The Lord Mayor referred to the fact that a number of Councillors had not been re-elected to the Council and she thanked them for the contribution which they had made to the Council and their constituents during their period of service.  She also took the opportunity to congratulate and welcome the new Councillors who had recently been elected and stated that she looked forward to working with them during the Council term.

 

            The Council’s attention was drawn to the fact that both Mr. Mark McBride, Head of Finance and Performance, and Mr. Gerry Millar, Director of Property and Projects, would be retiring from the Council in the near future.  The Council noted the significant contribution that both officers had made to the Council during their time in the Council and wished them well in their retirement.

 

            Councillor Sandford referred to the recent birth of Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, son of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, and requested that the Lord Mayor, on behalf of the City, convey congratulations to the Royal couple on the occasion.

 

            At the request of Councillor Spence, the Council extended its best wishes to Brantwood Football Club on winning the Crawford Cup and Crusaders Football Club on winning the Irish Cup.

 

            The Chief Executive reported that requests had been received from a number of broadcasting companies to film the installation of the Lord Mayor and the Deputy Lord Mayor.

 

            The Council approved the requests.

 

            The Chief Executive reminded the Council that the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee, at its meeting on 12th April, had agreed several changes to the Standing Orders that had applied in the previous Council Term.  These changes had been ratified by the Council at its meeting on 29th April.

 

            In accordance with Standing Order 64, the Council was required to confirm the changes to Standing Orders.

 

Amendment

 

            Moved by Councillor Collins,

            Seconded by Councillor Ferguson,

 

      That the decision of the Council of 29th April to amend Standing Order 13(f) be rejected and accordingly the Council agrees that the previous wording be retained, that is:

 

“if the subject matter of any motion of which notice has been given falls within the remit of any Committee it shall, upon being proposed and seconded, stand referred without discussion to that Committee, or to such other Committee as the Council may determine, for consideration and report, subject to the provision that the Lord Mayor may, due to the urgency of the matter, allow it to be discussed at the Council meeting rather than it being referred to a Committee”.

 

            On a recorded vote, twenty-five Members voted for the amendment and sixteen against, with sixteen no votes, and it was declared carried.

 

For 25   The Deputy Lord Mayor (Councillor McDonough-Brown); Councillors Matt Collins, Michael Collins, de Faoite, Ferguson, Flynn, Groogan, Hanvey, Heading, Howard, Hutchinson, M. Kelly, Kyle, Long, Lyons, McAllister, McCusker, McKeown, McMullan, McReynolds, Mulholland, Nicholl, O’Hara, Smyth and White.

Against 16   The High Sheriff (Councillor Sandford); Councillors Brooks, Bunting, Cobain, Dorrian, Graham, Haire, Hussey, T. Kelly, Kingston, McCoubrey, Newton, Pankhurst, Rodgers, Spence and Verner.

No Vote 16   The Lord Mayor (Councillor Hargey); Councillors D. Baker, Beattie, Black, Canavan, Carson, Corr, Donnelly, Finucane, Garrett, Groves, Magee, McAteer, McLaughlin, Murphy and Walsh.

 

            Subject to the aforementioned amendment, the Council agreed to adopt the Standing Orders for the Council Term 2019-23.

 

The Chief Executive drew the Council’s attention to a report which identified the Political Parties that had been selected by the Nominating Officer of each Political Party to hold the following Positions of Responsibility during the four year Council term:

 

Position	Year 1	Year 2	Year3	Year 4
Lord Mayor	SF	DUP	ALL	SF n
Deputy Lord Mayor	ALL	SDLP	DUP	ALL
Chairperson Strategic Policy and Resources Committee	DUP	SF	GREEN	ALL
Deputy Chairperson Strategic Policy and Resources Committee	ALL	DUP	SF	SDLP
Chairperson of City Growth and Regeneration Committee	SF	DUP	SF	SF
Deputy Chairperson City Growth and Regeneration Committee	ALL	SF	DUP	DUP
Chairperson People and Communities Committee	PBPA	SF	DUP	ALL
Deputy Chairperson People and Communities Committee	PUP	UUP	GREEN	DUP
Chairperson Planning Committee	SF	DUP	SF	SDLP
Deputy Chairperson Planning Committee	DUP	SDLP	ALL	SF
Chairperson Licensing Committee	SF	SF	SF	PBPA
Deputy Chairperson Licensing Committee	DUP	PBPA	UUP	DUP
Chairperson Waterfront and Ulster Hall	ALL	DUP	SF	ALL
Deputy Chairperson Waterfront and Ulster Hall	GREEN	PUP	DUP	DUP
Chairperson Brexit Committee	SDLP	GREEN	SF	SF
Deputy Chairperson Brexit Committee	SF	SF	SDLP	SDLP

 

Outside Bodies	Position1	Position2	Position3
arc21	DUP	SF	PBPA
Partnership Panel	SF
NI Housing Council	ALL
Reserve Forces and Cadets Assoc.	DUP

 

Belfast Policing and Community Safety Partnership Membership
SF	SF	SF
DUP	DUP	ALL
ALL	SDLP	GREEN

 

 

Belfast District Policing and Community Safety Partnerships Memberships
	North	South	East	West
Position 1	SF	SF	SF	SF
Position 2	DUP	DUP	DUP	DUP
Position 3	ALL	ALL	ALL	ALL
Position 4	DUP	SF	DUP	SF
Position 5	SF	SDLP	UUP	PBPA
Position 6	GREEN	GREEN	PUP	SDLP

           

            The Council agreed to appoint the Positions of Responsibility for the four year Council term, as set out above.

 

            The Chief Executive drew the Council’s attention to a report which identified the persons who had been selected by the Nominating Officer of each Political Party to hold the following Positions of Responsibility in year one of the current Council term:

 

Civic Dignitaries
Lord Mayor	Councillor Finucane
Deputy Lord Mayor	Councillor McReynolds

 

Committee Chairpersons and Deputy Chairpersons
Chairperson Strategic Policy and Resources Committee	Councillor Kingston
Deputy Chairperson Strategic Policy and Resources Committee	Councillor Nicholl
Chairperson City Growth and Regeneration Committee	Councillor Hargey
Deputy Chairperson City Growth and Regeneration Committee	Councillor Howard
Chairperson People and Communities Committee	Councillor Michael Collins
Deputy Chairperson People and Communities Committee	Councillor Kyle
Chairperson Planning Committee	Councillor Carson
Deputy Chairperson Planning Committee	Councillor Brooks
Chairperson Licensing Committee	Councillor S. Baker
Deputy Chairperson Licensing Committee	Councillor Hussey
Chairperson Brexit Committee	Councillor de Faoite
Deputy Chairperson Brexit Committee	Councillor McLaughlin
Chairperson Belfast Waterfront and Ulster Hall	Councillor Mulholland
Deputy Chairperson Belfast Waterfront and Ulster Hall	Councillor Flynn

 

Outside Organisations
Partnership Panel	Councillor McAteer
NI Housing Council	Councillor M. Kelly
Reserve Forces and Cadets Association	Councillor Spence
Arc21	Councillor Ferguson
Arc21	Councillor Magee
Arc21	Councillor Verner

 

Belfast Policing and Community Safety Partnerships Chairperson
Year 1 (SF)	Councillor Donnelly

 

 

Belfast Policing and Community Safety Partnership Membership
SF	Councillor Corr
SF	Councillor Canavan
SF	Councillor Micheal Donnelly
DUP	Councillor Cobain
DUP	Councillor Sandford
ALL	Councillor Kelly
ALL	Councillor McDonough-Brown
SDLP	Councillor Whyte
GREEN	Councillor Smyth

 

North Belfast District Policing and Community Safety Partnerships
Chairperson (DUP)	Councillor Cobain
SF	Councillor Magee
SF	Councillor Murphy
DUP	Councillor Spence
ALL	Councillor McAllister
GREEN	Councillor O’Hara

 

South Belfast District Policing and Community Safety Partnerships
Chairperson (ALL)	Councillor McDonough-Brown
SF	Councillor Hargey
DUP	Councillor Bunting
SF	Councillor McAteer
SDLP	Councillor McKeown
GREEN	Councillor Groogan

 

East Belfast District Policing and Community Safety Partnerships
Chairperson (DUP)	Councillor Sandford
SF	Councillor McAteer
DUP	Councillor Haire
ALL	Councillor Howard
UUP	Councillor Copeland
PUP	Councillor Kyle

 

West Belfast District Policing and Community Safety Partnerships
Chairperson (ALL)	Councillor M. Kelly
SF	Councillor Canavan
SF	Councillor Donnelly
DUP	Councillor McCoubrey
SDLP	Councillor Heading
PBPA	Councillor Matt Collins

 

            The Council agreed to appoint the Members to the positions of responsibility for 2019/2020, as set out above.

 

            The Lord Mayor reviewed her year in office, which had focused upon the theme of ‘Rights in the City – A Belfast for All’ and highlighted a number of successful events in which she had participated. She thanked her Political Party, her family, the Deputy Lord Mayor, the High Sheriff, other Members and Council staff for their support and wished the incoming Lord Mayor and Deputy Lord Mayor every success over the forthcoming year.

 

            The Deputy Lord Mayor referred to a number of memorable events which he had hosted or had attended during his year in office and paid tribute to the Lord Mayor, the High Sheriff, his Political Party, his family, other Members and Council staff for the valuable assistance which they had provided.

 

            Representatives of a number of Political Parties paid tribute to the Lord Mayor and the Deputy Lord Mayor for the manner in which they had fulfilled their duties during their year in office.

 

            The Chief Executive reminded the Council that it had, earlier in the meeting, approved the Positions of Responsibility for 2019/2020 and that Councillor Finucane had been nominated to serve as Lord Mayor.

 

            Accordingly, Councillor Finucane was installed in Office for the period to end on the date of the annual meeting of the Council in 2020 and he subscribed to the Declaration of Acceptance of Office.

 

            Councillor Finucane thanked his Political Party for nominating him to serve as Lord Mayor, he outlined his main priorities for the forthcoming year and paid tribute to the previous Lord Mayor and Deputy Lord Mayor for the manner in which they had carried out their duties.

 

(The Lord Mayor, Councillor Finucane, in the Chair.)

 

            The Council was again reminded that earlier in the meeting Councillor McReynolds had, under the Positions of Responsibility for 2019/2020, been nominated to serve as Deputy Lord Mayor.

 

            Accordingly, Councillor McReynolds was installed in Office for the period to end on the date of the annual meeting of the Council in 2020 and he subscribed to the Declaration of Acceptance of Office.            

           

            Councillor McReynolds paid tribute to the previous Lord Mayor and Deputy Lord Mayor, thanked his Political Party for nominating him to serve as Deputy Lord Mayor and outlined his main objectives for his term in office.

 

(The Deputy Lord Mayor, Councillor McReynolds, in the Chair.)

 

            The Chief Executive drew the Council’s attention to a report which identified the following persons who had been nominated by the Nominating Officer of each Political Party to the Council’s Standing Committees for 2019/2020:

 

 

Strategic Policy and Resources Committee

 

SF                   Seats 7

 

Councillor Beattie	Councillor Black
Councillor Carson	Councillor Garrett
Councillor Hargey	Councillor Murphy
Councillor Walsh

 

DUP                Seats 6

 

Councillor Dorrian	Councillor Graham
Councillor Haire	Councillor Kingston
Councillor Pankhurst	Councillor Spence

 

ALL                 Seats 4

 

Councillor Long	Councillor McAllister
Councillor McDonough-Brown	Councillor Nicholl

 

SDLP              Seats 2

 

Councillor Heading

Councillor Lyons

 

GREEN           Seats 1

 

Councillor Groogan

 

City Growth and Regeneration Committee

 

SF                   Seats 6

 

Councillor S. Baker	Councillor Beattie
Councillor Hargey	Councillor Garrett
Councillor McLaughlin	Councillor Murphy

 

DUP                Seats 5

 

Councillor Brooks	Councillor Graham
Councillor T. Kelly	Councillor Kingston
Councillor Spence

 

ALL                 Seats 3

 

Councillor Hanvey	Councillor Howard
Councillor Nicholl

 

SDLP              Seats 3

 

Councillor Heading	Councillor Lyons
Councillor Whyte

 

GREEN                       Seats 2

 

Councillor Flynn

Councillor O’Hara

 

PBPA              Seats 1

 

Councillor Ferguson

 

People and Communities Committee

 

SF                   Seats 6

 

Councillor D. Baker	Councillor Black
Councillor Corr	Councillor Donnelly
Councillor Magee	Councillor McLaughlin

 

DUP                Seats 5

 

Councillor Bunting	Councillor Cobain
Councillor McCoubrey	Councillor Newton
Councillor Verner

 

 

 

ALL                 Seats 4

 

Councillor M. Kelly	Councillor McMullan
Councillor McReynolds	Councillor Mulholland

 

SDLP              Seats 2

 

Councillor de Faoite

Councillor McCusker

GREEN           Seats 1

 

Councillor Smyth

 

PBPA              Seats 1

 

Councillor Michael Collins

 

PUP                 Seats 1

 

Councillor Kyle

 

 

Licensing Committee

 

SF                   Seats 6

 

Councillor S. Baker	Councillor Donnelly
Councillor Groves	Councillor Magee
Councillor Magennis	Councillor McAteer

 

 

DUP                Seats 5

 

Councillor Bunting	Councillor Hussey
Councillor T. Kelly	Councillor McCoubrey
Councillor Sandford

 

 

 

 

 

ALL                 Seats 3

 

Councillor Howard	Councillor M. Kelly
Councillor McReynolds

 

SDLP              Seats 2

 

Councillor Heading

Councillor Whyte

 

GREEN                       Seats 1

 

Councillor Smyth

 

PBPA              Seats 1

 

Councillor Ferguson

 

UUP                Seats 1

 

Councillor Copeland

 

PUP                 Seats 1

 

Councillor Hutchinson

 

Planning Committee

SF                   Seats 4

 

Councillor Canavan	Councillor Carson
Councillor Garrett	Councillor Murphy

 

DUP                Seats 3

 

Councillor Brooks	Councillor Hussey
Councillor Pankhurst

 

ALL                 Seats 2

 

Councillor McMullan

Councillor Nicholl

 

SDLP              Seats 1

 

Councillor McKeown

 

Green              Seats 2

 

Councillor Groogan

Councillor O’Hara

 

PUP                 Seats 1

 

Councillor Matt Collins

 

UUP                Seats 1

 

Councillor Rodgers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Brexit Committee

SF                   Seats 6

 

Councillor D. Baker	Councillor Canavan
Councillor Magennis	Councillor McAteer
Councillor McLaughlin	Councillor Walsh

 

DUP                Seats 5

 

Councillor Brooks	Councillor Dorrian
Councillor Graham	Councillor Haire
Councillor Newton

 

ALL                 Seats 3

 

Councillor Hanvey	Councillor Long
Councillor McAllister

 

SDLP              Seats 2

 

Councillor de Faoite

Councillor McKeown

 

GREEN           Seats 1

 

Councillor Flynn

 

PBPA              Seats 1

 

Councillor Michael Collins

UUP                Seats 1

 

Councillor Rodgers

 

PUP                 Seats 1

 

Councillor Hutchinson

 

Belfast Waterfront and Ulster Hall Shareholders’ Committee

 

SF                   Seats 4

 

Councillor Canavan	Councillor Groves
Councillor Magee	Councillor McAteer

 

DUP                Seats 3

 

Councillor Cobain	Councillor Haire
Councillor Sandford

 

ALL                 Seats 2

 

Councillor M. Kelly

Councillor Mulholland

 

SDLP              Seats 1

 

Councillor McCusker

 

 

GREEN           Seats 1

 

Councillor Flynn

 

PBPA              Seats 1

 

Councillor Matt Collins

 

UUP                Seats 1

 

Councillor Copeland

 

PUP                 Seats 1

 

Councillor Kyle

 

            The Council agreed to appoint the Members to the Council’s Standing Committees for 2019/2020, as set out above.

To consider appointing up to a maximum of fifteen Members to serve as Aldermen for the duration of the Council term. (copy of legislation attached)

            The Chief Executive advised that the Local Government (Transitional, Incidental, Consequential and Supplemental Provisions) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015 permitted the Council, in an election year, to designate up to a maximum of fifteen Councillors to serve as Aldermen for the duration of the Council term.

 

            The Council agreed that it wished to appoint Councillors to serve as Aldermen for 2019/2023.

           

            Accordingly, it was 

 

Moved by Councillor Dorrian,

Seconded by Councillor Graham and

 

      Resolved – That Councillors Copeland, Haire, Kingston, McCoubrey, Rodgers, Sandford and Spence be appointed to the office of Alderman for the Council term.

 

Proposed by Councillor Lyons

 

Seconded by Councillor McKeown

 

“This Council notes the challenges created by the fire in Bank Buildings and the ongoing Council coordinated effort to stimulate economic activity in the area of Castle Place and Donegall Place using street animation, pop up play parks and other incentives. 

 

The Council believes that the redevelopment of our city centre as a shared and mixed-use space offers traders, residents and visitors a range of economic, social and cultural opportunities. 

 

Noting the Department for Infrastructure’s public consultation on the future use of the streets around Castle Place and Donegall Place, the Council calls for the pedestrianisation of this area”

 

(To be referred, without discussion, to the City Growth and Regeneration Committee)

 

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

 

“This Council notes the challenges created by the fire in Bank Buildings and the ongoing Council led effort to stimulate economic activity in the area using street animation, pop up play parks and other incentives. 

 

The Council also notes that the redevelopment of our city centre as a shared and mixed use space offers traders, residents and visitors a range of economic, social and cultural opportunities. 

 

Noting the Department for Infrastructure’s public consultation on the future use of the streets around Castle Place and Donegall Place, the Council calls for the pedestrianisation of this area”

 

The motion was seconded by Councillor McKeown.

 

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

 

Proposed by Councillor de Faoite

 

Seconded by Councillor Flynn

 

“This Council agrees to establish an all-party Working Group on climate change resilience, to explore how Belfast can react to the climate crisis; protect our citizens from the existing and likely future effects of climate breakdown and investigate measures the Council can take to limit its impact on the climate crisis.”

 

(To be referred, without discussion, to the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee)

 

            In accordance with notice on the agenda, Councillor de Faiote proposed:

 

“This Council agrees to establish an all-party Working Group on climate change resilience, to explore how Belfast can react to the climate crisis; protect our citizens from the existing and likely future effects of climate breakdown and investigate measures the Council can take to limit its impact on the climate crisis.”

 

The motion was seconded by Councillor Flynn.

 

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

 

(The Lord Mayor, Councillor Finucane, in the Chair.)

 

Proposed by Councillor Heading

 

Seconded by Councillor Whyte

 

“This Council notes the campaign by the Dunmurry Manor Relatives Organisation to highlight the need for CCTV cameras in communal areas of residential homes.  The Council calls on the Department for Health to include the provision of CCTV in any contract made with a private home where the care of the elderly is carried out.”

 

(To be debated by the Council)

 

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

 

“This Council notes the campaign by the Dunmurry Manor Relatives Organisation to highlight the need for CCTV cameras in communal areas of residential homes.  The Council calls on the Department for Health to include the provision of CCTV in any contract made with a private home where the care of the elderly is carried out.”

 

            The motion was seconded by Councillor Whyte.

 

            On a vote by show of hands, thirty-seven Members voted for the motion and none against and it was declared carried.