Agenda and minutes

            An apology for inability to attend was reported from the Chairperson, Councillor Graham.

            The minutes of the meeting of 10th August were taken as read and signed as correct.  It was reported that those minutes had been adopted by the Council at its meeting on 1st September.

No declarations of interest were recorded.

            The Committee was advised that Mr. Andrew Webb, PA Consulting, was in attendance and he was welcomed to the meeting by the Deputy Chairperson.

            Mr. Webb provided the Committee with an overview of the draft International Relations Framework, during which he emphasised that representatives from Belfast must continue to be proactive in order to target trade, tourism and inward investment.  He highlighted that the Council’s International Relations unit had carried out invaluable work over the past few years but added that there was still a considerable amount to be done.  He explained to the Committee that Belfast was not competing at the level that it could be with regards to attracting an increased number of tourists or international students, particularly in comparison to what other cities were doing, such as Dublin, Bristol and Edinburgh, which were all extremely active in promoting their cities in the international arena.

            During discussion with the Members, Mr. Webb explained that it was essential that all partners conveyed a consistent message when promoting the City to others.  The Chief Executive added that a further update on the Place Positioning work for Belfast would be submitted to a future meeting for the Committee’s consideration. 

            Mr. Webb highlighted the importance of attracting more international students to the city and pointed out to the Members that Belfast was currently only attracting 1% of Chinese students who came to the UK, with Scotland and Wales attracting 8% and 5% respectively.  He suggested that the Council and the universities each had their own role to play in ensuring the city was appealing in terms of a variety of courses, a café culture, places of worship and a vibrant nightlife, as well as ensuring that Belfast had a reputation as a safe city.

            A number of Members expressed their thanks to the staff who had been involved in the recent successful visits to China and the United States, and noted that sending the right people with the right message was key to the success of both inward and outward visits.

            In relation to the current international stakeholder groups, Mr. Webb advised the Members that it might wish to consider establishing a group based on our future relationship with Europe.

            The Committee noted the next steps which PA Consulting would undertake before the next Committee meeting, namely:

1.      that it would meet with the Budget and Transformation Panel later that week;

2.      that the feedback from the Budget and Transformation Panel and the City Growth and Regeneration Committee would be taken into consideration to refine the final International Relations Framework;

3.     that work on the future internal structures and resourcing would be finalised; and

4.     that the Framework and Action Plan would be finalised for Members consideration at the next meeting.

            The Deputy Chairperson thanked Mr. Webb for his presentation and he left the meeting. 

            The Director of City Centre Development advised the Members that Mr. Jason Hawthorne, Managing Director of Wagstaffs, was in attendance to demonstrate VUCITY to the Committee and he was welcomed to the meeting by the Deputy Chairperson.

            Mr. Hawthorne demonstrated the various features of the VUCITY interactive digital model of London to the Committee.  He advised the Members that the model was accurate to within 15cm and illustrated the huge level of detail which had been captured within it, such as pavement heights, tree sizes and waterways.  He advised the Committee that the model of London had been well received as part of the planning and decision making process within the city.

            During discussion, a number of Members stated that they were impressed with the flexible nature of the model, particularly given that proposed developments could be added in and removed within a few days, which would allow for consideration of various planning considerations.

            The Chief Executive explained that a model like this could assist not only with planning issues but, given its portable nature, it could be taken on outward visits to illustrate investment opportunities within the city and she also highlighted that there was the potential to integrate existing data into the model, such as flood risk areas, noise complaints and real time traffic modelling.  She advised the Members that, due to the anticipated wide-ranging uses for such a model, it was therefore considered that various city stakeholders could be approached to invest in the development of the model. 

            The Director of City Centre Development explained to the Committee that, if it was to agree to commission a model of Belfast, the first stage was time sensitive.  She explained that this was because it was crucial to capture the aerial photography of the city in October/early November, or from late February onwards, in order to ensure there were no leaves on the trees and minimal building shadowing.

            After discussion, the Committee:

1.    noted the presentation, the proposed next steps and the potential to develop a 3D model of Belfast, subject to the relevant procurement requirements; and

2.    agreed to commission the aerial photography element of the project, at a cost of £15,000, which was included within the City Centre budget.

The Committee considered the undernoted report:

“1.0     Purpose of Report

1.1       The purpose of this report is to:

-       Update Members on the ongoing development of proposals for a new visitor attraction for Belfast City Centre

-       Outline next steps and programme of work

2.0       Recommendations

2.1       The Committee is asked to:

-       Note the contents of this report, the work undertaken to date and next steps

3.0       Main report

            Background

3.1       Members will recall that in January 2016 approval was granted to undertake feasibility work on a major city centre cultural and visitor attraction with a further update provided to City Growth and Regeneration Committee in June 2016 outlining progress to date.

3.2       The Belfast City Regeneration and Investment Strategy identifies the need for a major city centre development recommending that serious consideration should be given to the opportunity to create a significant attraction or destination of national or international stature that is distinctive and unique to the city.  Such a proposition is further supported by the Belfast Integrated Tourism Strategy 2015-2020 and the Cultural Framework for Belfast 2016-2020. Both of these strategies identify the role of culture and heritage in engaging with local people and connecting the city globally.

3.3       A number of other cities have also been examined with examples such as Southbank in London or Guggenheim in Bilbao illustrating the regeneration potential of culture through the creation of world class visitor destinations.

3.4       In parallel to the development of a strategy for the city centre a number of proposals were emerging for further investment in cultural infrastructure.

3.5       Despite the merits of these proposed developments, each as an individual stand alone project was not considered to fully meet the challenge of regeneration and the need to be transformational for the city centre and visitor economy.  Nor may they be able to create a sustainable venture in their own right.  However across the proposals there were strong synergies with the cultural heritage and contemporary appeal of the city.

3.6       Facilitated by Council a number of key stakeholders from across the city came together representing tourism (Tourism NI), the arts (Arts Council), museums (National Museums), film (NI Screen) and education (Ulster University) to explore whether there was in fact an opportunity to reconsider these proposals to create a stronger single proposition with a focus on telling the Belfast Story.

            Belfast Story

3.7       The Belfast Story Attraction (previously referred to as a Creative / Cultural Hub) would be the cornerstone or anchor of a new destination that would create an experience that is authentic and distinctive to Belfast that supports local people to connect to the rest of the world and is a visible and confident expression of the city’s cultural heritage and future aspirations.

3.8       The emerging concept has a number of key component parts including:

-       Belfast Stories visitor attraction – telling the story through music art, literature, our great people and achievements etc.

-       Discovery and experiences of the story that make people want to explore  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

            The Chief Executive advised the Committee that a request had been received from Tesco NI asking for local senior executives from Tesco NI to be able to present to the Committee on the role that Tesco NI played within the local community in terms of employment, supporting local businesses and assisting locally based charities.

            The Committee acceded to the request and agreed to invite Tesco NI to present to a future meeting of the Committee.

            The Chief Executive reminded the Committee that, at its meeting on 13th January, 2016, it had received a presentation from Professor Neil Gibson, Director of the Ulster University Economic Policy Centre (UUEPC).  She reminded the Members that the Committee had agreed to receive a regular economic briefing from the UUEPC, as a ‘critical friend’ to the Council.

            The Committee agreed to receive a briefing from Professor Gibson at its next meeting.

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

“1.0     Purpose of Report

1.1       The purpose of the report is to propose a Committee Planning Workshop to allow Members to shape the upcoming work and agenda of the Committee, the new corporate plan and the budget setting process for 2017/18. 

1.2       The workshop will reflect on how the Committee can lead and shape implementation of the priorities within the Belfast Agenda, consider how the Committee can build on the work that it has undertaken to date to grow the local economy and how the regenerative impact of the work of the Council and its partners can be maximised.

1.3       The report also contains an update on projects and programmes that have emerged from the work of the Committee to date.  The proposed workshop will provide an opportunity for the Committee to test and shape emerging thinking on these issues.

2.0       Recommendations

2.1       The Committee is asked to;

·        Agree that a Committee Planning Workshop is held in October/November to consolidate the strategic direction of the Committee and shape the new Corporate Plan and budgets for 2017/18.

·        Note the update on emerging work-streams related to ‘Growing the Belfast Economy’ which will be discussed at the proposed workshop.

3.0       Key issues

3.1       The City Growth and Regeneration Committee is responsible for:

-       The development and implementation of strategies, policies, programmes and projects directed towards regeneration and growth of the city in the context of outcomes agreed in the community and corporate plans and other corporate strategy decisions.

-       Oversight of the exercise of Council functions in relation to economic development, urban development, tourism, culture & arts, European and international relations, car parks, city markets, city events, Belfast Castle, Malone House and Belfast Zoo.

3.2       The Committee is currently working to an ambitious Committee Plan, aligned to the Council’s Corporate Plan and Belfast Agenda.  The current plan was created after discussion with Members about the role of the Committee and its priorities for the City.  The following priorities were agreed by Members in November 2015:

-       City Centre Regeneration & Investment Strategy;

-       The Employability & Skills Framework (& Year 1 Action Plan);

-       Place positioning and maximising the opportunities for investment, tourism and regeneration;

-       Integrated Tourism Strategy;

-       Investigate the feasibility of a City Deal for Belfast;

-       Develop a car parking strategy;

-       Ensure the above strategies give consideration to connecting neighbourhoods to the city centre, ensuring that the whole city enjoys the benefits.

3.3       The Council is now entering a key phase of the strategic planning calendar when plans are reviewed and refreshed in order to inform priorities and decisions about resource allocation in the year ahead.  It is therefore proposed that the Committee dedicates a workshop to take stock, review the progress to date and consider the priorities for the next year.

            Growing the Belfast Economy

3.4       Members have played a leading role in shaping the Belfast Agenda, the community plan for Belfast.  The Belfast Agenda has at its core a commitment to inclusive growth.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6a

The Committee considered the undernoted report:

“1.0     Purpose of Report or Summary of main Issues

1.1       The purpose of this report is to bring to Members’ attention the Belfast Manifesto recently published by the Belfast Chamber of Trade and Commerce. The Belfast Manifesto sets out the aspirations of the business community on how to improve the economy of Belfast and outlines the Chamber’s views for the forthcoming Programme for Government. The key points from the manifesto executive summary are outlined in the main body of this report. The executive summary is available on modern.gov. The full manifesto document, which provides further detail on various city interventions, can be viewed using this link: http://www.belfastchamber.com/news-story/757/belfast-chamber-launches----belfast-first----manifesto

1.2       Council will be seeking to work together with the Chamber and the city’s businesses community to deliver a successful business and retail sector in Belfast. We will also support the Chamber in developing further key city and economic messages and programmes.  As part of Council’s ongoing approach to supporting businesses in the city, particularly retail, we have commissioned Javelin group, retail experts owned by Accenture to update the retail study undertaken in 2015. This work considers the ongoing challenges faced by retail in the city centre and looks at the potential impacts of future city centre retail development, job creation and economic uplift as well as the potential risks in job losses and growth of large scale retail development taking place elsewhere. Committee will be updated on this work in due course.

2.0       Recommendations

2.1       The Committee is asked to note:

-       The contents of the Belfast Chamber of Trade & Commerce Belfast Manifesto and note the ongoing retail analysis undertaken by Javelin.

-       In terms of the rates issues which they have raised, this will be incorporated in our discussions on the rates review.

-       More detailed conversations are also required with the chamber on rating issues. 

-       In terms of service delivery, the council will establish levels taking into consideration the new BID and it priorities.

3.0       Main report

3.1       The Chamber’s Belfast Manifesto is strongly supportive of Belfast’s regional role as the capital city and highlights that

·        Over 28% of all jobs in Northern Ireland are located in the city.

·        The city is the main centre of business in Northern Ireland with a primary catchment population of 1.8 million. This includes all of Northern Ireland as well as extending into parts of the Republic of Ireland.

·        7.1 million high-spending visitors to the city each year, demonstrating the Lonely Planet’s description of Belfast being a ‘city on the rise’.

3.2       In line with Council’s City Centre Regeneration & Investment Strategy the Manifesto makes the important point that promotion of Belfast is not in conflict with the economic prosperity and vitality of the rest of Northern Ireland.

3.3       The Manifesto has a number of requests which it breaks down into a number of categories, some of the key points are outlined below:

            Working Together

-       An overarching Belfast Strategy to be located within the Office of the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7a

(Mr. Colin McCabrey, Economic Development Manager, attended in connection with this item)

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

“1.0  Purpose of Report

1.1    Following the Assembly elections of May 2016 and the development of a draft outcomes focused Programme for Government Framework, the NI Executive has issued a ‘Call for Evidence’ to consider how the Economic Strategy should be refocused to reflect current economic conditions and developments in key policy areas such as the ‘Fresh Start’ political agreement to lowering Corporation Tax. 

1.2    The call for evidence is a pre-consultation exercise received by Council on 4 August with a return date of 19 August.  While an extension was secured until 31 August, this did not permit time for Committee to consider the response therefore, given the tight timeframe, an officer response was prepared and is available on modern.gov.  This response was drafted taking account of the Council’s position in relation to key strategies; primarily the response to the draft Programme for Government Outcomes Framework ratified by Council in July 2016, the draft Northern Ireland Economic Strategy in 2010 as well as the ongoing work on the Belfast Agenda and the Employability & Skills Framework (which was ratified by Council in July 2016).

1.3    Committee is asked to note that this is a pre-consultation exercise designed to enable stakeholders to submit views to inform the thinking of the Department for Economy prior to the development of a draft Economic Strategy.  The draft of the refocused Economic Strategy will be subject to a full consultation process during the autumn and members will have the opportunity to fully input to the consultation process.  It is the NI Executive’s intention to finalise the Economic Strategy along with the Programme for Government, Investment strategy, Social Strategy and budget later in the year.

2.0   Recommendations

2.1    The Committee is asked to:

-       Note the officer response to the pre-consultation Call for Evidence on the Refocus of the Northern Ireland Economic Strategy

-       Note that the draft strategy will be subject to consultation during the autumn 2016.

3.0    Main report

         Key Issues

3.1    The Northern Ireland Executive’s Economic Strategy, published in 2012, sets out the plans to grow a prosperous local economy in the short, medium and long term (to 2030).  The ultimate aim is to improve the economic competitiveness of the Northern Ireland economy by focusing on export-led economic growth.  The vision for 2030 is: ‘An economy characterised by a sustainable and growing private sector, where a greater number of firms compete in global markets and there is growing employment and prosperity for all’. 

3.2    The five key themes identified in the strategy are to:

-       stimulate innovation, R&D and creativity so that we widen and deepen our export base;

-       improve the skills and employability of the entire workforce so that people can progress up the skills ladder, thereby delivering higher productivity and increased social inclusion;

-       compete effectively within the global economy and be internationally regarded as a good place to live and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8a

            The Committee considered information from the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) and the Stop the Drill campaign, which it had requested at its Special meeting held on 27th June, 2016.

            The Committee noted the contents of the report.