Agenda and minutes

            No apologies were reported.

            The minutes of the meeting of 10th May 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 June.

            Alderman McGimpsey and Councillors Dorrian, Johnston, Magee, McAteer, McDonough-Brown and Mullan declared an interest in Item 2b, in that they were Members of the Planning Committee, and Councillor Boyle declared an interest in the same item in that he was a Member of the Markets Development Association.  Upon receiving advice from the City Solicitor, the above mentioned eight Members left the room for the duration of the discussion on the item.

            Councillor McDonough-Brown also declared an interest in Item 9d, namely, strengthening the Cultural Sector: Proposed ‘Resilience Building’ Investment Programme, in that his mother was an employee of the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, and did not take part in the discussion.

            The Committee considered correspondence which had been received from the Permanent Secretary, Department for Infrastructure, in response to the Committee’s letter of support of a six month extension to the trial of taxis using Belfast Rapid Transit bus lanes in the City Centre, which also requested that all bus lanes be included in the extension.

            The response outlined that the Department had received a range of representations and that there were competing views on the matter.  The Committee was advised that, as the twelve week trial had been determined by the former Minister for Infrastructure, following discussions he had had with representatives from both the taxi industry and the cycling lobby, the trial had ended as planned, on Sunday, 14th May, 2017.

            The Permanent Secretary outlined in his response that the Department was currently carrying out working to inform decisions on future taxi access to bus lanes and that the Department would take into consideration analysis of traffic data gathered during the trial and collation of information received from its online survey and other related correspondence which had been received since the start of the trial.  He confirmed that the Department would take into account the view as set out by the Council.

            The Committee noted the response from the Permanent Secretary.

            The Chairperson advised the Committee that Ms. A. Mervyn, West Belfast Area Learning Community, Ms. K. O’Hare, Hazelwood Integrated College, and Mr. A. Logan, Belfast Boys Model School, were in attendance and they were admitted to the meeting.

            Ms. Mervyn provided the Committee with an overview of the Learning Education Programme which had been implemented by the West Belfast Partnership Board (WBPB) to promote a partnership between schools and the community to improve outcomes for the young people in the area. 

            She explained that education was the number one priority for the Board and explained the importance of the structural development of robust partnerships and the Strategic Education Plan for the area.  She outlined to the Committee that, since the Learning Education Programme had been established within West Belfast, the percentage of pupils in the west of the city which had achieved 5 or more GCSEs, Grade A*-C, had increased by 17.3% between 2011 and 2016, which had meant that it was now 0.2% above the average for the whole of Northern Ireland.

            She outlined to the Committee that Easter Schools were run by the Partnership and that the Aisling Bursaries scheme, which was sponsored by local businesses and individuals, had donated a total of £574,500 to 671 students since its inception in the year 2000.

            The Committee was advised that the EastSide Partnership, in the east of the City, had recently implemented EastSide Learning, which was based on the success of the WBPB’s Learning Education Programme model and was seeing positive results.

            Ms. O’Hare explained that Hazelwood Integrated College was located in the north of the City and currently had 939 pupils.  She pointed out that 19% of pupils had Special Educational Needs and 58% of pupils were entitled to free school meals.  The Committee was advised that, while the college had improved greatly over the past few years, a lot more had to be done in order to effectively tackle social deprivation.  Ms. O’Hare outlined a number of innovative approaches which the school had taken, including a Pathways Curriculum, collaboration with Northern Regional College and Belfast Met, engagement with the Greater Shankill Partnership, mentoring programmes, home visits, work placements and a successful internship programme with large companies including Deloitte, Danske Bank and the Clayton Hotel group.

            Mr. Logan outlined to the Committee that the Belfast Boys Model School in North Belfast was a non-selective boys school with approximately 1000 pupils, 60% of whom were entitled to free school meals.

            He advised the Members of how, over the last three years, the school’s performance in GCSE English and Mathematics at Grades A* - C had been above the Northern Ireland average for similar non-selective schools.

            During discussion, a Member raised the issue of lower educational attainment by protestant males.  Ms. O’Hare outlined that, while their grades generally remained lower than their counterparts, there were a number of champions who were seeking to change that and pointed out that the top achieving male from Hazelwood Integrated for the past two  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3a

            The Chairperson advised the Committee that Mr. A. Webb, Webb Consulting, and Mr. M. O’Connell, OCO Global were in attendance in connection with this item and they were admitted to the meeting.

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

“1.0     Purpose of Report or Summary of main Issues

1.1       Members will be aware that the Belfast Agenda has at its core a commitment to inclusive growth. The scale of Belfast’s ambition is set out in the draft Belfast Agenda which aims to grow the city’s population by an additional 70,000 people and for the city’s economy to support 50,000 more jobs by 2035. To focus our efforts on growing the Belfast economy, a number of ambitious and challenging targets have been set for 2021:

·        Creating 15,000 new jobs

·        Attracting £1 billion of private sector Foreign Direct Investment

·        Supporting 4,000 small business start-ups

1.2       In an increasingly competitive global environment, Belfast must emphasise its distinctcompetitive advantage if it is to continue to compete and successfully attract FDI, and tourists to the city as well as encouraging more businesses to start and support those existing businesses to grow in the city.

1.3       Members have emphasised the importance of continuing to attract and support investment and FDI to Belfast as well as committing to a step change in a comprehensive support for small businesses to start and grow.  Consequently, at its meeting in November 2016, Committee agreed that professional expertise would be secured to develop a menu of city support & incentives and to scope the establishment of a Belfast Investor Advice/Concierge Service.

1.4       Combined with the changing global economic context, this provides an opportunity to take a more holistic approach to further consider the establishment of an economic delivery vehicle similar to the Belfast Investment Development Agency (as per the Notice of Motion raised in January 2014) and a number of the practical items raised in the Notice of Motion to support micro and small businesses in the city to help strengthen and progress the Council’s city leadership role (as per the Notice of Motion raised in July 2016).  

1.5       The purpose of this report is to enable the appointed contractor (OCO Global/Webb Advisory) to present their findings to date, together with some initial outline options for such a service in Belfast, for the Committee to consider. The Committee’s views are sought on the thinking to date to enable the development of more detailed and robust proposals which will be brought back to Committee in September 2017 for further consideration.

2.0       Recommendations

2.1       The Committee is asked to:

-       Note the findings to date

-       Consider the issues raised and provide comment on the options and priorities which will inform the recommendations and way forward.

3.0       Main report

3.1      Key Issues

            The City has already developed a successful track-record in attracting FDI and specialisms are emerging in the fields of Financial Technology, Financial & Legal Services, Creative & Digital Industries, Cyber Security, Green Tech and Life & Health Sciences. The attractiveness of Belfast as a business  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3b

            The Information contained in the following five reports is restricted in accordance with Part 1 of Schedule 6 of the Local Government Act (Northern Ireland) 2014

(The City Solicitor and the Director of Property and Projects attended

in connection with this item)

            The City Solicitor identified that a planning application directly impacted by this item was to be considered by the Planning Committee at a future meeting and that it would be prudent for Members of that Committee to leave the room for the duration of the discussion in order to avoid any allegations of pre-determination.  Alderman McGimpsey and Councillors Dorrian, Johnston, Magee, McAteer, McDonough-Brown and Mullan declared an interest and left the room for the duration of the item.  Councillor Boyle also declared an interest in the item, in that he was a Member of the Markets Development Association, and also left the room.

            The Director of Property and Projects reminded the Committee that the Council, at its meeting on 1st June, had referred back the decision of 12th April, under the heading “Gasworks Northern Fringe Masterplan”, to the Committee for further consideration.

            The Director of Property and Projects outlined that the proposal in the Gasworks Northern Fringe Masterplan was for mixed-use developments in sites A, D, the NIE-owned site adjacent to D, J and K.  He confirmed that the NIE had stated that it no longer required the site adjacent to Site D, and that it would consider selling it.

            During discussion, a number of Members stated that it should be noted that the report had been published just two days in advance of the meeting, with the revised opinion from the Q.C. having been circulated to Members a matter of hours before the meeting.

            A Member expressed serious concerns with the proposals, stating that mixed-use development could mean that two houses would be built on each site.  The Member also stated that sites A, B, C, D and the NIE-owned site were currently zoned for housing under the Belfast Metropolitan Area Plan (BMAP); the Council did not own the NIE site; the Northern Ireland Housing Executive (NIHE) had stated that sites J and K were out of the common housing area; there were inaccuracies in paragraphs 6, 7 and 26(b) in the Q.C’s opinion and that the Q.C. agreed that there was evidence of social housing need in the immediate area with a significant number of cases registered as being in housing stress.

            The City Solicitor explained that the information provided in paragraphs 6, 7 and 26(b) of the Q.C’s opinion was not incorrect and, in relation to 26(b), clarified that the overall Gasworks Northern Fringe site was zoned for both residential and commercial development.  He also advised that any outline planning application would be subject to consultation.

            The Director of Property and Projects advised the Committee that mixed-use developments would include housing but that the Council was not a housing provider.

            After discussion, it was

            Moved by Councillor Hargey,

            Seconded by Councillor O’Hara,

   That the Committee agrees to defer the item in order to receive details of what is to be included in each site of the Northern Fringe.

            On a  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4a

            The Director of City Centre Development advised the Committee that the Department of Finance had proposed to consolidate and rationalise the central government office estate in Belfast city centre and that it was initially looking at three locations, Hope Street, Castle Street and Dunbar Link/Corporation Street.

            The Director provided the Members with an overview of each site and the benefits and challenges which they provided.  She reported that construction was scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2019 and that it was expected that 1,500 staff would potentially be located at each site.

            The Members were advised that the Council would continue to work closely with a number of agencies across the three locations in order to develop proposals for government offices.

The Committee noted:

1.     the contents of the report; and

2.     that any further masterplanning proposals which affected Council-owned assets would be the subject of a separate report to the relevant Council committees.

            The Director of City Centre Development reminded the Members that, as part of the City Centre Regeneration and Investment Strategy (CCRIS), a number of detailed planning activities had been undertaken to support and shape development in the city centre.  She reported that, as part of that work, masterplanning work had been undertaken for the Inner North and West area of the city centre.

            The Members were reminded that the Inner North and West areas were experiencing significant change, largely due to the new Ulster University campus and the planned works of Streets Ahead Phase 3.

            The Director advised the Committee that the Masterplan sought to provide a detailed framework to help ensure a more comprehensive approach to development on public and private sector owned land, and to provide greater connectivity between adjacent communities and the city centre.  She reminded the Committee that a holistic consideration of the key issues such as transport, connectivity, built heritage, community connections and an appropriate mix of uses would be used for that part of the city.

            The Committee was advised that, given the numerous land owners and a number of complexities with the area, her team would engage with a diverse range of stakeholders over the coming months in order to develop the masterplan.

            The Committee:

1.     noted that targeted engagement was proposed to take place over the summer months with members and external stakeholders; and

2.     agreed to receive a presentation of the draft masterplan in August for the Committee’s consideration, ahead of the public consultation process.

(The City Events Manager attended in connection with this item)

            The City Events Manager explained to the Committee that he was seeking approval for financial backing of £30,000 for the 2018 World VESPA Gathering, which was proposed to be held in Belfast between 14th and 17th June.

            He explained that, each year, a National Vespa Club put on a World event which attracted thousands of Vespa enthusiasts from around the world and that Belfast had been offered the chance to host the event by the Vespa Club of Britain.

            He advised the Members that the local organising Committee for the VESPA World Gathering had estimated that the economic return to the City would be in the region of £7million through hotel, hospitality and retail expenditure, with up to 4,000 participants from across Northern Ireland, the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland and Europe visiting Belfast over a four day period.

            He highlighted to the Committee that the event linked into the Belfast Agenda and the Place Positioning Strategy, in that it would reflect the vibrancy of Belfast, and also to the city’s European Capital of Culture bid, due to the pan-European nature of the project. 

            The Committee was advised that officers would be requested to sit on the various Local Organising Committees and working groups in relation to the event and he explained that this had proved very useful and beneficial to the Council when working on previous events on a similar scale.

            He reported that support for the event would be subject to a full legal contract with the event organisers and clarified that, if a default on the terms was to occur, Members would be notified accordingly.

            The Committee agreed to provide support of £30,000 from the Events budget for the 2018 World VESPA Gathering to be staged in Belfast between 14th and 17th June, 2018.

(The Director of City and Neighbourhood Services attended in connection with this item)

            The Director of City and Neighbourhood Services reminded the Committee that, at its meeting on 8th March, it had considered the outcomes from the Members’ Workshop on the future options for the Belfast Zoo.

            He reported the range of issues which were to be considered by the Committee at a later stage, including the future business operating model, the site, the size and animal collection and any capital investment implications.

            A Member stated that, during the Members’ Workshop, the zoologists had confirmed that they believed that Bellevue was the location for the Zoo in the City.

            He outlined the next steps to the Committee and confirmed that discussions with stakeholders had now taken place.  He reported that a range of criteria and potential weightings had since been drawn up to allow an evaluation of the options to take place.

            During discussion, and in response to a number of Members’ comments, the Committee agreed that animal welfare was paramount and that the weighting allocated to it should be increased.

            The Director explained that a similar process had been carried out for the newly opened Exploris Aquarium and that it was proposed that a visit be arranged to hear from the Members and officers from Ards and North Down Council who had been involved in the process to engage the market.  It was envisaged that the visit would take place at the end of August.

            A Member suggested that a visit to Tayto Park, Co. Meath, could also be useful for comparison.

            After discussion, the Committee:

1.     agreed that Criteria 3, namely, ‘animal welfare’, should be given a higher weighting in the evaluation criteria which would be used to assess the options;

2.     agreed that a visit to Exploris be arranged in late August to discuss with, and hear from, Members and officers from Ards and North Down Borough Council regarding their experience, with all Members of the Council invited to attend; and

3.     agreed that, following the visit to Exploris, a feasibility exercise be carried out to assess the options for the future business operating model for the Zoo, noting that the Council would not be committing to any option at that stage but that it would allow operational understanding of the impact of each and details of savings and/or costs.

The Committee agreed to defer consideration of the request in order to allow officers to meet with Exterion Media in the first instance.

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

“1.0     Purpose of Report or Summary of main Issues

1.1       The Committee held its annual planning workshop on 6 March 2017 to shape the upcoming work of the Committee and the new Corporate Plan. This was informed by the Council’s budget setting process for 2017/18.  The workshop also provided the opportunity to consider the Committee’s role in maximising the Council’s contribution to delivering the Agenda.

1.2       The Belfast Agenda has at its core a commitment to inclusive growth.  The Committee is familiar with the four main priorities in the Belfast Agenda which demonstrate the centrality of growing the local economy to improving quality of life in Belfast. It sets out an ambition for growth and opportunity that includes four headline goals to focus on the economic and social growth of Belfast so that by 2035:

-       Our city is home to an additional 70,000 new residents

-       Our urban economy supports 50,000 more jobs

-       There will be a 50% reduction in the life expectancy gap between the most and least deprived neighbourhoods

-       Every young person leaving school has a destination that fulfils their potential

1.3       The Committee has already noted that delivering the ambitions in the Belfast Agenda will require a significant uplift in the investment and resource commitment from the Council to ensure that, along with partner organisations, we develop appropriate support, services and programmes to grow the economy, improve the skills base, support city development and enhance the ‘lived experience’ in the city.  

1.4       The draft Committee Plan (available on modern.gov) draws together several annual delivery plans previously agreed by Committee (such as city centre development, support for businesses, employability & skills, tourism and the cultural framework).  It sets out the main priorities and programmes of work that the Committee will oversee during 2017-18 to contribute to the delivery of the Belfast Agenda.

2.0       Recommendations

2.1       The Committee is asked to:

-       Approve the draft City Growth & Regeneration Committee Plan 2017-18; and

-       Agree to receive a further economic briefing, which includes consideration of the Belfast’s position post Brexit from the Ulster University Economic Policy Centre (UUEPC) at a future meeting.

3.0       Main report

            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       With input from Prof Neil Gibson (UUEPC) the planning workshop on 6 March 2017 provided an opportunity to set the Council’s ambitions and Committee’s progress and priorities within the current economic context and outlook.  The purpose of the workshop was to translate the priorities of the Belfast Agenda into a work plan  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6a

(The Director of City and Neighbourhood Services attended in connection with this item)

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

“1.0     Purpose of Report or Summary of main Issues

1.1       A report to update Members on the outcome of the public consultation on the Council’s draft Car Parking Strategy, seek endorsement from elected members on the proposed final strategy and outline next steps for implementation was deferred by Committee in April to allow for further elected member briefings and consideration. 

1.2       The strategy makes recommendations relating to Council owned car parks and car parking provision outside our ownership. A key component of the strategy is to facilitate and encourage stakeholders to work together to achieve the vision and objectives.  The Council wish to provide a strong civic leadership role for the promotion of a modern, safe, accessible and integrated transportation system for the City of Belfast and its wider region.

2.0       Recommendations

2.1       The Committee is asked to

·        note the issues raised during the party briefings and proposed response as outlined on modern.gov:

·        note the main issues received during the public consultation process and if appropriate agree the Council’s proposed response on how it will influence the final strategy content; and

·        endorse the final strategy for publication and note the proposed next steps for the implementation of the action plan.

3.0       Main report

3.1       Public Consultation

3.2       The draft car parking strategy was published for public consultation on the Citizen Space platform from the 30th August 2016 to the 21st November 2016 and received 84 consultation responses with 11 additional responses received outside the Citizen Space platform. A public consultation event was held in City Hall on the 4th October 2016 which was open to elected members, key stakeholders and members of the public and was attended by over 30 representatives.

3.3       The overall response from the public consultation has been supportive of the strategy in particular the strategy objectives and the Council priorities. The consultation requested views on the Council’s vision outlined in the strategy ‘Belfast is a city offering sufficient, high quality and appropriately located parking which supports economic development and regeneration within the city by balancing the requirements of residents, businesses, commuters and visitors.’ 42% of respondents agreed with the vision whilst 38% disagreed. The general comments relating to the vision showed that car parking is a highly divisive issue with respondents either requesting that there should be increased car parking provision at lower cost or that car parking provision should be restricted in the city centre to improve the amenity for residents and visitors to the city. It is suggested that the vision remains unchanged as we our advocating a balanced approach to car parking provision in the city. The strategy recognises that car parking in suitable amounts and locations is vital for the city centre to function properly. A balance is therefore necessary between car parking and other transport modes and between the needs of short-stay and long-stay parking users.

3.4       It is clear  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6b

            The Director of City Centre Development reminded the Committee that it had previously agreed to appoint a multi-disciplinary consultant team, led by Arup, to take forward a detailed framework for the area identified as the East Bank.

            She explained that the draft strategy sought to ensure that the East Bank was fully woven into the fabric of the city centre. She outlined how the Strategy would seek to create a lively, diverse and accessible area which would be well-connected to the city core, the River Lagan and surrounding communities and would provide places to live, work and socialise.

            The Council had established a Steering Group with staff from the City Centre Development and the Local Development Plan teams working alongside the appointed multi-disciplinary team led by Arup.   The Director reported that both Transport NI and the Department for Communities had also nominated senior representatives to the group.

            The Director explained that Arup had undertaken a comprehensive review of land use, transport and the economic context and had held two stakeholder workshops.  She reported that early consultation with elected Members and other key stakeholders including major landowners, residents and community groups had commenced in December 2016, with a second stakeholder workshop having taken place in February 2017.

            The Committee was advised that options for discussion in the draft Strategy had included significant rationalisation of road and rail infrastructure in the area to create a visionary sustainable transport corridor on Bridge End.  She reminded the Members that planning consent had been granted for the removal of the Station Street flyover adjacent to Queen’s Quay.  The Committee was also advised that other proposals included the removal of the Bridge End flyover, a reduction of road space for general traffic and a proposed relocation of the TQ railway station.

            She explained that the changes to the road and rail infrastructure would be carried out in phases, with a significant change required in the way people travelled on that corridor, in favour of public transport, walking and cycling, to compensate for the reduction in road space.

            The Director advised the Members that the next step was to consult with key stakeholders and adjacent communities to seek their input on the options proposed and opportunities identified. She advised that the proposed consultation and engagement exercise would commence following the Council meeting on 3rd July and would last for 12 weeks.

            The Committee:

1.     agreed to recommend to the Council that a public consultation exercise on the draft East Bank Strategy be undertaken over a twelve week period during summer 2017;

2.     agreed to delegate to the Director of City Centre Development, in conjunction with the City Solicitor, the authority to take forward a Strategic Environmental Assessment for the area; and

3.     noted that a report would be submitted to a future meeting on the finalised version of the Strategy for approval in the autumn.

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

“1.0     Purpose of Report

1.1  This purpose of the report is to provide Members with an update on the Council’s joint bid with Derry City & Strabane District Council to become the UK designated city for the 2023 European Capital of Culture.

2.0       Recommendations

2.1       The Committee is asked to:

·        Note the contents of this report

·        Note the joint Members workshop which will take place in the Seamus Heaney Centre in Bellaghy on the morning of 19 June 2017.  All Members of the City Growth and Regeneration Committee as well as the Chair and Deputy Chair of the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee and the Party Group Leaders (or nominees) to be invited to attend

·        Note the proposal to hold a workshop with key cultural partners as part of the engagement process in the afternoon of 19 June 2017

·        Note the plans for the launch event to take place on 20 June 2017

·        Note that work is underway on the programme development and the financial due diligence and that further reports will be brought back to the Committee for consideration at a future date.

3.0       Main report

3.1       Members are reminded that the submission of the European Capital of Culture Bid is a two-stage process as set out below:

3.2       A summary of the critical timeline in relation to the development and submission of the Stage 1 bid is available on modern.gov.

3.3       Member Workshop

            In order to ensure that elected members are aware of the process and have an opportunity to input into and shape the programme development, it is proposed that a workshop will take place on the morning of 19 June 2017 at the Seamus Heaney HomePlace in Bellaghy.  This will involve elected representatives from both Councils.  It is proposed that all Members of the City Growth and Regeneration Committee as well as the Chair and Deputy Chair of the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee and the Party Group Leaders (or nominees) from Belfast City Council be invited to attend this workshop.  The workshop will start at 10.00am but there will be an opportunity for Members to undertake a tour of the Homeplace at 09.15am that morning.  

3.4       The workshop will be an interactive session with colleagues from Derry City and Strabane District Council which will provide a forum for elected Members to:

·        explore the opportunities and benefits of progressing a European Capital of Culture Bid;

·        gain an insight into the experiences of other European Capitals of Culture in terms of the positive legacy which has been created; and

·        input and shape the emerging vision and themes of the Bid.

3.5       Members will  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8a

            The Chief Executive provided the Members with an update on the progress which had been made in relation to a City Region Growth Deal for Belfast.

            She reminded the Committee that, at its meeting on 7th December, it had agreed to commission a full feasibility study on a City Region Growth Deal (City Deal) and she advised the Members that KPMG had been appointed to carry out that work.  She explained that they had been tasked to provide a detailed evidence base, including forecast modelling, which would set out the rationale, financial construct and benefits of a City Deal for Belfast.

            She reported that KPMG had indicated that an initial narrative to build partner and political engagement, and to secure buy-in, would be completed by mid-June.  Financial and economic modelling reports based on potential geographies and investment priorities, and an analysis report on infrastructural needs, were estimated for completion by September, 2017, with a detailed City Deal proposal completed by the end of March, 2018.

            The Committee was assured that, throughout the process, there would be ongoing political and stakeholder engagement with the following groups:

·        Belfast City-Region Councillors and officers

·        Newry, Mourne and Down, and Derry and Strabane Councillors and officers

·        NI Assembly representatives

·        Northern Ireland Office and Taoiseach’s Office/Department for Foreign Affairs

·        Business sector including large businesses and representative bodies

·        Innovation sector including universities, further education and innovation hubs

·        City stakeholders such as the Belfast Harbour Commission

·        NI Civil Service departments notably Department for Infrastructure; and Department for Finance

            The Chief Executive reported that, further to political engagement over the past 6 months at Westminster, Stormont and in Council, an initial narrative paper, “When Belfast Succeeds…” had been prepared.

            She advised the Members that KPMG was preparing a position paper to provide more detail on a potential City Deal vision, objectives and targets.  The Members were advised that it would outline the city-region’s competitive advantages and a compelling programme of ‘asks’ which would demonstrably build inclusive growth, particularly in preparation for exit from the European Union.  A copy of the paper would be circulated to the Members when it was available.

            During discussion, the Chief Executive reported to the Committee that Belfast would follow the Glasgow model of a City Deal, which sought to provide above average improvements in areas of social disadvantage.  She also highlighted to the Members that the City needed to raise its Gross Value Added (GVA).

            A Member stated that he felt that Glasgow’s approach was the best fit for Belfast, and that the Council should also examine the ways in which Manchester had failed to deliver those improvements so that the same mistakes would not be made.

            The Chief Executive advised the Members that she would circulate a copy of the position paper by KPMG.

            The Committee noted the progress to date and agreed to the next steps.

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

“1.0     Purpose of Report or Summary of main Issues

1.1       To present Members with a proposed ‘Smart Belfast’ framework that seeks to harness the talent of the city’s digital SME sector, and our world-class university research, to support the Council, community planning partners and local communities to create more innovative solutions to complex public policy challenges as identified in the Belfast Agenda. This work is part of a wider ambition to foster innovative methodologies and complements the Council’s parallel work on Social Innovation with local communities and our corporate commitment to service transformation.

1.2       The Smart Belfast framework is the product of a twelve-month co-investment agreement between the Council and the UK Future Cities Catapult which also delivered a series of ‘demonstrator’ projects that utilised a mix of ‘smart city’ approaches to address current city issues. (One of these demonstrator projects has already identified more than £370,000 of additional annual Rates income for the region.)

1.3       This report provides an overview of the framework and the results of the demonstrator projects. It also sets out a proposed programme to deliver the Smart Belfast framework within a wider Council commitment to innovative service delivery. It also includes details of an offer from Invest NI to support a ‘Smart Belfast’ challenge programme which has the potential to provide over £860,000 funding support to local SMEs. And an offer from the Digital Catapult to provide £50,000 funding support to local SMEs for an innovation challenge around the city’s visitor experience.

            At its June 2017 meeting Strategic Policy and Resources Committee agreed to:

·        Consider and adopt the Smart Belfast framework as a basis for driving collaborative innovation between city partners.

·        Agree the proposed programme of work including the delivery of a Smart Belfast challenge programme with Invest NI and the delivery of the Digital Catapult’s open challenge competition on the visitor experience.

·        Agree to a September launch event for the framework and Challenge programme. (Details to be issued to Members later in the summer.)

·        Agree that the Council develops an approach to innovation that integrates opportunities presented by the Smart Belfast work, the Social Innovation programme with communities, and the organisational development programme

2.0       Recommendations

2.1       Committee is asked to:

·        Note the contents of the report including plans for the launch of a Smart Belfast framework and supporting Challenge programme for SMEs in September 2017.

3.0       Main report

3.1       Key Issues

            Many cities around the world have created ‘smart city’ frameworks that aim to foster the conditions in which city partners can better exploit leading-edge technologies, data science and industrial design practices to address urban challenges in more innovative ways (while at the same time providing a welcoming environment for start-ups and entrepreneurs to develop new products).

3.2       Places such as Glasgow, Dublin, Bristol, and Manchester are successfully using such frameworks to:

-       leverage substantial private sector investment and grant funding (e.g. Innovate UK and Horizon 2020 funding);

-       provide a creative environment in which local digital  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9b

            (Councillor McDonough-Brown declared an interest in this item and did not take part in the discussion)

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

“1.0     Purpose of Report

1.1       The purpose of this report is to:

-       Provide Members with an update on the development work that has been undertaken by Officers from Belfast City Council, in conjunction with their counterparts from the Arts Council of Northern Ireland (ACNI), to develop a targeted ‘resilience building’ programme for key citywide arts and cultural organisations in order to help the organisations to build a more stable foundation for their future growth

-       Seek Members’ approval to proceed with the development and delivery of the programme

-       Note the overall programme costs of up to £600,000 over a three year period, with costs to be evenly split between Belfast City Council and Arts Council for Northern Ireland.  The Council contribution in the current financial year will be £100,000.  This amount was set aside in the financial estimates for the current year and has already been approved by this Committee in April 2017, as part of the Cultural Action Plan.

2.0       Recommendations

2.1       The Committee is asked to:

·        Note the report

·        Approve to recommendation to proceed with the development and delivery of the programme, as set out in sections 3.6-3.12.

3.0       Main report

            Strategic Context

3.1       In 2016, the Building Change Trust, in partnership with Arts and Business Northern Ireland, commissioned and financed research that examined social investment in the arts. The purpose of this research was to explore the potential for increasing social investment in the arts and cultural sector in Northern Ireland as a means of contributing to the sector’s sustainability in the context of ever-reducing public funding sources. 

3.2       The research report highlighted a number of key findings.  These included:

-       Arts and cultural organisations are very reliant on public funding at a time when this funding source is under significant threat. 59% of the organisations that participated in the survey reported public subsidy levels of 75% or more. Although some arts organisations have lost some or all of their funding over the last three years, standstill ACNI funding has been the reality for the majority over the past five to six years. It is important to note that, over that period, Belfast City Council budgets have been maintained and increased slightly.  However, given the importance of the Arts Council’s investment, this means a significant reduction in real terms for most organisations

-       The need to increase the strategic financial management capacity amongst arts organisations and the development of board and trustee vision and expertise, particularly in relation to risk and investment readiness.

-       Current funding structures and models do not support organisational stability and impede organisational development and growth. Arts organisations identified a number of specific challenges including:

·        Difficulties in securing adequate core funding

·        Annual funding cycles make it difficult to plan and to develop their programmes

·        The perception that funders penalise organisations which hold reserves

·        Very burdensome application and reporting regimes;  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9c

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

“1.0   Purpose of Report

1.1     The purpose of this report is to seek Committee approval to provide financial support towards the organisation and delivery of an “Other Voices” event in Belfast at the end of October 2017.  It is intended that this event will be a precursor to a larger event which will take place in the city annually from 2018 onwards, linking in with other, more established creative events.    

2.0    Recommendations

2.1    The Committee is asked to:

·        Note the content of the report, including the proposal to bring the “Other Voices” event to Belfast for the first time in October 2017 – as a precursor event to a potentially larger event in 2018

·        Agree to a budget allocation of £40,000 form the existing development department budget towards the October 2017 event. 

3.0    Main report

3.1    Background to Other Voices  

         Other Voices started as a one-off music event in a small church in the west of Ireland in 2002.  Since that time, the event has grown to become one of the most significant music events in Ireland.  Its reach has also extended beyond its Dingle base.  In 2013, the event moved to Derry-Londonderry as part of the UK City of Culture celebrations. In 2016, Other Voices recorded live from Austin, Texas, as part of the SXSW international music event.  In Summer 2017, there will once again be an “Other Voices” stage as part of the annual Electric Picnic concert.  The event has also been produced in New York.

3.2    This enhanced profile has enabled the event to attract a range of well-known acts over the years.  These include Willie Nelson, Ellie Goulding, Gregory Porter, Amy Winehouse and Mumford and Sons.  In addition, the event has attracted many indigenous acts and has provided a platform for showcasing up-and-coming talent.  The event is currently broadcast on Irish broadcaster RTE’s television and digital platforms.

3.3    In addition to the live performances, the event also involves a wide range of outreach and engagement activity with local residents and those involved in the culture and arts sector.  Events include workshops, tours and trails, musical showcases, school engagement activities and local concerts.

3.4 Event organisers have, for some time, been exploring the opportunity of bringing the Other Voices Festival to Belfast.  Given the decision to make an application for the European Capital of Culture in 2023 with Derry-Londonderry, and the commitment to build the city’s cultural profile and showcase its creative talent, it is considered that this would be an appropriate time to consider an event in Belfast. 

3.5    Early discussions have identified the potential to use this event to position Belfast as a unique musical destination as well as a smart, creative, tech city.  This is in keeping with the emerging City Positioning brand and narrative that Members considered at the May 2017 meeting of the City Growth and Regeneration Committee. It also aligns with the Cultural Framework, particularly in terms of the themes of “Attracting Audiences” and “Inspiring  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9d

            The Chief Executive presented the financial position of the City Growth and Regeneration Committee to the Members.  She advised them that the Quarter 4 (Q4) position for the Committee was an under spend of £147,000 (0.9%), which she explained included additional income of £86,000, and was well within the acceptable tolerance of 3%.

            The Committee was advised that the current position related to vacant post across a number of services, receipt of additional income of Off Street Car Parking charges and an under spend of programme Costs in the Development Directorate and Parks Estates.

            The Committee was reminded that the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee had agreed, at its meeting on 18th November, 2016, to cap in-year Departmental cash limits at the Quarter 2 forecast levels to offset the rates clawback advised by the Land and Property Service.  The Committee noted that it was not, therefore, in a position to re-allocate any of the under spend.

            The Committee noted the report and the associated financial reporting pack.

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

“1.0     Purpose of Report or Summary of main Issues

1.1       The Belfast Agenda sets a challenging ambition for the city to be home to an additional 70,000 new residents and an economy that supports 50,000 more jobs by 2035. Growing the economy and driving inclusive growth to ensure that all people benefit from economic success is at the core of this ambition. 

1.2       To deliver on this, the Council has agreed to a significant step change in the provision of Council support to accelerate new businesses to start and support existing businesses to grow and export as well as driving the delivery of the Employability & Skills Framework. This forms a core element in ensuring that all communities benefit from economic growth as well as positioning Belfast to attract international investment from developers, Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and institutional investment. 

1.3       In March 2017, the Committee agreed to the publication of the ‘Belfast Facts & Figures’ booklet which has been well received by external audiences.  Committee also noted the ongoing work to produce additional infographic-style materials to increase awareness of the contribution of Belfast City Council programmes to deliver on the ambitions to Grow the Belfast economy. The Committee already receives updates on the annual programmes of work and the Committee Plan, which features as a separate item on the agenda.  However, this report outlines the proposed format for future quarterly progress performance reports on the Council’s contribution to Growing the Belfast Economy to ensure Committee is kept informed of progress.

2.0       Recommendations

2.1       The Committee is asked to:

-       Note that infographic progress reports will be brought to future meetings of the Committee to provide regular updates on the Council’s performance and contribution to delivering the Belfast Agenda ambitions.

-       Consider and agree the proposed format and type of information to be included in  future progress reports on the Council’s contribution to achieving the Belfast Agenda targets to Grow the Belfast economy

3.0       Main report

            Key Issues

3.1       The Committee receive a series of economic briefings as well as updates and presentations on key strategic developments in the city.  The recent publication of the Belfast Facts & Figures booklet has been well received by internal and external audiences as an easily accessible information source. 

3.2       A report on the Committee Plan 2017/18 is included as a separate item on the Committee agenda.  The Committee Plan collates the annual programmes of work, agreed by Committee at their meetings in March and April 2017 and demonstrates the alignment to the Belfast Agenda priorities and city ambitions and the significant increase in the range of programmes and support.

3.3       The Committee have requested regular updates on the performance and contribution of the Council to delivering the City’s targets outlined in the Belfast Agenda.  Committee have noted that infographic style materials will be developed to provide an easily accessible visual representation of the Council’s progress against performance targets. These materials will be developed in line with the key programmes and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 10b