Agenda and minutes

            Apologies for inability to attend were reported on behalf of Councillors Michael Collins, Garrett, McCusker, McReynolds and Pankhurst.

            The Chairperson, on behalf of the Committee, extended condolences to Councillor Pankhurst on the recent death of his grandfather. 

            The minutes of the meeting of 8th and 22nd June were taken as read and signed as correct.

            It was reported that the minutes had been adopted by the Council at its meeting on 1st

July, subject to the following amendment to the 8th June minute:

Rosario Youth Club - Funding Request

            At the request of Councillor Gormley, the Council agreed that a report be submitted to the August meeting of the People and Communities Committee, asking the Committee to consider allocating additional funding to cover the months of April, May and June 2021 in respect of Rosario Youth Club.

            Councillor Smyth declared an interest in item 2 (a) Partner Agreement – Ulidia Playing Fields, in that he was a Member of its Steering Committee and he left the meeting whilst the matter was under consideration.

            The following Members declared an interest in item 2 (b) in relation to the Community Provision Grant Funding 2021/22. All Members left the meeting whilst the matter was being discussed. 

·        Alderman Copeland, in that her daughter was a Director of the Greater Village Regeneration Trust;

·        Councillor Black, on the basis that she managed the Grosvenor Community Centre; 

·        Councillor Verner, in that she was an employee of the Greater Shankill Partnership (Spectrum Centre); and

·        Councillor Corr, in that he was an employee of Falls Community Council.  

            The information contained in the reports associated with the following 4 items is restricted in accordance with Part 1 of Schedule 6 of the Local Government Act (Northern Ireland) 2014.

      Resolved – That the Committee agrees to exclude the Members of the Press and public from the Committee meeting during discussion on the following 3 items as, due to their nature, there would be a disclosure of exempt information as described in Section 42(4) and Section 6 of the Local Government Act (Northern Ireland) 2014.

            Further to the decision at the 1st July meeting of Council, the Committee considered a report regarding allocating additional financial support to retrospectively cover staffing costs for the months of April, May and June 2021 in respect of Rosario Youth Club (in addition to the contribution which had been paid under their Partnership Agreement).

            The Committee was reminded that, at its meeting on 22nd June 2021, it had agreed to award Rosario Youth Club a payment, to a maximum if £2,000 per month (pending a long-term lease being achieved), with effect from 1st July 2021.

            The Committee was advised that the Club had intended to write to the Council at an earlier date to request an extension to this funding but due to an error this had not been done.  The Director of Neighbourhood Services confirmed that Rosario Youth Club had advised that they had provided the service and incurred the costs during this period and could provide full documentation and vouching of such.

            Following a query from a Member regarding the possibility of establishing a Partner agreement for Glentoran Youth Academy for the new Blanchflower Asset, the Director of Neighbourhood Services advised that the existing Partner Agreements Policy had been established following an open Expression of Interest process in respect of the specific sites and that it had been for an initial period of five years, with the option to extended for an additional period of two years and that it was now currently in year six.

            He further advised that any new requests could be considered as part of a Community Asset Transfer process and confirmed that officers were preparing to submit further details on this for consideration in the Autumn.

            The Members of the Committee recommended that, in accordance with the Council decision of 4th May, the Chief Executive exercise her delegated authority to agree the request for additional support for Rosario Youth Club and to provide a maximum financial payment of up to £2,000 per month for staff costs, subject to vouching of fully evidenced expenditure from April 2021 to June 2021.

            The Director of Neighbourhood Services advised that the Council had received a Letter of Offer) for 2021/22 from the Department for Communities, allocating £1,731,259.74 (which included additional Welfare Reform Mitigation Extensions), with some elements of the grant award being ring fenced, as detailed below:

            The Director drew the Members’ attention to a detailed summary of the exact budget breakdown of financial commitments for the overall Community Grants Programme for 2021/22, as follows: 

The Members noted thatthe ring-fenced allocation of £70,400 for Tribunal Representations was directly for services provided by Belfast Citywide Tribunal Service and that the Letter of Offer stipulated that the Council would agree to contribute to local advice provision from its own resources of at least £391,729.00.

            The Director referred specifically to the funding to the Play Resource Warehouse.  He advised the Members that the Council had provided funding of £31,209.00 to Play Resource Warehouse under a Service Level Agreement (SLA) for a number of years.  The Council had recently received formal notification that the Play Resource Warehouse had formally merged with Bryson Energy and that Bryson Energy would continue with the arrangements agreed within the SLA.

            The Committee was therefore asked to consider the transfer of the 2021/22 SLA for Play Resource Warehouse to Bryson Energy.  If agreed, officers would work with Bryson Energy during 2021/22 to better understand the longer term development of the service which would be further considered by the Committee in Autumn 2021, along with the final recommendations from the previously agreed Review of Partnership Funding Arrangements.

            The Members of the Committee recommended that, in accordance with the Council decision of 4th May, the Chief Executive exercise her delegated authority to:

·        award the funding allocation of £1,731,259.74 presented in the Letter of Offer from the DfC for the 2021/22 financial year and accept the offer on behalf of Council;

·        accept the additional in-year allocations from the DfC relating to the Community Support Programme;

·        grant officer authority to progress full annual allocations to all previously approved grant recipients, subject to associated due diligence requirements; and 

·        approve the transfer of the previous Play Resource Warehouse SLA to Bryson Energy on basis of same deliverables for 2021/22 only.

The Committee considered a request seeking permission to use the Boucher Road Playing Fields from 1st October – 17th October 2021 for the purpose of hosting a funfair event.

            The Committee noted that Fundamania would be open to the public from 6.00 p.m. – 10.00 p.m. Monday – Friday and 2.00 p.m. – 10.00 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.  Access to the site would be required two days prior to the official opening for setup and two days immediately following the event to allow for dismantling of the equipment.  

            It was estimated that there would be in the region of 500 attendees each day. 

            The Members of the Committee recommended that, in accordance with the Council decision of 4th May, the Chief Executive exercise her delegated authority to:

grant authority to G Force Entertainment to hold a fairground event from Friday, 1st October to Sunday, 17th October 2021; and

Delegate authority to the Director of Neighbourhood Services to:

·        negotiate an appropriate fee which recognises the costs to Council, minimises negative impact on the immediate area and takes account of the potential wider benefit to the city economy, in conjunction with the Council’s Commercial Manager;

·        negotiate satisfactory terms and conditions of use via an appropriate legal agreement prepared by the City Solicitor, including managing final booking confirmation dates and flexibility around ‘set up’ and take down’ periods, and booking amendments, subject to:

·        the promoter resolving any operational issues to the Council’s satisfaction;

·        compliance with Coronavirus restrictions in place at the time of the event; and

·        the promoter meeting all the statutory requirements of the Planning and Building Control Service, including the terms and conditions of the Park’s Entertainment Licence.

            The Members noted that the above recommendations were taken as pre-policy position, in advance of the Council agreeing a more structured framework and policy for ‘Events’, which was currently being taken forward in conjunction with the Council’s Commercial team.

            The Committee was presented with a report on the year-end financial position for 2020/21 which provided details of the available balances and the areas of expenditure which had been identified for 2021/22 and confirmed that, when those had been taken into account, £5.4 million would be available for re-allocation.

            The Committee was reminded that, in 2018, the Council had agreed to establish a Summer Community Diversionary Festival Programme, with £500k annually having been aside for its delivery. The Programme was targeted at activities taking place in July and August and the application process, which involved an open call, took between three and four months to complete.  Given that the uncertainty around the Covid-19 restrictions, an open call had not been advertised for this year and the Members were advised that the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee, at its meeting on 18th June 2021, had agreed that the Programme would be delivered later in the year, restrictions permitting.

            Accordingly, Members of the Committee agreed to recommend that, in accordance with the Council decision of 4th May, the Chief Executive exercise her delegated authority to:

·        note the contents of the report and approve the 2021/22 balances;

·        agree that the year-end surplus of £5.4m be made available for re-allocation; and

·        note that the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee had agreed that the annual allocation of £500k for the Summer Community Diversionary Festival Programme be retained, with a view to delivering the Programme later in the year.

            The Democratic Services Officer reminded the Committee that, at its meeting held on 13th April, it had agreed to write to the Minister for Communities to seek further clarity in relation to the future funding for Advice Services.

            She advised that a response had been received from Minister Hargey.  In her response she had advised that Belfast City Council had been allocated £901,854.30 from the Department’s Community Support Programme for 2021/22 and that a formal letter of offer would be issued.

            The officer advised that, as reported earlier in the meeting, the formal Letter of Offer from the Department had been received.

            The Members of the Committee recommended that, in accordance with the Council decision of 4th May, the Chief Executive note the response.   

            The Committee considered the following report:

“1.0      Purpose of Report or Summary of main Issues

1.1       The Committee will be aware that on the 21st September 2016, the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) commenced consultation into the designation of an area of the Lagan Meadows as a ‘Quiet Area’, under the provisions of Directive 2002/49/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25th June 2002, relating to the assessment and management of environmental noise, more commonly referred to as the Environmental Noise Directive or END, and of Regulation 40 of the Environmental Noise (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2006, relating to the preparation of noise maps identifying quiet areas in agglomerations. END defines an agglomeration as ‘part of a territory, delimited by the Member State, having a population in excess of 100,000 persons and a population density such that the Member State considers it to be an urbanised area’.   

1.2       The People and Communities Committee considered this designation at its meeting of 11th October 2016 and subsequently provided a written consultation response to DAERA advising that the Committee welcomed and was supportive of designation of the Lagan Meadows as a Quiet Area. Moreover, the Committee advised DAERA that it noted the public health and wider environmental benefits of protecting appropriate Quiet Areas across Belfast and that council officers would continue to engage with the Department to help refine the screening criteria to be applied in subsequent rounds of Quiet Area identification and designation.

1.3       The DAERA consultation formally concluded on the 19th October 2016 but the Council has been unaware subsequently as to the outworkings of the consultation process and regarding DAERA’s intentions and timetable for formally designating the Lagan Meadows as a Quiet Area.

1.4       This report serves therefore to provide an update to the People and Communities Committee on progress by DAERA concerning designation of the Lagan Meadows as a Quiet Area.

2.0       Recommendations

2.1       The Members of the Committee are asked to recommend that, in accordance with the Council decision of 4th May 2021, the Chief Executive exercise her delegated authority to note the contents of this report.

3.0       Main report

            Key Issues

3.1       The Committee is advised that the Environmental Noise Directive (END) has been transposed into Northern Ireland legislation through the Environmental Noise Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006, with three main objectives;

                                           (i)          To determine the noise exposure of the population through noise mapping;

                                         (ii)          To make information on environmental noise available to the public; and

                                       (iii)           To develop Noise Action Plans based on the mapping results, to reduce noise levels where necessary, and to preserve environmental noise quality where it is good, including protecting Quiet Areas.

3.2       The Regulations required that by the 30th September 2007, DAERA was to have prepared noise maps identifying Quiet Areas in agglomerations. The Department was to have then considered whether the noise maps produced continued to be appropriate and if not, by the 30th September in any subsequent ‘relevant’ year, the Department was to have prepared,  ...  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       To provide an update on plans to reinstate the Wheelie-box pilot in the Castle Area. The scheme was suspended in March 2020 due to the COVID outbreak. Councillors and residents have regularly enquired when the process would be reinstated.

1.2       To highlight recommendations to the configuration of the wheelie-box scheme and seek approval to start communicating to the residents prior to ratification at the September 1st Council meeting, with a view to restarting the full service from Monday, 6th September 2021.

2.0       Recommendations

2.1       The Members of the Committee are asked to recommend that, in accordance with the Council decision of 4th May 2021, the Chief Executive exercise her delegated authority to:

·        Note the update to reinstate the service.

·        Agree with the proposed configuration changes to the collection process as illustrated in Table 1 and to starting the engagement and communication with Residents in the coming weeks in advance of the ratification by Council on 1st September.

3.0       Main report

3.1       Members are reminded that is was noted at the 11th May People and Communities Committee that plans were being drawn up to re-instate the Caste pilot subject to review of the resource capacity within Resources and Fleet and appropriate controls being put in place to achieve a Covid safe recovery of the service.

3.2       The planning and review led to operational recommendations to achieve the successful recovery of the pilot. The changes are to the collection process to streamline it making it easier for residents to recycle and for crews to collect more efficiently.

3.3       Specifically, by separating cardboard from glass recycling, this improves the safety of the operation and positively impacts the collection efficiency at the kerbside because less sorting is required.

3.4       Additionally, the proposal to sort cardboard with paper makes the end process consistent with other re-cycling providers and more straightforward for residents. The combination of paper and cardboard in the same wheelie box improves the re-cycling rate by lowering the rejection rate at Bryson recycling and at the paper processor[1].

3.5       Finally, discussions were held in relation to the collection of batteries and hand tools with the MRF contractor, Bryson Recycling. Bryson highlighted particular concerns around the recycling of batteries, as a significant fire risk at their facility. It was noted that there had been two significant fires at Waste Facilities in Belfast in the last year and the major cause of such fires have been attributed to batteries. In relation to hand tools it was noted the near zero uptake of these items and as such the space in the wheelie boxes could be put to much better use. 

      Table 1 below sets out the proposed changes

            The Director of Neighbourhood Services advised the Committee that Queen’s University Belfast, in Partnership with the University of Southampton, was in the final stages of applying for funding from the UK Government to carry out research into new bio-degradable/compostable packaging materials.

            The aim of the project, which was to run for three years, was to develop foams that could be 3D printed into custom protective packaging for transporting products, for example, in e-commerce.  The foam materials would be bio-mass derived and degradable into useful end-products to ensure it was used in a circular and sustainable way (that is, producing compost for growing food).  The aim being to develop a replacement to current packaging materials like expanded polystyrene.

            He explained that they had requested the involvement of an officer from the Recycling Outreach Team to help support this work, this would be for approximately two hours per month and would involve:

·        providing input on requirements to bring new sustainable protective packaging solutions into use from the perspective of municipal waste management systems and the associated public policies and education;

·        providing feedback on project activities and progress updates;

·        participating in planned stakeholder engagement activities, including surveys and workshops;

·        assisting QUB to engage with other relevant stakeholders, such as waste management providers and processing companies; and

·        helping plan and promote public outreach and education activities.

            The Members of the Committee recommended that, in accordance with the Council decision of 4th May 2021, the Chief Executive exercise her delegated authority to grant the requested support from the Recycling Outreach Team, along with a letter of support for the project.

            The Director of City Services reminded the Members that, at a meeting of the Committee held on 9th February 2021, it had agreed to sign the 2020/21 Service Level Agreement, with a caveat regarding concerns raised around targeted ratio and funding.  These concerns had subsequently been discussed with the Mr. D. Polley, Director Housing Supply Policy, when he had attended the May meeting of the Committee.

            Following ongoing discussions, the Department for Communities (DfC) had now provided an interim Service Level Agreement (SLA) for 2021/21, available here.  The Director confirmed that engagement was ongoing and that the review into the main issues raised was still being completed (as outlined within the SLA).

            The Committee was advised that, until completion of the review, the Affordable Warmth Scheme would continue to operate the payment per referral model.  The referral rate was set at 360, which would cover the costs of the direct staff employed to work on the scheme.      

            The Members of the Committee recommended that, in accordance with the Council decision of 4th May 2021, the Chief Executive exercise her delegated authority to:

·        agree to the request from DFC to sign the interim 2021-2022 SLA provided; and

·        note the ongoing review which would be used in drafting the SLA for the next financial year.

            The Committee considered the following report:

“1.0      Purpose of Report or Summary of main Issues

1.1       To seek Committee authorisation for transfer of the BCC revenue grant award from Newhill Youth & Community Association to Upper Springfield Development Trust (USDT).

1.2       The total award amount is £13,000.  Newhill Y&C Association have received the first payment of £6,500.  The second payment will be due in October subject to submission of grant interim monitoring details and DFC agreed allocation.

1.3       Both organisations have engaged solicitors to undertake a merger with ‘due diligence’ now coming to a conclusion.

1.4       The proposal will ensure that all current and additional services/programmes will continue to be delivered from the facility for which the BCC revenue grant applies.

1.5       Legal governance and financial transfer of obligations and accountability will be met by USDT including contractual obligations relating to BCC revenue funding.

1.6       USDT does not receive a Capacity or Revenue grant thus the proposal to transfer the award does not conflict with Council’s policy on provision of the community development grants.

2.0       Recommendations

2.1       The Members of the Committee are asked to recommend that, in accordance with the Council decision of 4th May 2021, the Chief Executive exercise her delegated authority to;

·        authorise transfer of the BCC revenue grant currently paid to Newhill Youth & Community Association to Upper Springfield Development Trust (USDT).  Authorisation is subject to the merger of both organisations.  Completion of all governance and financial obligations and continued service delivery from the facility for which the revenue grant has been awarded.

3.0       Main report

3.1       Newhill Youth & Community Association based at 261 Whiterock Road, Belfast BT12 7SX are in receipt of a revenue grant for community buildings in the amount of £13,000.  The Letter of Offer was issued in June 2021 and the first instalment of the grant (£6,500) paid to Newhill Y&C Association.

3.2       The Board of Newhill Y&C Association approached the Upper Springfield Development Trust (USDT) in 2020 to request that both organisations consider merger options.  This was influenced by two key factors.  The first being the governance capacity of the Newhill Board.  The second being the strategic compatibility of both organisations.  USDT are considered to be the lead community development organisation within the Upper Springfield Community.  Newhill Y&C Association have a ‘state of the art’ facility but limited human resources.  USDT have an established youth and community project with financial and human resources but limited space to work from.

3.3       USDT have been operating as the ‘parent’ company for Newhill Youth & Community Association for the past 12 months.  Legal advice has indicated that the most prudent and sustainable way forward is to formally dissolve Newhill Y&C Association and transfer all undertaking and contractual obligations to USDT.  The Boards of both organisations have been formally completing the necessary ‘due diligence’ in relation to the formal merger. 

            Key Issues

3.4       The P&C Committee of 13th April 2021 authorised six month Letters of Offer for the period 2021/22 to be  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8a

            The Members of the Committee recommended that, in accordance with the Council decision of 4th May, the Chief Executive exercise her delegated authority to approve the application for naming a new street in the City as set out below:

The Members of the Committee recommended that, in accordance with the Council decision of 4th May 2021, the Chief Executive exercise her delegated authority to defer consideration of the report to enable information to be obtained and submitted to a future meeting in regard to the proposed locations as to where the trees would be planted and also to establish the varieties of the trees to be planted, ensuring that those selected met the criteria to ensure inclusion within the Council’s One Million Tree planting initiative. 

The Director of Neighbourhood Services advised that a request had been received from the East End Great War Society seeking permission to plant six chestnut trees in Victoria Park to mark the Centenary of Northern Ireland, which would then be marked with a commemorative plaque.  They had requested that the plaque be provided by the Council, which would state ‘Centenary Wood’, along with the names of the persons planting the trees.

            The Committee was advised that the East End Great War Society was a World War I commemorative project based in East Belfast and that it had been involved in a range of educational and commemorative projects throughout the Decade of Centenaries.

            The Director advised that, if the Committee supported the request, it would come under the remit of the tree management plan for Victoria Park, as part of its replacement planting programme and would be resourced from the related revenue budget.  The additional trees would be included within the Council’s One Million Tree Planting Programme running total.

            As with the previous minute, a Member asked for officers to clarify that the requested Chestnut trees would be eligible for inclusion within the One Million Tree Planting initiative numbers and to substitute if necessary.  

            The Members of the Committee recommended that, in accordance with the Council decision of 4th May 2021, the Chief Executive exercise her delegated authority to grant the request from the East End Great War Society to plant six Chestnut trees, along with the commemorative plaque, within an agreed location in Victoria Park, subject to officers ensuring that the proposed variety of trees used were eligible for inclusion within the Council’s One Million Tree planting initiative.    

The Committee considered the following report:

“1.0      Purpose of Report or Summary of main Issues

1.1             This report is to seek approval to work in partnership with Cycling Ulster on a project to develop the existing BMX track in Ormeau Park.

2.0       Recommendations

            The Members of the Committee are asked to recommend that, in accordance with the Council decision of 4th May 2021, the Chief Executive exercise her delegated authority to:

·        Grant approval for officers to work in partnership with Cycling Ulster officials to submit an application to the Whitemountain Programme main grants fund to redevelop the Ormeau Park BMX track.

3.0       Main report

            Background

3.1       Council maintains a recreational BMX track in Ormeau Park which has low levels of use and is not used for club activity. Belfast BMX clubs are required to travel to the Lisburn track and beyond for training sessions, fitting in around the requirements of the local club. Despite this, members of the city’s most successful club, Belfast City BMX club, regularly compete and succeed at the highest levels of the sport locally and nationally, with many of their members achieving international selection for European and World championships.

3.2       Cycling Ulster have previously approached officers seeking to work in partnership to identify sites for development of new facilities for the many branches within the sport of cycling, including track, mountain bike, cyclo-cross and BMX. Options for possible sites continue to be explored. Recently the chair of Cycling Ulster’s BMX commission and the Cycling Ulster Development Officer met with Council officers to explore the option of redeveloping the existing Ormeau Park BMX track to a high enough standard for club training. At this meeting they agreed that they wish to work with Council officers to draw down funding from external sources and offered a direct contribution from Cycling Ulster. The Whitemountain Programme main grant offers up to £50,000 with application deadlines of 23rd July and 29th October. An application was submitted prior to the July deadline.  To support this application the Council provided a letter offering an ‘in principle’ commitment for the Council to work in partnership with the group in respect of this project to enhance a Council asset. This commitment was subject to P&C consideration in August.

3.3       Cycling Ulster have sought estimated costs from established specialist contractors which indicate that an amount of £75,000 should be budgeted to complete the project. The project will involve some work to the redesign the existing track to improve its rideability for a range of ability levels. The redesigned track will enable BMX clubs to programme and offer training and coaching sessions to its members, will permit them to offer bookable come and try it sessions for newcomers and will increase enjoyable use of the track for recreational and beginner riders.

3.4       Monitoring and Performance. Council officers will carry out random user counts at the site in advance of the project and data captured from bookings and user counts after development will quantify the extent of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 13.