Agenda and minutes

            Apologies for inability to attend were reported from Councillors Attwood and Humphrey.

Pursuant to the Committee’s decision of 14^th May, to receive presentations from the Belfast Regeneration Office and the Area Partnership Boards.

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

“Relevant Background Information

      Under the Renewing Communities Programme each Area Partnership Board (APB) has been resourced to, and tasked with, producing a Strategic Regeneration Framework (SRF) for their area by the Department for Social Development (DSD).  Each APB has engaged a consultancy team to support them in this work which is due for completion in June – September 2008.  Whilst each APB is at a different stage in development, efforts are being made to co-ordinate activity across the frameworks.

      Engagement with Councillors in each partnership board area has been pursued directly by the APBs.  Some Councillors are participating on the steering groups of the SRFs whilst others input through the APB meetings and consultation processes.  Minister and MLAs have been engaged to a varying level dependent on the approach taken by the APB and the stage of development of their SRF.

      Members will be aware that at the Development Committee meeting of 14 May, the Committee agreed to receive presentations from BRO and the Area Partnership Boards on the subject of Strategic Regeneration Frameworks.

Key Issues

      The SRFs are due for completion during summer 2008, after which time they will be submitted to the Minister for Social Development.  It is important to note that there are no specific resources committed for implementation of actions arising out of SRFs beyond those monies committed by DSD/BRO for the preparation of the SRFs.

      Substantial staff support has been committed to working with the APBs, their consultancy teams and DSD/BRO in the SRF preparation process.

      Each APB will submit their final SRFs to Council for consideration and endorsement which is likely to take place post summer.  However, in advance, each APB along with BRO are seeking an opportunity to appraise Committee of key issues arising in each area before the finalisation process.

      In its civic leadership role, Belfast City Council undertakes tasks relating to coordination, exerting influence and acting as an advocate.  Using Council’s convening authority, BelfastCity Council frequently brings organisations together to agree an overall vision and accompanying strategy or plan.  With the advent of community planning coming to Councils as a result of the recent RPA announcement, Belfast City Council will have a statutory duty to prepare an agreed strategy for its area.  In advance of this, Belfast City Council is currently engaged in the preparation of a new corporate plan which will consider how Council can best fulfil a strategic leadership role in city-wide planning.  In this regard, Council will be considering how the SRFs should be linked or encompassed as part of city-wide planning processes.

      Presently under the SRF process it is apparent that APBs are highly supportive of Council taking a lead role in city-wide planning.  The APBs are eager that the SRFs are utilised and incorporated into any emergent city-wide plans.  BRO are currently reflecting on their view of joining up the SRFs and city-wide planning processes.

      In order to initiate discussions on how all 3 organisations  ...  view the full minutes text for item 2.

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

“Relevant Background Information

      Members will be aware that the Cultural Tourism Strategy, Developing Belfast’s Opportunity, outlines the need to develop the quality of the visitor experience in Belfast on Sundays and enhance and promote the current product offering.  Northern Ireland Tourist Board Research and feedback from the tourism sector and Welcome Centre found that virtually all identified a problem on Sundays.  Members may also be aware that media coverage surrounding the Lonely Planet announcement in November 2006 commented on the need to develop the Sunday offer.  The long-term closure of a number of City attractions and the closure of the cultural venues significantly adds to the need to create a critical mass of activity for the short-break market.

Key Issues

      Research from all sectors shows the current level of Sunday activity is inadequate and unsatisfactory to visitors.  Visitors are complaining that there is nothing to do on Sundays, that there is poor public transport and they do not have a full picture of what is currently available.  Cruise ship visitors and guests staying in hotels are being actively encouraged to leave Belfast to visit the CausewayCoast or MourneMountains, which is an obvious loss to the Belfast economy. 

      The report recommends raising awareness of the current cultural tourism offer and coordinating product development.  This is to enhance the quality of the visitor experience by conveying the range of leisure activities which people might choose to pursue on Sundays as there is a lack of knowledge regarding the current offering. 

      We respectfully recognise that there will be residents, visitors and organisations who wish to uphold Sunday Observance.  Organisations not wishing to partake or contribute can opt out of offering cultural activity if they so wish. Activities will concentrate on areas that are non-residential and much of the proposed activity, particularly in relation to art, music and family tourism, is free of charge.

      The report also recommends including Christian Heritage: organised walking tours detailing Christian, architectural and historical heritage and liaising with Churches and Chapels to determine times of services and access for cultural tourists.

      Appendix 1 is a summary of actions that will be undertaken with identified partners to raise awareness of the current cultural tourism offer and coordinate product development in order to enhance the quality of the visitor experience.  Feedback has shown that cultural tourism providers would increase Sunday initiatives and be proactive in their programming if they had marketing support.  A marketing strategy to domestic and out-of-state visitors is crucial to the success of any Sunday Product Development as research shows that there is a lack of knowledge regarding current offering. 

      The programme seeks to create awareness of and enhance the current Sunday product offering in order to improve the quality of the visitor experience and contribute to the competitive success of Belfast.  It will also seek to co-ordinate information in partnership with the Belfast Visitor and Convention Bureau on what is available in Belfast on  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.