Agenda and minutes

            Apologies for inability to attend were reported from Councillors Campbell, Cunningham and B. Kelly.

To approve and adopt the minutes of the meeting of 13^th August,

            The minutes of the meeting of 13th 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 the 1st September.

In pursuance of the Committee’s decision of 11^th June, to receive a presentation from representatives of the Northern Ireland Independent Retail Trade Association.

            The Committee was reminded that, at its meeting on 11th June, it had agreed to receive a presentation from representatives of the Northern Ireland Independent Retail Trade Association (NIIRTA) in respect of the state of independent retail trade in Belfast.  Accordingly, it was reported that Mr. Glyn Roberts, Chief Executive (NIIRTA) was in attendance and he was admitted to the meeting and welcomed by the Chairman.

            Mr. Roberts advised the Committee that the Northern Ireland Independent Retail Trade Association had been set up to protect and enhance the local independent retail sector and played a vital role in supporting independent retailers in towns and city centres.  He stated that developments by large national and international chain stores could have a negative impact on the local economy and jobs and may contribute to the deterioration of the local character of towns and city centres.  Mr. Roberts advised the Committee that 51% of all traders in Northern Ireland operated in the independent retail sector.  However, the high streets in many of the cities and towns in Northern Ireland were dominated by the same multi-national chain stores.  In contrast to this, the independent retail sector provided specialist products or services, catered for niche markets and was a major factor in attracting visitors to the City centre.  Many of these independent retailers had, in the past, provided much needed employment and investment even during the periods of civil unrest in the City.  He pointed out that the continuation of the smaller, independent retailer was now under threat from the growth of large-scale out-of-town developments.

            In this regard, Mr. Roberts drew the Committee’s attention to the report entitled ‘Nightmare on Every Street’ which had been commissioned by the NIIRTA and compiled by Mr. Donald McFetridge, Lecture in Retail Studies, University of Ulster and Special Adviser to the Assembly Committee for Agriculture and Rural Development which had set out the case for supporting the local retail sector in towns and city centres.  Mr. Roberts reported that his Association wanted to see vibrant and dynamic town centres at the heart of local economic development.  As such, the Association had called upon the Minister of the Environment to publish Planning Policy Statement 5, which sought to promote the regional role of Belfast and Londonderry and gave recognition to Sprucefield as Northern Ireland’s only out-of-town regional shopping centre, as soon as possible in order to demonstrate that the Northern Ireland Executive supported fully local retailers and family businesses as had been promised in the Programme for Government.

            Mr. Roberts expressed the view that out-of-town developments had not only hampered the development of small provincial towns but had had an adverse effect also on the arterial routes within Belfast, many of which were suffering as a result of such developments.

            Mr. Roberts stated that he believed the way forward was to create a partnership between the various government departments responsible for town and city centre development, the Council and representatives of the independent retail sector.  This partnership  ...  view the full minutes text for item 2.

            The Committee considered the undernoted report in relation to the Retail Sector Support Plan:

“Relevant Background Information

      Members will be aware that, at previous meetings of the Development Committee, support for a range of initiatives to assist in the development and promotion of the retail sector (with a focus on Independents) across the city has been approved.

      While there are a number of interventions underway at present, recent research along with specific recent demands from trader groupings, have identified additional potential interventions which could support the further development of the sector.  A Retail Sector Support Plan for the current year has been proposed on the basis that further analysis will permit Council to consider a new 2 year plan in the near future.

Key Issues

      Recent research carried out by the Economic Research Institute of Northern Ireland (ERINI) on behalf of BelfastCity Council provides important information on the scale and nature of the sector.  The data was gathered from the period 1993-2005.  Key statistics include:

-          Between 1993 and 2005, total retail employment in Belfast increased from 10,311 to 13,560 – an increase of 31.5%

-          The number of individual businesses increased by around 10% from 1145 to 1256

-          In single-plant retail businesses (i.e. those with only one store and employing less than 20 people – mainly independents) employment increased from 2,803 to 3,039 jobs

-          The number of independent retail outlets increased by 9.6% from 617 to 676

-          The independent retail sector represented around 22.4% of total employment and 53% of total outlets in the retail sector in the period 1993-2008

-          Independent retailers created 2,151 jobs in this given period: the majority of these were in new openings (1,745) rather than expansions (406)

-          Over 2/3 of the existing jobs in 1993 had been destroyed by 2005.  The majority of these losses were due to the closure of outlets

-          In 2005, around a third of jobs and around a quarter of outlets in the independent retail sector were located in the city centre area.  Overall, the independent retail sector in the city centre had an increase in net employment of almost four times that of the rest of the city (17% compared to 4.4%)

-          71% of independent retail jobs in Belfast city centre in 1993 were lost by 2005 (compared to 2/3 of those outside the city centre)

-          Since 1999, employment in the independent retail sector has decreased by 1.1% (it grew by over 12% in the previous 6 years).

      It should be noted that there has been considerable further increase in retail employment and shop openings in the period from 2005.  However, official statistical information is not yet available for this period.

      Further to this analysis, additional qualitative research was undertaken to gauge the key issues affecting local independent retailers and to identify a range of potential interventions which Council might undertake to support the sector.  This work revealed that the estimated market value for the independent retail sector is  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.

            The Committee was advised that the Northern Ireland Executive’s Programme for Government had identified that tourism was a priority for development and was a key factor in the local economy.  Since Belfast generated 50% of the total Northern Ireland tourism economy, it was important that the City continued to succeed as a tourist destination.  Therefore, the Head of Economic Initiatives suggested that it was appropriate that a review of the current tourism strategy be undertaken in order to assist in the development of a plan of action for the next five years.

            She reported that there were a number of agencies, government departments and community and voluntary groups, together with the private sector, working to maximise the tourism opportunity and there was a need to formulate a long-term sustainable approach to tourism development within the City.  Accordingly, the Northern Ireland Tourist Board had indicated its willingness to work with the Council on the development of an Integrated Strategic Tourism Framework for Belfast and it was committed to providing 50% of the costs associated with the study, up to a maximum contribution of £40,000.  The Framework would deliver an action plan which would establish a clear programme of initiatives and projects, set in a realistic timeframe and with practical budgets and would allocate responsibility to the most appropriate agency.

            After discussion, the Committee approved the procurement and development of an Integrated Strategic Tourism Framework for Belfast, funded jointly with the Northern Ireland Tourist Board at a total cost not to exceed £80,000.

            The Committee was advised that a request had been received from the Ulster History Circle seeking financial support for the installation of blue plaques at various location throughout the City in recognition of the contribution to the development of Belfast made by: classical scholar Robert Mitchell Henry; artist Wilhemina Geddis; musicologist and writer Sam Hanna Bell; musician Frances McPeake; musician and composer Howard Ferguson; Sir Samuel Kelly, Coal Merchant and Ship Owner; Francis Maginn educationalist and Edward Bunting, musicologist.  The Head of Economic Initiatives advised the Members that the costs associated with the erection of each individual blue plaque would be £700, provision for which had been made within the appropriate budget.

            After discussion, the Committee agreed to provide the funding necessary for the erection of the eight blue plaques.

            The Committee was informed that the above-mentioned Conference would be held in Ennistymon, Co. Clare, during the period from 27th to 29th November.  The theme of the conference would be ‘Co-operation and Integration – The Key to Successful Tourism’ and it would be structured around a number of plenary sessions and workshops on tourism issues.  The Conference would afford the Members the opportunity to discuss matters of mutual interest with tourism professionals and other elected representatives and the cost per delegate, including travel and accommodation, would be £700.

            After discussion, it was

Moved by Councillor McCausland,

Seconded by Councillor D. Dodds,

      That the Committee agrees, in keeping with the position which had been adopted in previous years, that it not be represented at the Clare Tourism Conference.

            On a vote by show of hands four Members voted for the proposal and nine against and it was accordingly declared lost.

Further Proposal

Proposed by Councillor Stoker,

Seconded by Councillor Lavery and

      Resolved - That the Committee agrees to be represented at the Clare Tourism Conference to be held in Ennistymon, Co. Clare during the period from 27th till 29th November by the Chairman and the Deputy Chairman (or their nominees), together with an appropriate officer.

            The Committee considered the undernoted report and action plan in relation to the City’s links with Hefei, China outlining the achievements which derived from the relationship:

“Relevant Background Information

      Members will be aware that at the Development Committee of 7th June, 2006, a two year plan for activities to develop and promote the linkages between Belfast and Hefei was agreed.

      Work has been progressing on the delivery of the key objectives within this plan and a summary of activities to date is attached as requested by Members. Should Members wish to continue with the sister city relationship, a plan for activities to take place over the next two years has been drafted based on progress to date and with a view to maximising upcoming opportunities for collaboration. Hefei are very keen to continue the relationship and we are awaiting specific proposals from them for new areas of cooperation.

Key Issues

      The civic link between the cities of Belfast and Hefei dates back to the late 1990s and the first Belfast delegation visited the Chinese city in 2000. Since then, there have been a number of visits and exchanges between the two cities, focusing on the themes of economic development, education and training and cultural promotion.

      An action plan for this work was approved by the Development (Economic Development) Sub-Committee in March 2003. This identified a broad range of activities along with associated actions.  The key areas of action were agreed as:

-          Business Development and Investment

-          Education and training

-          Enhancing links with the Chinese community in Belfast

-          Cultural awareness

-          Information and awareness-raising.

      This plan was updated for the period 2006-2008. In that timeframe, a range of key outputs was achieved including:

-          Delivery of a business development programme on ‘Doing Business in China’, involving 10 local companies, two of whom participated on Invest NI trade mission to China; 7 companies currently pursuing joint ventures or other linkages.

-          Organisation of a ‘Doing Business in China’ seminar attended by 30 local businesses

-          Hosting of a visit to Belfast by Central China TV (CCTV) during which a documentary on Belfast was produced.  This has since been aired on Chinese television

-          Participation by local political representatives in key events with the Chinese Community in Belfast including Chinese New Year

-          Participation by local political representatives in events to welcome the Chinese student population to the city

-          Involvement in a working group to establish a Confucius Institute (a centre of excellence to promote Chinese language and culture) at Queen’s University Belfast

-          Participation in an international cultural festival in Hefei by a cultural group from Belfast, including a showcase on economic and cultural development in Belfast

-          Participation by the then Lord Mayor in a visit to China/Hefei in 2006, as part of a trade mission coordinated by the Chinese Chamber of Commerce in Belfast.

-          Extensive engagement with Chinese Chamber of Commerce, including support for business linkages between them  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

            The Committee was reminded that, at its meeting on 14th November, 2007, it had agreed that the Council should join with Lisburn City Council and Castlereagh Borough Council to form a ‘cluster’ in order to deliver the ‘Axis 3’ component of the Northern Ireland Rural Development Programme.

            Following the nomination of Elected Members onto the Strategic Joint Council and the Local Action Group, the process had stated to recruit social partners for the Local Action Group of, which 50% would be comprised of Elected Members with the remaining 50% being drawn from the social partners.  A total of eleven social partners had been recruited, one of which was from Belfast.  Subsequently, a strategy planning process had commenced and an extensive consultation exercise had been undertaken.

            In order to reflect the needs of the existing rural areas across the three Councils, a draft strategy had been developed, which sought to explain how best rural development funding might be used.  The aims and objectives of the draft strategy had been based on six measures identified under Axis 3 of the Northern Ireland Rural Development Plan.  Accordingly, the Director submitted for the Committee’s attention a draft Rural Development Strategy which had been presented to the Department for Agriculture and Rural Development and which would be used to apportion funding allocated to the cluster.

            The Director advised the Members that within the Rural Development Strategy there was a requirement for a minimum of 5% of the overall programme funding allocated to each of the clustered areas be spent on transnational and co-operation projects.  Accordingly, she recommended that the Council’s European Unit facilitate the identification of co-operation and transnational network projects for the cluster.  In providing this role the Council’s European Unit would be reimbursed for the staff time involved.

            After discussion, the Committee approved the transnational facilitation role to be undertaken by the Department’s European Unit and noted the contents of the Local Rural Development Strategy document for Axis 3 of the Northern Ireland Rural Development Programme 2007-2013, a copy of which would be available for inspection on the Modern.gov intranet site.

            The Committee noted the contents of a report which provided information on the current status of projects, initiatives and events being carried out by the Department during the period from 1st April till 31st July, 2008.

            Arising from discussion in the aforementioned matter, the Director undertook to provide a further report in relation to the developments at the North Foreshore for the Committee’s consideration at a future meeting.

            The Committee considered a report which outlined the amount of media coverage and the extent of press and media enquiries received concerning the work of the Committee during the period from 1st March till 31st August, 2008.

            The Committee noted the contents of the report.

            The Committee considered the undernoted report in respect of a number of key operational issues required to be put in place in order to enhance the service provision within the Ulster Hall:

“Relevant Background Information

      The £7.5m refurbishment of the Ulster Hall began in June 2007, and the building is due for completion in December 2008, and to reopen in March 2009.  The project includes major rebuilding of the rear section to provide a suite of offices across two new floors to be leased to the Ulster Orchestra, and two floors of multi purpose rooms to be used as dressing rooms, education suites, meeting rooms.  Public areas will be decoratively restored, new seating introduced, underfloor heating installed, and hospitality facilities enhanced.  The Civic reopening is scheduled for March 6, 2009.

Key Issues

      The capital development and refurbishment of the Ulster Hall also provides an opportunity for the Council to review the venue’s means of operation.  The Hall, with the Ulster Orchestra as its anchor tenant, and its administrative support on site, will be revitalized by the project works, and public interest needs to be maximised, with an emphasis on both the heritage aspect of the physical building, and the opportunity to engage the public in a relationship outside of the events programme at the Hall, so positioning it as one of the key cultural tourism products within the city.

      A structural review to consider the requirements in terms of an appropriate supporting management and staff structure is being completed by BIS as part of the overall Departmental change management process, to ensure the delivery of the project’s key objectives, and to take into account the likely increase in joint working opportunities with the Waterfront.

      However, outside of the BIS Review there are a number of key operational issues that need to be addressed to help further define the new product within the Ulster Hall, supporting details for which are included as attached appendices.

1.   Relationship with Ulster Orchestra

      The Belfast Waterfront Board, after advice from the Council’s Legal section, approved in full the terms of a tenancy agreement (attached as Appendix A) between the Council and the Ulster Orchestra, adopted by full Council in November 2006.

      The twenty-five year lease agreement is based upon the payment of an annual service charge, covering allowances for rates, rents, and utility costs for the area occupied by the orchestra within the building.  This does not include further payment by the orchestra for the use of the main spaces within the Ulster Hall for performances and rehearsals, on the terms and conditions as outlined in the appendices.

      The agreement, which was a condition of receiving capital support funding from both DCAL and ACNI, is based on a usage pattern of 99 days during the year, mainly Wednesday to Fridays, supplemented by a further 50 days of BBC related performance work.

2.   Ulster Hall Programming Policy

      A programming policy document for the Ulster Hall is attached as Appendix B to provide some historical and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9.

            The Committee was reminded that, at its meeting on 13th August, it had agreed that a report be submitted outlining the timetable for the completion of the Action Plan.  Accordingly, the Director submitted the undernoted report:

“Relevant Background Information

      The Strategic Neighbourhood Action Programme was established in April 2007 to develop the necessary policies and procedures to enable BCC to more accurately target its service delivery within well-defined geographical areas across the city, in other words, ‘City Places’.

      Over the past 17 months the SNAP team has undertaken work to design and develop a Local Area Working Framework for the Council. Key achievements include the following:-

·         Neighbourhood Geography designed and approved by Council. 21 City Places have been created as a basis for Local Area Working activity.

·         Public Consultation held to gain views on Council’s plans for Local Area Working, The over-arching conclusion from this consultation was that the local area working approach generally makes sense as issues/needs vary across the city and that it fits in with community planning.

·         Information and Research undertaken to build up local knowledge at smaller geographical areas e.g. development of citystats, area profiles, neighbourhood services knowledge base, internal service delivery audit.

·         Undertook significant awareness raising amongst staff and external organisations.

·         Neighbourhood Renewal Co-ordination for Council which includes approval for 11 out of 12 Action Plans for the areas through the Council process, examination of implications for BCC, co-ordinating Officer participation and providing a support framework to address issues.

·         Developed a corporate local area working framework model which is underpinned by the Academy for Sustainable Communities Wheel.

·         Embedded the need to implement Local Area Working within the Council’s Corporate Plan which highlights the Council priorities for 2008-2011.

      A full analysis of work carried out by the SNAP team was presented at the last meeting of the Development Committee.

Key Issues

      At the last meeting of the Development Committee, several Members had expressed concern at the length of time which it was taking for SNAP to be implemented. In particular the timescale that had been identified for the full delivery of the action programme would mean that the Review of Public Administration would already be in the process of being implemented. To this end, it was agreed that it would be preferable if the Action Plans were to be completed before the RPA was implemented and that a revised timetable for the completion of SNAP would be submitted to the next meeting of the Committee.

      Members will be aware that Council is already working on a range of area based initiatives which involve almost all of our services e.g. Neighbourhood Renewal, Community Safety Partnerships, Renewing the Routes, Strategic Regeneration Frameworks and a number of ad hoc area based projects such as the Upper Springfield Safer Neighbourhoods Forum. However, this is very much carried out on an individual basis due to the absence of a coherent Neighbourhood Support Policy Framework within the Council. The creation and implementation of such a framework is the overarching objective  ...  view the full minutes text for item 10.

            The Committee was reminded that twelve of the Department for Social Development’s Neighbourhood Renewal Partnerships were operating currently within Belfast and that they were each developing action plans for their respective areas.  Each plan detailed a series of actions and identified the organisations which the partnership believed could assist them.  In a number of cases the Council had been identified as the lead partner.

            The Director reported that the Council had, to date, replied to ten such Plans and that a response had been prepared recently to the Action Plan which had been submitted by the Greater Falls Partnership, a copy of which had been circulated and which was available on the Modern.gov intranet site.

            After discussion, the Committee endorsed the contents of the Council’s response to the Greater Falls Neighbourhood Renewal Action Plan.

            The Director reminded the Committee that the Council supported a range of community-based Summer Play Schemes which offered a wide range of social, recreational and educational activities for young people between the ages of five and fourteen.  She explained that the Summer Schemes in directly-managed Community Centres were funded through the Revenue budget.  In addition, grant assistance was made available to those organisations in the voluntary and community sector which met the relevant criteria.

            The Director stated that, in addition to the funding available within the revenue estimates for seasonal play schemes, an amount of £175,000 had been included in respect of grant aid to be provided to Community Groups operating a summer play scheme.  Grants in this regard were based on previously agreed criteria and had been set at amounts of either £1,000, £1,800 or £3,000.  The Committee was advised further that a total of 78 applications had been received and that funding had been awarded to the undernoted 68 groups which had met the criteria.

            The Director advised the Committee that the Draft Regeneration Masterplan for the South West Quarter of Belfast City Centre constituted supplementary guidance to the Department for Social Development’s Regeneration Policy statement for Belfast City Centre.  She stated that the Masterplan set out further guidance on a proposed range of uses for the South West Quarter in order to maximise the physical, social and economic regeneration of the area.  The Committee was advised further that the Department for Social Development had established three key themes in order to provide a focus for consultation on the Draft Regeneration Plan.  The Councils comments on the each of the key themes are set out hereunder.

“Belfast City Council Response to West Side

  Regeneration District Draft Regeneration Plan

Introduction

      A Regeneration Plan for the West Side of the City Centre is to be welcomed as it provides a planning vision and development framework for the area.

      BelfastCity Council supports the high quality development proposed and offers the following comments in the response to the Draft Regeneration Plan.

Guiding Development Principles

      Belfast City Council accept and support all of the guiding development principles as a method for regeneration of the South West Quarter.  The emphasis on smaller scale development schemes and residentially – led mixed use schemes will help to provide consumer variety and an alternative to the retail led regeneration schemes in other parts of the city centre.  Belfast City Council will make more detailed comment on how these principles are realised in our comments on the Preferred Concept Masterplan and the benefits of the Masterplan.

Preferred Concept Masterplan

      Improved Pedestrian Realm

      Belfast City Council fully supports the development of improved pedestrian realm and building upon the ‘Belfast: Streets Ahead’ initiative including the provision of high quality surfacing, tree planting and street furniture.  Belfast City Council would recommend that a comprehensive strategy is put in place for all streets within a plan incorporating simple easily identified signage with better connections to the rest of the city.

      Improved Linkages

      Improved linkages between the South West Quarter and the rest of the city centre are vital.  The Masterplan should highlight how the proposals will actually link into the Masterplans for the adjoining quarters.  Although Belfast City Council do not have any open spaces within the plan area Belfast City Council manage the City Hall grounds, the premier open space in the city centre and Belfast City Council would support improved connections and linkages between this space and the South West Quarter.

      Streets and Squares

      Belfast City Council supports the development of a new pedestrian street between Chapel Lane and Fountain Lane but would suggest that the provision of suitable public art, lighting and seating rather than a water feature is explored.  This is based on BelfastCity Council’s experience of providing a water feature in Cathedral Gardens and the issues that arose around the maintenance of it.  Details regarding future maintenance of the open spaces need early resolution.

      Residential Use

      BelfastCity  ...  view the full minutes text for item 13.

            The Committee noted the schedule of cookery and food preparation events which would be held in St. George’s Market during September.

            The Committee was reminded that, at its meeting on 13th August, it had approved the re-allocation of finance from the Renewing the Routes budget to form part of the funding for a larger landmark art piece to be delivered through An Nasc, subject to a number of caveats, one of which was that the Council, in the form of Members and officers, be represented on the selection panel for the art piece.  However, the Committee had not identified which Members should represent the Council. 

            Accordingly, it was agreed that the Chairman and the Deputy Chairman (or their nominees) represent the Council on the selection panel for the An Nasc art piece.