Agenda and minutes

            Apologies for inability to attend were reported from the Deputy Lord Mayor (Councillor Lavery) and Councillors Kyle and O’Reilly.

            The minutes of the meetings of 13th and 26th 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.  It was reported further that, during discussion of the minute of the meeting of 13th May under the heading “Council’s Transport Policy Review”, the Council had requested that the Committee consider the implications of the transport proposals contained in the Connswater Community Greenway scheme in light of the Council’s Transport Policy.

            The Chairman referred to a recent incident in Afghanistan in which Councillor Stoker’s son, Michael, had been seriously injured and, on behalf of the Committee, wished Michael a speedy recovery from his injuries.

            The Chairman informed the Committee of the recent death of the father of the Head of Economic Initiatives, Ms. S. McCay, and, on behalf of the Committee, extended his deepest sympathy and condolences to Ms. McCay and her family circle.

To consider further the minute of the meeting of 20^th April under the heading “Core Cities” which, at the request of Councillor Crozier, was referred back to the Committee by the Council at its meeting on 5^th May and which the Committee, at its meeting on 13^th May, agreed to defer consideration of for a period of one month.

            The Committee considered further the minute of the meeting of 20th April under the heading “Core Cities” which had been taken back at the Council meeting on 5th May at the request of Councillor Crozier and which the Committee, at its meeting on 13th May, had agreed to defer for a period of one month.  An extract of the minute in this regard is set out hereunder:

      “The Committee was informed that the Lord Mayor had received recently an invitation for Belfast to become an associate member of the Core Cities Group.  This organisation had been established in 2000 to assist Liverpool, Leeds, Sheffield, Newcastle, Birmingham, Manchester, Bristol and Gateshead to work together on common issues and to lobby Central Government to re-direct funding for economic regeneration away from London and the South-East of England.  As a result, a number of joint initiatives had been undertaken on issues relating to transport, regeneration and employability.  The Head of Economic Initiatives indicated that Cardiff, Edinburgh and Glasgow had also been invited to join this prestigious Group and that associate, rather than ‘full’ membership, had been offered to the four cities since Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland had their own Regional Assemblies.

      She pointed out that joining the Core Cities Group would enable the Council to share information with and obtain information from the other cities which were members of the organisation which would be beneficial to Belfast.  She pointed out further that the Council had not been requested to make any financial contribution and that ‘full’ membership could only be offered to English cities.

      Following discussion, the Committee agreed that the Lord Mayor decline the invitation for Belfast to become an associate member of the Core Cities Group.”

            Councillor Crozier informed the Committee that the Core Cities Group had considerable influence within the United Kingdom and it helped shape the Government’s agenda and he therefore believed that it would be beneficial for the Council to accept the invitation for Belfast to become an associate member of the Core Cities Group.

            In answer to a Member’s question, the Director informed the Committee that Cardiff, Edinburgh and Glasgow, which had also been invited to join the organisation as associate members, had agreed to accept the invitation for a short period of time in order to ascertain whether they obtained any benefit from being a member of the organisation.

            Following discussion, the Committee agreed to rescind its decision of 20th April and agreed to become an associate member of the Core Cities Group for a period of one year.

Pursuant to the Committee’s decision of 13^th May, to receive a presentation on the findings of the 2008 Belfast Tourism Monitor.

            The Committee was reminded that, at its meeting on 13th May, it had agreed to receive from representatives of Millward Brown Ulster Limited a presentation in respect of the findings of the Belfast Tourism Monitor 2008.  It was reported that Ms. C. Toner and Mr. R. McGimpsey were in attendance and they were admitted to the meeting and welcomed by the Chairman.

            Ms. Toner stated that in 2008 7.1 million people had visited the City, an increase of 3% from the previous year, with the number of out-of-state visitors increasing by 43%.  She indicated that these visitors had spent £436.5 million in the City, an increase of 39%.  She pointed out that the considerable increase was due largely to residents from the Republic of Ireland visiting Belfast to shop because of the beneficial exchange rate between the Euro and the Pound Sterling.  Conversely, the number of visitors from England, Scotland and Wales had declined by 20%.  She explained that 30% of all visitors to Belfast had used the Big Wheel attraction located at the City Hall.  She indicated that the questionnaires which had been completed by visitors had indicated that Belfast could become an even more attractive destination if there were more information available regarding what was happening in the City, more attractions for people to visit and if opening hours were to be extended.

            In answer to Members’ questions, Ms. Toner pointed out that visitors to the City were no longer indicating that there was a shortage of hotel rooms and that the figure for the total number of visitors to Belfast included day-trippers, given the contribution which they made to the City’s economy, although the Northern Ireland Tourist Board’s figures only included out-of-state and overnight visitors.

            Ms. Toner and Mr. McGimpsey then retired from the meeting.

            After discussion, the Committee noted the findings of the Belfast Tourism Monitor for 2008.

            The Committee noted the contents of the undernoted report:

“Relevant Background Information

      Members will be aware that, in June 2003, the DSD published ‘People and Place: A strategy for Neighbourhood Renewal’, a document which aims to tackle the complex, multi-dimensional nature of Northern Ireland’s most disadvantaged urban neighbourhoods.  In order to progress this Agenda, DSD progressed the establishment of 12 Neighbourhood Renewal Partnerships within the BCC area.  Each Partnership was tasked with producing a Vision Framework (7-10 years) and Action Plan (3 years) for the Neighbourhood Renewal area. The 12 Partnerships are:

      - Inner East  Belfast                          - Inner South Belfast

      - South West Belfast                         - Greater Shankill

      - Greater Falls                                   - Lenadoon

      - Upper Springfield                           - Crumlin/Ardoyne

      - Inner North Belfast                         - Andersonstown

      - Ligoniel                                            - Upper Ardoyne/Ballysillan

      Each Partnership has developed its Action Plan which has been submitted to DSD for consideration.  These Plans propose thousands of actions that would need to be delivered by a range of organisations in key areas such as housing, health, education, community safety, good relations, employability, community development, culture, tourism, leisure, children and young people, older people and environmental and physical improvement.

Key Issues

      The Council has become a key participant in the neighbourhood renewal process and to date the following support has been provided:-

·         Officer participation provided on all 12 Neighbourhood Renewal Partnerships through Community Services.

·         Action Plan responses prepared for each of the 12 Neighbourhood Renewal Partnerships Action Plans.

·         Established a Neighbourhood Renewal Working Group comprising Council Neighbourhood Renewal representatives and representatives from Council Departments.

·         Formal presentations and workshops delivered to the Neighbourhood Renewal Partnerships.

·         Creation of a Neighbourhood Renewal Database detailing all key actions and implications for the Council in the neighbourhood renewal process.

·         Neighbourhood Development Officers in place to co-ordinate the delivery of actions within each Plan.

·         Commitment to deliver on neighbourhood renewal is embedded within the new Corporate Plan.

·         Provision of SNAP area-based intelligence to support the neighbourhood renewal process.

·         Neighbourhood renewal information directories prepared for the Partnerships detailing Council services and key staff working in the local area.

·         Development of the neighbourhood renewal section of the Council website, creating a central repository for all Action Plans and responses.

·         Integration of neighbourhood renewal within the Council’s SNAP/Local Area Working agenda.

·         On-going work with BRO regarding the development of a pilot partnership approach to the implementation of the Neighbourhood Renewal Action Plan in Lenadoon.  Proposals will be presented to Committee in due course.

Neighbourhood Renewal Action Plans:

Implications for BCC

      To date, co-ordinated responses have been prepared for the 12 Neighbourhood Renewal Action Plans.  Belfast City Council has been highlighted as having a lead or a supporting role in nearly 600 specific actions regarding service delivery at a neighbourhood level.  Whilst the majority of these can be addressed via co?ordination with the Council Departments there are still a number of issues that need to be considered within this, including:-

·         The Council has been identified as a key player in the implementation of neighbourhood renewal activity  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

“Relevant Background Information

      The Glen Community Complex (known as the Bacon Factory) is a community facility located on the Suffolk Road in the Lenadoon area of the City. The existing Complex is currently within the ownership of North & West Housing Limited and is in need of a substantial upgrade. The aim of the re-development is to provide a ‘fit for purpose’ community facility that will create a shared space at the Lenadoon/Suffolk community interface and will support the delivery of various priorities within the Neighbourhood Renewal Area. Upon completion of this project it is proposed that the ownership of the project will be transferred to a management board that will consist of representatives from the Lenadoon Community Forum and the Suffolk Community Forum.

      DSD’s BRO West team had agreed to undertake this project on behalf of the Lenadoon/Suffolk community and an application was made to SEUPB for Peace III monies to secure the project. This application was successful with an offer of £4,595,693 from SEUPB and £500,000 secured from Atlantic Philanthropies. A full detail of the project can be found on Modern.gov.

Key Issues

      In December 2008, DSD approached the Council to advise that, due to a legal issue, they did not have statutory authority to act as a project promoter for the Bacon Factory site in so far as that term refers to an organisation taking receipt of EU funding (to itself) acquire land and to build and own community/commercial facility.

      To this end, given that DSD were no longer in a position to deliver the project, they requested that BCC consider taking on project promotion of the Bacon Factory development. SEUPB has indicated that this would be their preferred option in order to ensure that the project is completed within funding timescales and the project isn’t jeopardised.

      Following liaison with BCC officers it was agreed that the Council would undertake a due diligence exercise to ensure that all risks, costs and long term commitments to the project have been considered to enable Members to take a fully informed decision on how to move forward.

      The assessment identified a number of key risks concerning scheme delivery, site ownership, site acquisition, scheme design, planning permission, procurement, construction period, long term sustainability and whole life cycle costs for the Council.

      Given the risks identified, a number of options have been identified as a means of bringing the project forward.

Option 1:  BCC acts as project promoter – preferred DSD and SEUPB position

      The Council would be responsible for all EU funding management and ensuring delivery within the agreed timetable, site acquisition, planning, construction, ownership and management of the building upon completion. Given that this is EU funding, the Council would need to be in a position to front load funding the programme and to claim back retrospectively.

      This is considered as a high risk for BCC to consider.

      Option 2:  North & West Housing Ltd act as project promoter

      North & West Housing Ltd  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

            The Director reminded the Committee that, at its meeting on 11th March, it had agreed that a joint Member/officer task group be established to monitor and develop the work which would be undertaken as part of the Committee’s response to the economic downturn.

            She reported that the Group’s first meeting had been held on 12th May and she outlined a number of the issues which had been discussed and the resultant actions which would be undertaken by the Development Department in the coming months.  She reported also that the following matters would be discussed at future meetings of the Task Group:

(i)   ensuring that the work which the Council was undertaking obtained as wide a coverage as possible;

(ii)  the need to have a joint meeting of the Strategic Policy and Resources and Development Committees to discuss the economic downturn;

(iii)to examine the role which taxi drivers and tour bus operators undertook in relation to tourism within the City; and

(iv)the Development Committee consider the economic review of Belfast, which had been undertaken by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, which had been deferred at its meeting on 12th November, 2008.

            Following discussion, the Committee noted the information provided by the Director.

            Arising from discussion in the matter, the Committee requested that, following the changes made to the Committee membership at the Annual Meeting of Council, the Party Group Leaders be requested to re-examine the nominations which they had made to the Economic Downturn Task Group.

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

“Relevant Background Information

      Members will be aware that the Development Department was joined by Community Services and the Waterfront and UIster Halls in April, 2007.  As a result, a plan for the re-structuring of the whole Department was developed and endorsed by Committee in June 2007.

      The plan included the complete review of 7 units:  Waterfront Hall/Ulster Hall; Community Services; Business Support; Events; Arts and Tourism; Policy and the Markets.

      In addition, the reviews would bring forward a re-structured Department and would seek to create unified systems and processes.

      The plan also included the reformulation of the Capital City II strategy to include the new elements now in the Department.  One of the identified processes was a review of grant aid provision and the desire to rationalise and unify, as far as possible, the existing grant streams.

Key Issues

      The change management process within the Department has had major successes.  A new strategy was confirmed by the end of 2007 and the various service unit reviews were also completed.  However due to the complexity of the issues, approval for the re?structuring was not achieved until September 2008 and that new structure is currently being completed. 

      On the systems side, major change has been achieved to create single and unified approaches to business processing and performance management.  As a result of this workload the Grants review has taken longer than was at first envisaged, but the process is now complete and the report seeks to set out the way forward and get approval for the next stages.

      The current grant and funding streams in the Department are outlined on Modern.gov.  The portfolio is a wide one and analysis indicated that practice was very different between the various schemes.  In particular, there were different systems in place and differing approaches to criteria, management information, performance management, review and evaluation.  It was clear that duplication and waste of resources was evident and that better alignment and outcomes could be achieved.  In addition, when placed beside each other it was also deemed not to be user-friendly and had the potential for confusion to those who might seek to access grant aid.

      In moving forward towards a new approach the following principles were used:

-     The maximisation of community benefit;

-     The simplification of the model to assist those seeking funding;

-     Ensuring value for money, especially in relation to administration;

-     Creating clear linkage between resourcing and need; and

-     Putting in place strong frameworks for review and evaluation.

      To achieve this a 3-point process has been developed, which subdivides a total pot of £3,565,693 into 3 tranches:

1.   A new Community Access Fund for grants under £10K.

      This would bring together the current streams of Community Development projects, Seasonal Play scheme, Community Chest, Rolling Programme for the Arts and Support for Sport into one new Access fund with a common application form and criteria based on building and supporting community activity.

      The fund would  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9.

            The Director reminded the Committee that the Cultural Tourism Strategy aimed to support the development of new cultural tourism product and to make specific areas of culture and heritage more accessible to visitors.  She explained that literary tourism dealt with places and events from fictional texts as well as the lives of their authors.  She pointed out that there was considerable potential for the development of literary tourism in Belfast, which currently contributed at least £2.6 billion per annum to the United Kingdom economy, since the City’s literary heritage had an important role to play within Belfast’s tourism product and was an important dimension in the marketing of Belfast as an international destination.

            The Director reported that the Tourism Development Unit had obtained support from the Northern Ireland Tourist Board, Tourism Ireland and the Arts Council for Northern Ireland to work in partnership with those organisations to develop literary tourism in Belfast, which would include the following new products and initiatives:

(i)   the development of literary tours and trails, together with an MP3 tour which would be downloadable from a website to enable visitors to take a self-guided tour of Belfast’s literary highlights;

(ii)  the establishment of partnerships and networks with all current providers to develop and promote literary tourism;

(iii)increasing and developing literary events; and

(iv)the effective marketing of literary tourism.

            She recommended that the Committee agree to develop literary tourism within Belfast at a cost of £58,000, provision for which had been included within the Department’s budgets.

            The Committee adopted the recommendation.

            The Committee was reminded that the Belfast Shopping Festival 2009 had taken place across the City during April.  It had been a major initiative to support the retail sector by providing them with a platform to promote their business and attract new customers.  Many local retail businesses had participated in the Festival which had encompassed a mixture of competitions, promotions, street entertainment, in-store activities and a fashion show in Smithfield Market.  It had involved the Council working in partnership with a number of organisations, including Belfast City Centre Management, the Belfast Visitor and Convention Bureau, the Departments of Regional Development and Social Development, the Belfast Chamber of Trade and Commerce and arts and retail groups throughout the City.

            The aim of the Festival had been to showcase the diverse shopping offer within the City, to encourage people to experience Belfast as a shopping destination and to explore the areas beyond the City centre.  As these aims had been achieved, there was general agreement that the Belfast Shopping Festival 2009 had been a success.

Noted.

            The Director reminded the Committee that the former Development (Arts) Sub?Committee, at its meeting on 6th August, 2004, had agreed to the establishment of a Belfast Festivals Forum in order to develop such events in the City.  She reported that the Forum had been endorsed by both large and small scale festival organisations within the City and that, currently, it had over 100 members from a wide range of groups.  The Festivals Forum had developed a Belfast Festivals Calendar, produced a large quantity of promotional materials and had undertaken an annual programme of tailored skills development and training which was designed to build capacity within festival organisations.

            She reported that the Forum had developed a Draft Festivals Action Plan for the 2009-2010 year which aimed to provide training and skills development, networking opportunities and sponsorship.  It was intended that bespoke training in carnival skills would be undertaken in order to develop the carnival product within the City, that tailored training in new and innovative methods of marketing, which would be effective in the current economic climate, would be undertaken, that ten organisations would receive a tailored mentoring service in an area which they felt would most benefit them and a further ten organisations would receive marketing training in partnership with the Arts and Business organisation.  In addition, a sponsorship convention for 150 delegates would be held.

            The Director indicated that it had been estimated that the cost of implementing the Festivals Action Plan was £30,000 and she recommended that the Committee provide that amount which could be accommodated from within the Department’s current budgets.

            The Committee adopted the recommendation.

            The Committee was reminded that, at its meeting on 13th May, it had agreed in principle to host a symposium for a wide range of stakeholders in order to discuss how the 400th Anniversary of the granting in 1613 of a Charter to Belfast could be celebrated.  The Committee had been informed that a report providing details of the symposium and its associated costs would be submitted for consideration at its meeting in June.

            The Director pointed out that, in 2007, the 400th Anniversary of the settlement at Jamestown, Virginia, in the United States of America had been celebrated on a large scale, with both the Queen and President Bush attending the event.  It has been recognised that there were relevant comparisons between the settlements of Ulster and Virginia and, therefore, it was intended that the programme of events to mark the 400th Anniversary of the granting of the Charter to Belfast would be based on the experiences from Virginia, using a good relations approach as well as examining issues from a local perspective.

            She informed the Members that the estimated cost of holding the symposium would be £11,200 and that the event would be held in the Ulster Hall.  She reported that speakers who had confirmed attendance included people who had been involved in the 2007 events at Jamestown, Virginia together with a Professor from Queen’s University.  She reported further that initial discussions had been held with other Councils in Northern Ireland which were intending to celebrate the anniversaries of their Charters and with the Honourable the London Society and the Northern Ireland Environment Agency.  In addition, Coleraine Borough Council had indicated that it was prepared to lead on the programme outside Belfast.

            The Committee noted the information which had been provided by the Director and authorised expenditure of a sum not to exceed £11,220 in connection with the holding of the symposium in November.

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

“Relevant Background Information

      This report provides an update on the 2008/9 progress for the Renewing the Routes programme; seeks endorsement of proposed amendments to identified projects within the agreed action plans and provides details in respect of a specific project proposal for commercial improvements. 

      The first modification to the projects programme relates to the proposed reallocation of approved funding as a response to changed circumstances in respect of increased funding made available from the Belfast Regeneration Office for Shankill Gateway projects.

      The second modification relates to the proposed reallocation of approved funding as a response to the growing popularity of the Commercial Improvement Programme on the Springfield Road.

      The specific project proposal being brought to the attention of Committee relates to a Commercial Improvement phase of works that would include the Republican Sinn Féin offices on Falls Road.

Key Issues

      Overall project performance

      Through its Renewing the Routes Programme, the Council continues to develop and lead targeted local urban regeneration. Renewing the Routes represents an innovative inter-agency approach to enhancing the vitality of these roads by developing and implementing integrated regeneration plans. Working with the local community and statutory partners in adopting a phased approach, the Programme initially concentrated on packages of smaller scale environmental or enhancement works. These interventions included new lighting, heritage asset refurbishments, tourism signage, mural removal and replacement, tree planting and landscaping, commercial façade improvements, boundary treatments and investment in open spaces. Financially the project remains on target, with finance provided through the Integrated Development Fund. With an overall capital budget of £3,798,000, the target expenditure for the end of the financial year for March 2009 was met with a projected claim of £1,772,577.  The financial target for the current financial year (2009/2010) is just over £2m.

      With the goodwill of local businesses and the support of both Elected Members and the community, statutory and voluntary sector, this Programme has progressed and has an ambitious programme for 2009/2010.

      Shankill Road

      The main emphasis for the regeneration on Shankill Road remains the commercial frontage improvements. Over 35 premises have now taken part in the scheme, with a further 80 businesses in line to benefit in 2009/2010. Completed heritage and conservation projects include feature railings and granite entrance details at the

West Belfast Orange Hall, floodlighting to WoodvaleMethodist Church and high quality railings at West Kirk Presbyterian Church.  Ongoing works nearing completion include the restoration of the ShankillRest Garden’s perimeter wall, the cleaning of the stonework to Shankill Library and landscaping at Woodvale Presbyterian Church.

      Upper Springfield Road

      Works are now complete for the environmental project to improve the road frontage and green space area at Springhill Park ‘funnel’; works have included new railings, paths, landscaping, planting and future artworks from the community. A project carried out in partnership with Groundwork. Further commercial improvement proposals have been developed from the previous pilot schemes in the area and will be presented to owners/occupiers for final approval in June  ...  view the full minutes text for item 14.

            The Director reminded the Committee that Community Development Project Grants were awarded to organisations which supported and strengthened local efforts to enhance and improve the quality of life within a neighbourhood or area.  The maximum amount which could be awarded to any one group under this scheme was £500.  She indicated that the maximum amount which could be awarded to a Community Group under the authority delegated currently to the Director of Development in any one financial year was also £500.  In previous years, in order to permit applications received under the Christmas Community Chest, which enabled organisations to hold events during the Christmas period for local residents, to be processed using this delegated authority the former Client Services Committee had approved the payment of Community Development Project Grants.  This was now the responsibility of the Development Committee and it would be necessary, therefore, for it to approve the payment of grants.

            She reported that 100 Project Grant applications had been received, 89 of which had been recommended for grant-aid and it was proposed that a total of £41,250 be allocated in this regard.

            The Committee considered the applications which had been received and agreed to adopt the recommendations set out below:

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR GRANT APPROVAL

            The Director informed the Committee that the Holy Family and Golden Gloves Amateur Boxing Club had been using facilities at North Queen Street Community Centre since the late 1960s.  The Council had managed this Community Centre since the mid 1970s and had formalised a Licence Agreement with the Club in 2004.  This was now due for renewal and, prior to a new draft Agreement being prepared, which would the enable the Boxing Club to continue its activities at the Centre without granting exclusive possession, it would be necessary for the Committee to agree that a further five year Licence Agreement be entered into and to determine the charge to be levied on the Club for the use of the premises.  A report regarding the details of the new Agreement would be submitted to a future meeting of the Committee.

            The Director pointed out that, in recognition of the role which the Club had played in providing services to young people, it had obtained a concessionary reduction which meant that it had previously paid only 10% of the charge which would be due if the Council’s Pricing Policy were applied.  This represented an amount of £988 in the current financial year and was based on the Club’s usage of the building and the actual running costs of the Centre.

            After discussion, the Committee agreed to enter into a further five year Licence Agreement with the Holy Family and Golden Gloves Amateur Boxing Club regarding its use of the North Queen Street Community Centre and that the Club be charged an amount of £988 per annum.

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

“Relevant Background Information

      BelfastCity Council is a major funder of Advice & Information Services with a consortium approach to funding and advice delivery having been established in 2005/06.

      The current level of BCC Advice grant for 2009/10 is £339,837.96, this is allocated to the consortia as follows:

      In addition, for the last 4 years DSD and BCC have also provided funding to enable the consortia to provide outreach advice services in areas of little or no provision.

      The level of funding provided has been

      This was allocated to the consortia at the same percentages as the BCC standard grant.

      Advice Services in 2008/09 therefore received £329,939.77 (BCC Standard Advice grant) plus £462,450.00 (BCC/DSD Supplementary Advice grant) giving a total of £792,387.77

Key Issues

      DSD has now indicated their support for Advice Services for 2009/10 will no longer be split into two funding streams, rather an amount for Advice Services will be offered to BCC with match funding from BCC being required.

      The amount available from DSD for 2009/10 is £469,902.00. This will only be accessible once the Council confirms its willingness to match fund to the minimum amount of £355,729.00.  This figure includes the amount already allocated to Advice Services.

Resource Implications

      Financial

      The total spend on Advice Services in 2009/10 is £825,631.00 (see Appendix 1) which is within our revenue estimates

North Belfast :   27.33%

South Belfast :  13.51%

East Belfast :     16.82%

West Belfast:     32.34%

City centre:        10.00%

Recommendations

      It is recommended that

1.   BCC accept the DSD funding offer and continue to administer the DSD grant resources for Advice Services; and

2.   That agreement is given to provide the required match funding contribution of £355,729.00. This is available within the revenue estimates and includes the amount allocated to the present BCC Advice grant £339,837.96.

Decision Tracking

      Further to approval and ratification, acceptance of the DSD funding offer and continued administration of the DSD grant resources for Advice Services.

      Time line:  17 July 2009

      Reporting Officer: Catherine Taggart

Key to Abbreviations

      DSD – Department for Social Development

      BCC – Belfast City Council

APPENDIX 1

            The Committee adopted the recommendations.

            The Committee was reminded that the former Client Services (Community and Leisure Services) Sub-Committee, at its meeting on 12th March, 1998, had agreed to partially fund the construction of a Community Centre in Donegall Pass, together with some associated running costs.  At a further meeting of the Sub-Committee in August, 2000, it had been agreed that provision be made within the Revenue Estimates to enable the Centre to operate as a full-time directly-managed facility for a period of two years with a view to building local capacity in order that the local community could eventually manage the facility.  This arrangement had been further extended at the Sub-Committee’s meeting on 7th January, 2003 and again in 2007 on the basis that both the local community and the Council felt that capacity had not been developed adequately to support local independent management arrangements.

            The Director pointed out that the Community Centre represented a significant financial investment by the Council in an area of social need.  In addition, the Donegall Pass Community Forum had employed a Regeneration Officer and a development company had been formed to develop a masterplan for the area.  She pointed out that the Community Centre was considered to be a vital part of the plan to strengthen the community infrastructure and facilities in the Donegall Pass area.  Within this context, Council officials had met with the Community Forum to ascertain the position with regard to the future management arrangements of the Community Centre.  The Forum had indicated its intention to develop a full economic business plan in order to enable it to submit a proposal to the Council and had requested financial support to facilitate this process.

            Accordingly, she recommended that the Council provide to Donegall Pass Community Forum an amount not to exceed £2,500.  She recommended further that the current directly-managed arrangement be extended for one year and that this arrangement be reviewed when the proposal from the Donegall Pass Community Forum was received later in the year.

            The Committee adopted the recommendations.

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

“Relevant Background Information

      The purpose of this report is to advise Members of a number of developments including:

1.   Promoting the local economy and independent retail in South Belfast through the use of open space

2.   Belfast Business Awards 2010

3.   Business Development Programmes

Key Issues

1.   Promoting the local economy and independent retail in

      South Belfast through the use of open space

      At the September 2008 meeting of the Development Committee, Members agreed to support a range of activities to promote the development of the independent retail sector in the City.  Since this time we have supported business and skills development initiatives and marketing and promotion activities to help many of the independent retailers in the City improve their products and services on offer.  A paper detailing our activity over the past 12 months and a suggested action plan for the further development of the independent retail sector during 2009/10 will be presented to Members in due course.

      South Belfast Partnership is currently planning to use open spaces and Parks within retail districts to host two events to encourage increased footfall and to market the areas more effectively.

      The two events will take place within Council Parks: Crescent Open Space and Drumglass Park.

      Botanic Arts Fair

      South Belfast Partnership Board organised the first Botanic Arts Festival on Saturday 28th March, 2009 in partnership with the University of Ulster, OrmeauBusinessPark and Crescent Arts Centre.  The Council provided financial support of £12,633 towards the overall cost of organising the event. 

      The Festival brought together over 50 craft makers and artists from the Art College and provided a platform for them to exhibit and sell their products.  In addition, a range of live entertainment and performance was provided and over 1,400 people attended the event during the course of the day. 

      Given the success of the Festival, the South Belfast Partnership Board is planning a second event on Saturday 12th September 2009.  The Partnership has been successful in attracting funding under the Community Festivals Fund to organise a community festival which will allow local artists and designers to showcase their products.  They are seeking additional support in order to develop and deliver a PR and marketing campaign to raise awareness of the Festival and to cover the costs relating to the retailing on the day e.g. stall hire. 

      Drumglass Market

      Previous work to support the development of the independent retail sector has identified the importance of the Lisburn Road as a unique location for independent retail in the City and one that requires further investment.

      The Traders’ Organisation in the area - Lisburn Road Business Association - has been recently formed and is focused on improving the amenity of the area as well as enhancing the retail offering.  It has identified the importance of increasing footfall and the need to engage in a targeted marketing and promotions campaign.  In order to support this objective, the traders’ group has worked with the South  ...  view the full minutes text for item 19.

(oral report of Director of Development)

            The Director informed the Members that the five Strategic Regeneration Frameworks for Belfast had been completed and signed-off by the Minister for Social Development.  During the summer months, the Development Department would examine the Frameworks and submit a report to the Committee in August or September.

Noted.

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

“Relevant Background Information

      At its meeting on 23rd January 2009, the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee agreed the revenue estimates for 2009/10.  These estimates included £500,000 for the establishment of a corporate strategy budget to finance those elements of cross?cutting work which could not be solely delivered within functional budgets.  COMT has already agreed that the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee will have overall control of the thematic budget and any proposals or recommendations made to the Committee must come through the Chief Officers’ Management Team.  Chief Officers were asked to make applications for funding through the budget for consideration by the team at its meeting on 6th April.

      Applications were to be assessed in line with the principles agreed by COMT on 9 March, which were:

-     It must be clear that funds do not exist in Departmental estimates to carry out the work proposed;

-     Bids must include activity which will incur the expenditure of the entire budget applied for within the period 2009/10;

-     Bids should clearly state the way in which the funding will help achieve the objectives within the Corporate Plan, with a focus on the difference the activity will make on the ground for people and communities;

-     Bids should encourage cross-Council or inter-agency working; and

-     They should have an element of innovation.

      The Director of Development has submitted an application to further the Council’s work for children and young people in the City.  An initial assessment has been carried out by COMT and the programme proposal has been agreed in principle. 

      The Children and Young People proposal seeks funding of £100,000 to give impetus to the formulation of a strategy for Children and Young People and a related year long programme of developmental intervention that builds on professional expertise, better integrates and aligns existing service provision and uses the Council’s political influence to shape the delivery of a range of services to children and young people by other public bodies and community based organisations.  Utilising the reopening of City Hall as a showcase occasion, a series of events, debates and performances will highlight and promote the contribution of young people to the social and civic fabric of the City.  The high profile event will provide a platform both for Council and for young people to convey a clear message of the importance of young people to the future development of the City and of the Council’s intent to act as a champion for their rights, responsibilities and achievements.

      Potentially, all of the children and young people of the City could benefit from their participation in a wide range of programmes, events and activities organised across Council Departments and through attendance at showcase events such as the reopening of City Hall.  Over the longer term, the strategy and related programmes would seek to promote personal development, social, recreational and educational knowledge and skills amongst the population of young people in the City.

      Individual programmes  ...  view the full minutes text for item 21.

            The Committee was informed that the Arterial Routes Team had recently received a Making a Difference Award.  In addition, under the Northern Ireland Tourist Board Awards, the Department’s Late Night Art Initiative had been judged to be “the best new product” and the Belfast Welcome Centre had been considered to be “the best Tourist Information Centre”.  Furthermore, the Cultural Tourism Visitor Management Plan had won the Association of Town Centre Management’s National Award in the “Centre Move” Category, which dealt with moving people around the centre of a city.

            The Committee requested that its congratulations be conveyed to the staff which had been involved in these projects.