Agenda and minutes

            The minutes of the meeting of 19th November were taken as read and signed as correct.  It was reported that those minutes had been adopted by the Council at its meeting on 2nd December.

            Apologies were reported on behalf of Councillors Convery, Garrett and Reynolds.

            No declarations of interest were reported.

The Committee noted the contents of a report which set out the schedule of monthly meetings until May, 2014, details of which were available on the Mod.gov website.

            The Committee agreed that Alderman Stoker, Councillors Curran and Councillor Hargey be appointed to the newly-formed Markets Community Centre Committee.

            Pursuant to notice on the agenda, Councillor Beattie outlined the plans which had been formulated for the production of a Community Mosaic Artwork within the Beechmount area and requested that, if deemed feasible, officers from within the Department would undertake to work with representatives of the local community in the delivery of the project. 

            The Committee agreed that an update in this matter be submitted to a future meeting. 

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

“1       Relevant Background Information

1.1      Members will be aware that BCC launched the NI EU Regional Forum (NIERF) in May 2011 with the NI Junior Ministers. This Forum was formerly known as the Belfast in Europe group, and before that the Belfast Quartiers En Crise network. It existed to create a collaborative platform for stakeholders in Belfast who were engaged in EU activity.

1.2      The NIERF has been in existence for over 2 years, it is Co Chaired by OFMDFM and has a membership of over 100 Members from all sectors across all of NI. The Forum meets four times a year and addresses EU policy issues and funding opportunities across a wide range of sectors including social inclusion, competitiveness and employment, climate change and energy and innovation and technology essentially mirroring the work of the NI Barroso Task Force on Europe. The ultimate aim is to increase NI access to EU funding in the current and upcoming EU funding rounds.

1.3      One of the common challenges facing Forum members is capacity to engage in EU activity, achieve funding leverage and develop transnational partnerships. To address this, the Office of the First and Deputy First Minister has offered the Forum an opportunity to bid for grants for improving capacity across the NI region for EU engagement. A total of £375,000 over two years has been offered to Belfast City Council as the Forum secretariat, to manage and administer a grants programme for the Forum to provide 4 elements of funding. A total of £60,000 would be made available within this for Belfast City Council to recruit an appropriate officer post to manage the rolling grant fund and also manage the growing responsibilities of running the Forum including calling meetings, and maintaining and developing the information portal.

2         Key Issues

2.1      The detail of the criteria of the capacity grant fund for the Forum has to be developed in coming weeks, however the proposed four elements will include:

-            Costs for partner search for EU project development

-            Assistance for EU funds application processes and mentoring for participation in EU activity

-            Support for costs of EU event participation and

-            Match funding of last resort

           Members are asked to agree to accept the transfer of grant funding amounting to £375k from OFMDFM to manage on behalf of the NI EU Regional Forum.  This will include recruitment of an appropriate officer post to manage the grants process over 2 years as well as manage the general running of the forum, its membership and portal development.  This work would be at no additional cost to Belfast City Council and would be managed within the councils EU unit by the EU manager.  Members will receive details of the grant criteria templates and processes in the near future.  All such templates and processes will be in full accordance with Belfast City Council’s governance and audit arrangements.

3         Recommendations

3.1      To accept the offer of £375k transferred budget from  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5a

            The Committee was advised that correspondence had been received on behalf of Belfast City Centre Management and the Lisburn Road Business Association seeking its endorsement for applications which both bodies would be submitting to the consortium overseeing the pilot projects which would be established as part of implementation of the Business Improvement District Act.  The Director provided the Committee with an overview of the remit of both bodies and outlined the extensive work which they had undertaken in conjunction with the Council in the past. 

            The Committee agreed to provide letters of endorsement for the applications of Belfast City Centre Management and the Lisburn Road Business Association.

            The Committee was advised that the Department for Employment and Learning had introduced a programme which sought to improve the performance of small businesses by assisting them to achieve accreditation under the Investors in People (IiP) initiative.  That programme enabled companies to engage with customer service specialists to assist them in the attainment of the IiP standard.  The Director reported that ten companies would partake in the next phase of the programme and the Department for Employment and Learning had indicated that it would contribute 30 per cent of the total cost of £11,200, viz., £3,360.  The Council, he added, had been requested to allocate £4,840, and the remaining amount of £3,000 would be contributed by the participating companies.  The Director provided an overview of the economic benefits which the City would accrue should it agree to contribute towards the programme and recommended that the Committee endorse the contribution as outlined. 

            The Committee agreed to contribute £4,840 towards the programme.

            The Committee endorsed a response to the Northern Ireland’s Executive’s consultation exercise on the Draft Innovation Strategy for Northern Ireland 2013-2025, a copy of which was available on the Council’s Mod.gov system. 

            The Committee noted the contents of a report which provided an update in respect of the Belfast Rapid Transit Initiative; the Transport Hub and the measures which would introduced by the Department for Regional Development to enhance access to Belfast City Centre during the Christmas period.  In addition, the Committee was informed that public information sessions in respect of the Belfast Rapid Transit proposals had been held in the Ballyhackamore Library on Thursday, 28th and Friday, 29th November and that further events would take place across the City in due course, information on which would be notified to all Members.

            The Committee noted the information which had been provided and agreed that an invitation to provide a presentation on transport issues at a future meeting would be extended to representatives of the Department for Regional Development.

            The Committee endorsed the undernoted response to the Department of the Environment’s consultation on the Revised Draft Planning Policy Statement 15 viz., ‘Planning and Flood Risk’, which would close on 16th December, 2013:

           Background

1.1      Recent flooding incidents within the Council area have resulted in increased attention on flood risk and prevention of flooding, particularly in densely populated urban areas. These events triggered the Council to undertake flooding research in conjunction with external consultants in 2009.

1.2      The existing PPS 15 informed this research which also addressed the various flooding emergency response recommendations, flooding emergency plans and work on flooding alleviation schemes/drainage studies that are either being developed or have been implemented over the past few years.  Accordingly the Council welcomes the revised PPS 15 and the efforts to prioritise protecting areas within flood plains and areas known to be at risk from flooding.

           General Comments

1.3      The revised draft PPS 15 sets out the Department’s policies in order to minimise the risk of flooding to people, property and the environment.  It acknowledges the role of land use planning in flood risk management by influencing where development takes place and also preventing development in areas at risk from flooding.  The main objectives of the revised draft are therefore to prevent inappropriate new development in areas known to be at risk of flooding, or that may increase the flood risk elsewhere. 

1.4      In addition, the revised draft seeks to ensure that the most up to date information on flood risk is taken into account when determining planning applications and zoning/designating land as part of the process for the proposed development plans.  In future planning authorities will be required to consider a catchment wide approach to flood risk management (i.e. River Lagan catchment from source to lough).  With the reform of local government and the transfer of planning functions, PPS 15 will also have implications for the Council, which will be required to assess the flood risk of planning, regeneration or community proposals to determine if the development is feasible or appropriate.

1.5      PPS 15 explains that where flood risk changes with higher frequencies being experienced, the Development Plan may be reviewed and amended to restrict future development.  In this regard, the Council would require further clarification on the approach to such modifications being proposed and the formal relationship with Rivers Agency in relation to their input into the preparation of development plans.  Paragraph 4.7 highlights that the Strategic Flood Maps are available on the Rivers Agency website however further information is requested on how the maps will inform decision making and be integrated into the plan. 

1.6      PPS 15 will apply to any building or infrastructure works undertaken by the Council that requires a planning application.  It is recognised that the onus will rest on the Council to identify and assess the potential flood risk of the development by referring to the Strategic Flood Maps.  The Council notes that the Strategic Flood Maps indicate that areas of the City Centre  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7b

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

“1     Relevant Background Information

1.1    At the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee of 5th November 2013 a proposal was passed to support an enhanced Christmas in Belfast campaign.  Members approved the following: to provide £150K towards and Animation programme to include the outlying areas and the arterial routes; £50K for additional advertising and public relations for a pre-Christmas campaign and £75K towards advertising and post-Christmas activities for January to March 2014.

1.2    The key purpose of the campaign is to help drive footfall to retailers which have been struggling with falling numbers and sales over the last year and in recent months due to a variety of causes. Animation was a successful element used last year as part of the Backin’ Belfast campaign according to the evaluations carried out as it bolstered the existing offering in the City Centre and added to the atmosphere and ambience of the City Centre.  The animation programme offered additional reasons for shoppers to choose Belfast, encouraging longer dwell times and added overall to enjoyable and positive leisure time experiences.

1.3    Members agreed that the animation programme for 2013 should extend beyond the City Centre and complement activity taking place elsewhere as part of Christmas programmes.  This report is seeking Members agreement on how animation beyond the City Centre should be carried out including agreed locations for inclusion, method of deployment or organisation of activities and linkages to existing activity. Members should note that a procurement exercise has been completed for the engagement of an events management company to co-ordinate an animation programme in the City and that provision has been made to include the programming of animation beyond the City Centre.

2       Key Issues

2.1    Animation is a wide-ranging term, but in this context, refers to the programming of activity in streets or public spaces, (largely outdoor, but can also be indoor) using artists and performers to create vibrancy and atmosphere. As part of our work under Backin’ Belfast last year, a range of performers were used including street circus acts; roaming costumed characters; children’s activities, such as face painting, balloon modelling, arts and crafts, musicians and bands, petting zoos, urban sports such as skateboarding, BMX biking, free-running and urban art.

2.2    Following a procurement exercise, Smallworld has been appointed by Council to deliver an animation programme for Belfast as part of an enhanced Christmas in Belfast campaign. Their contract covers both the City Centre and locations beyond the City Centre to be confirmed to them upon appointment.  The animation programme is designed to attract people to existing retail areas to help increase potential purchasing from retailers and associated businesses.

2.3    Within the City Centre the animation programme will commence from 1st December and continue on Saturday and Sundays for the following 3 weekends between 12 and 5/6pm. Smallworld’s proposal centres around  Christmas themed weekends with a wide variety of entertainers and participative children’s activity. It may be appropriate to programme any animation of this type  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

“1       Relevant Background Information

1.1      Visit Belfast formerly known as Belfast Visitor and Convention Bureau was established in 1998, following a widespread consultation process undertaken by the Council which identified the need for a collective and collaborative approach to marketing within the City. Council have agreed that Visit Belfast will promote Belfast as a tourist destination and deliver visitor servicing activity through the Gateway Welcome Centre, two airport tourist information centres and other outreach activity at cruise ships in accordance with the Business Plan approved by Council.

1.2      Under the Investment Programme 2012-2015 Council committed to supporting the relocation of Belfast Welcome Centre to new premises at 8-9 Donegall Square North on 2 April 2012.  Council has received part funding from the European Regional Development Fund managed by the N. Ireland Tourist Board for the capital works to the new premises. The works were completed on 5 November 2013 and Visit Belfast plan to open the building on 10 Dec 2013 with an official opening by the Lord Mayor and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Investment on 12 Dec 2013.

1.3      The legal aspects of the relocation of the Welcome Centre involving securing a lease on the premises and developing a Management Agreement for occupation by Visit Belfast are being progressed by the Property and Projects Dept and Legal Services Dept of Council.

2         Key Issues

2.1      Belfast City Council has entered into a 15 year lease with the Northern Bank Ltd commencing 16 July 2013 for the basement, ground and mezzanine floors of 8-9 Donegall Square North therefore Council is the legal tenant of the premises.

2.2      Council is developing a Management Agreement with Visit Belfast to manage the Welcome Centre which will presently be for one year in line with the current funding arrangements.  The Agreement can be terminated by the Council under a variety of circumstances including failure to keep the premises to a standard acceptable to Council, any of the monies provided by Council not being applied entirely for the purposes of marketing and visitor servicing, significant increase in costs and failure to reach agreement on revisions to the business plan.

2.3      Visit Belfast however will be responsible for reimbursing all expenditure in relation to the operation of premises incurred by Council.  Visit Belfast will not have a business tenancy as the premises are provided for the delivery of services on behalf of Council.

2.4      Visit Belfast is in the final stages of developing a sponsorship agreement with Translink which will be considered at a Special Board meeting on 29 November.  This sponsorship agreement will include a physical presence within Belfast Welcome Centre.  The Council’s lease permits this arrangement, no business tenancy will be created.  Translink’s services are vital in moving people across the city and beyond as they enjoy the visitor experience and therefore are a key partner in the delivery of travel related services for visitors.

2.5      Visit Belfast will be responsible to Council for the provision of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9.

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

“1           Relevant Background Information

 1.1         Members will recall that the SP&R committee agreed ‘in principle’ to progress both the Olympia and Andersonstown Leisure Centres to Stage 2 of the Capital Programme to form the first phase of the citywide leisure transformation review

               In order to inform the investment decision for the Olympia project, in June members agreed that external support should be commissioned to carry out an optional appraisal on community provision and support requirements for the area.  The research should develop options; determine the strengths and weaknesses of the identified options;ensure options are framed within the overall strategic framework and action plan for area wide development; provide outline costs for each viable option and to highlight and explore the potential sources of capital and revenue funding; and identify the resources required to carry through and ultimately the prospects for success.

1.3          The report outlining the shortlist of options was presented to committee in October.  Given the complexity, committee requested the report to be deferred to allow for party briefings. The purpose of this paper is to summarise any comments and / or concerns in relation to the identified options for the future delivery of community centre and service support for the Olympia/Windsor/Village area of the city in the context of the broader regeneration of the Olympia/Windsor stadium.

2             Key Issues

2.1          The option appraisal was commissioned in order to inform any Development Committee decision on the best approach to address any gap left in community service provision as a result of the planned closure of the Olympia CC as part of the broader Stadia Development.

2.2          The consultants completed an area profile in order to inform supply and demand and communicated findings from their community engagement exercise.  To summarise, this identified 6 options around 3 primary areas:

1.     Do nothing:  This is based on the current council consideration to develop the site i.e. where there would be no Council-managed community centre or services on site (with the exception of the play areas accommodated within the stadium redevelopment) and no replacement centre or services elsewhere in the local area.

2.     Extend Existing Service Provision:  Options 2 & 3 relate to the relocation and extension of existing service programmes both within other BCC community centres, bookable space in the new Leisure facility and other community sector facilities in the area.  These options relate to any conclusion that there is adequate current provision for community bookable space in the area.

3.     The remaining options relate to any alternative conclusion which proposes there is a demonstrable need for additional community space in the area.  The report considers 2 potential methods:  support for existing community organisation’s plan to extend community space (Option 4) or alternatively council consideration of new community build (2 possible locations – Options 5 & 6)

2.6          Following monetary assessment, risk assessment and optimism bias adjustments, the consultant’s recommendation is to support Option 4: namely supplementing the proposed further use of Council and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9a

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

 “1       Relevant Background Information

1.1       Members will be aware that the Council made £300,000 available through the Investment Programme for the Achieve: Belfast Bursary Fund.  The Fund is administered through Belfast Metropolitan College (Belfast Met) and The Prince’s Trust.  Hundreds of young people are supported in the city to take part in further education and training and to improve their employment prospects.

1.2       The Prince’s Trust bursary (with funding allocated through the charity’s Development Awards programme) is open to young people aged 16-25 residing in the city who are not in education, training or employment. The scheme aims to help recipients overcome barriers which may prevent them from undertaking training and education or moving into employment.

1.3       At BMC, full-time students who began their first year of study, who are resident in the Council area, aged between 16-24 years and whose annual household income is £23,820 or less were eligible to apply for grants of up to £500.  This award applied to students on one of the 10 recognised Achieve: Belfast Bursary Fund training courses.  The courses identified were at Levels 2-5 and in some of the future growth sectors including IT, multimedia, renewable energies, science, tourism and hospitality.  This is the first year of the programme and Belfast Met was allocated £120,000 to administer 240 awards at £500 each.

1.4       The Belfast Met scheme has just closed to applications but only around 50 applicants met the criteria for the bursary.  Following engagement with the college, it is proposed that consideration be given to widening the bursary to other courses, still within the priority growth areas. 

2          Key Issues

2.1       Applications for the Achieve: Belfast Bursary Fund opened on 2 September 2013 and closed on 15 November 2013.  A targeted promotion and awareness campaign was undertaken to extensively advertise the Bursary Scheme from August to November 2013.  The Bursary was promoted in the Belfast Met prospectus, on Belfast Met’s website within the Student Finance section, online within Student’s Blackboard Learning resource, through word of mouth and on notice boards.  Belfast Met and Belfast City Council worked together to produce promotional flyers and application forms.  These were distributed to the relevant course co-ordinators. Student Finance Officers gave presentations in classrooms and provided application forms to students enrolled on the 10 courses.  All staff and students were sent an email reminding them of the closing date.  The Bursary was promoted on the Council’s website and Belfast Business Info Facebook page and ran alongside Belfast Met’s Facebook promotion.  Students were encouraged to apply for the award and also advised of the forthcoming closing date.

2.2       Despite extensive advertising and promotion, Belfast Met gave the following analysis as to why take up was lower than expected:

·        Given that Achieve: Belfast Bursary Fund is a new pilot initiative, it was difficult to predict uptake levels of the award, particularly around the income level criteria at or below £23,820;

·        Belfast Met recruits a high percentage of students from outside  ...  view the full minutes text for item 10.

            (Ms. N. Largey, Solicitor, attended in connection with this item.)

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

“1       Background Information

1.1      Members will recall that at its meeting of 20 August 2013, an application was received from Folktown Community Interest Company (Folktown) to hold a weekly market in Banks Square for 42 weeks of the year.  It is envisaged that this Market would take place every Thursday from March to December 2015 and the opening hours will be from 12.00pm to 8.00pm.  There will be a minimum of 25 stalls and a maximum of 31 stalls in any week.  It is planned for this market to be a long term venture.

1.2      Members will also recall that Fine and Dandy was also granted a licence to operate a small market in the Crescent Arts Centre on the last Sunday of each month until December 2013.

2         Key Issues

2.1      Folktown CIC made 3 requests to Committee. The first was to be granted a Market Licence, the second was to have the fee for their application and stall fees waived and thirdly to receive financial support to set up the Market, including first year administration and running costs. 

2.2      Members agreed to grant the market licence and to refuse the application for financial support to set up the Market. It is worth noting that the request for financial support included paying market management and event team wages, office rent, insurance, the purchase of market stalls and waste bins, business plan fees, design fees and the purchase of computer and printer. 

2.3      In relation to the application to have the application fee and stall fees waived Committee agree to defer consideration of the request to waive all or part of the fees to allow further clarification to be provided on the Council’s Markets Policy and in relation to Community Interest Companies.

2.4      Folktown CIC intends to charge a fee of £30.00 per stall per Market but in the first year they aim to charge £20.00 per stall per Market.  Year one is estimated to bring in between £21,000 and £26,040.00 depending on the final number of traders attending each week.

2.5      Section 2.3 of the Appendix to the Markets Policy sets out the provisions in respect of a speciality market, which is defined as a market where there is a specialised theme or grouping of produce or goods that make the event more than a car boot sale or a traditional market. 

2.6      Section 2.8 of the Appendix states that fees will be waived for any market which is organised by a charity or operated for ‘solely charitable purposes’. At the time of developing the Markets Policy, Community Interest Companies were not envisaged as being likely applicants for a market licence. 

2.7      Folktown is registered with the Community Interest Company Regulator.  Community Interest Companies were created by the Companies (Audit, Investigations and Community Enterprise) Act 2004 and are a special type of limited Company which is intended to benefit the community  ...  view the full minutes text for item 11.

            (All members of staff present at the meeting, with the exception of the Director and the Democratic Services Officer, remained outside the room whilst this item was under discussion.)

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

            “Background Information

Members will be aware that the post of Head of Belfast Waterfront and Ulster Hall has been vacant since June 2011.  The post was publicly advertised in January 2012 but no appointment was made.   Members will also be aware that as part of the Council’s Investment Programme, £29.5m is being invested to develop the Waterfront Hall’s potential to host larger international conferences, and to create significant economic benefits to the City. 

Given this significant investment and programme of work, the Department now wishes to recruit this post on the basis of a two year fixed term contract.  The successful post-holder will lead and manage ‘business as usual’ activities effectively and efficiently while making a significant contribution to the planning of a new and different future. 

Key Issues

Given the future plans for the Waterfront Hall and the need to promote it on an international scale, it is vital that the successful candidate has previous relevant experience of managing a major commercial entity, preferably in the entertainment or conference markets. 

There are limited comparable entertainment and conference venues operating within the sector in NI and it is recommended, given the specialist nature of the post that the council externally advertises this post in the relevant newspapers and undertakes an executive search exercise with an extended closing date for applications for the purpose of identifying and attracting suitably qualified and experienced individuals to apply for this role.

In accordance with the Local Government Staff Commission’s (LGSC) Code of Procedures on Recruitment and Selection:

·        the selection panel to recruit this post should comprise the Chair of the Committee and two other elected members from political parties not represented by the Chair, along with the Director of Development and another director (or Head of Human Resources);

·        the entire panel should be representative of gender and community background with all panel members having attended recent training in non-discriminatory recruitment and selection techniques; and

·        an observer from the LGSC and a professional assessor may also be in attendance during the selection process, if required, but they will not have any voting rights.

Financial

Any executive search activity will be procured in line with council guidelines but it is anticipated that this will cost less than £3,000.

Equality Implications

All selection panel members will have received appropriate training in non-discriminatory recruitment and selection techniques, including awareness of the Equality Commission’s statutory Codes of Practice and Guidance documents.

Recommendations

It is recommended that:

·        the Committee agrees the composition of the selection panel comprising the Chair of the Committee, two other elected members from political parties not represented by the Chair, the Director of Development and another director (or Head of Human Resources);

·        the Committee agrees to an element of executive search being conducted to identify and attract suitably qualified and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 12.