Agenda and minutes

            Apologies for inability to attend were reported from the High Sheriff (Councillor Adamson) and Councillors Kyle, L. Patterson and J. Rodgers.

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

“1.   Relevant Background Information

1.1  Members are aware of the ongoing process to develop a playing pitches strategy and as part of that a number of reports have been considered by committee.  A special meeting of the committee was held in December 2010 to consider the draft strategy.  

       The special committee in December 2010 agreed the approach to consultation.

1.2  The aim of the draft playing pitches strategy is: To contribute to improved health and wellbeing in Belfast by enabling adequate outdoor sports facilities and, working with partners, seek to maximise the provision and use of safe, accessible and quality outdoor leisure facilities. 

       The draft strategy has three high level objectives which are supported by a number of sub-objectives. These are:

Objective 1 – Capital investment

To deliver and, working in partnership, enable a programme of capital development, enhancement and maintenance investments which address identified deficiencies and protect existing playing pitch provision.

Objective 2 – Management

To implement and monitor a range of management options with community and statutory partners, so as to maximise people’s participation in team sports activity.

Objective 3 – Sports development

Working in partnership to develop and deliver a sports development programme to maximise people’s participation in team sports activity.  This will include under-represented groups, such as females and those with disabilities.

       It was agreed that the strategy would cover a period of 10 years, would be based on partnership working and that in the first three years priority would be given to capital investment in council owned facilities to enable the partnership approach to be developed.    

       It was also agreed that delivery of the capital investment in years 1-3 would be through new pitches with ancillary facilities (part-funded); a series of upgrades (pitches and changing) and lower cost options (floodlighting and cricket squares).  Members agreed that this option presented the maximum benefit to the council and its partners, and reduced the number of the risks.

       All the locations that the council own were considered and a shortlist of 31 sites where there is potential to develop new pitches or upgrade existing pitches were identified.  A prioritisation matrix, based on the sub-objectives under Objective 1 and the council’s existing capital prioritisation framework, was developed.  The committee agreed at its special meeting in December to ask a specific question as part of the consultation on the appropriateness of the weightings to be applied to the criteria in the prioritisation matrix.

1.3  The first phase of the public consultation commenced on 10 January and closed on 4 March 2011. 

1.4  Party group briefings are currently being carried out on the consultation responses and prioritisation process and the last briefing will take place on Friday 18 March 2011.

1.5  The prioritisation of sites for capital investment and upgrade is the next step under objective 1 of the strategy.  Alongside this, work is ongoing to develop additional action plans under objectives 2 and 3 of the strategy which will outline the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 2.