Agenda item

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

 

“Relevant Background Information

 

      MIPIM is the largest real estate exhibition in Europe.  It takes place in March each year in Cannes, France and generally attracts up to 20,000 delegates.  Since 2000, various partners from Belfast have participated in the event and have contributed towards the costs of a joint stand in the exhibition area.

 

      At MIPIM 2010, Belfast City Council was represented on a partner stand with Derry City Council, Ilex (the Urban Regeneration Company (URC) in the city, Lisburn City Council and the Department for Social Development (DSD).  A range of private sector partners were also involved and representatives from the Strategic Investment Board (SIB) attended for the first time.

 

      Members will be aware that, at the Development Committee of 9 June 2010, a budget of up to £20,000 towards participation in MIPIM 2011 was approved.  Members also approved the request from SIB that they be formally supported by the Council to lead on MIPIM 2011.  In addition, Members requested that officers investigate the financial implications of a Belfast-only stand at MIPIM 2011 and report back on this at a future Committee meeting.

 

Key Issues

 

      Following the 2010 MIPIM event, a feedback meeting was organised with participating organisations.  This took place on 23 June, 2010.  Organisations in attendance included DSD, Derry City Council, Lisburn City Council, Patton Group and Carvill Group.  Although not in attendance, representatives from Delap and Waller, Ilex and the SIB also forwarded their comments for note.

 

      The comments made included the following:

 

-     Private sector partners confirmed that they had benefited from participation – strong leads had been generated and they were now following up on these.  They would be keen to be involved in MIPIM 2011

 

-     Participants welcomed the development and preparatory work undertaken by Belfast City Council – a range of pre?MIPIM meetings had ensured that participants were in a position to draw maximum benefit from their involvement in the event

 

-     Events at the stand presented a cost-effective mechanism of promoting key projects.  Looking to next year’s event, it may be useful to consider whether high profile political figures could be invited as a ‘draw’ to highlight specific schemes

 

-     Need for partners to be aware of what each other is ‘selling’ and need to define and refine our message: there was a lot on offer – need to consider how this can be presented

 

-     Partners were entirely supportive of the wider partnership approach (i.e. not just Belfast) and felt that this allowed them to promote a wider range of schemes and initiatives and enhanced the overall offering.

 

      Comments were also presented with regard to logistical and programming issues and these will be fed through to future planning for next year’s event.

 

      In 2011, the UK is the country of honour at MIPIM.  This means that the UK property market will be highlighted, both through the exhibition and the conference programme.  There is an opportunity to build on this enhanced profile, particularly if Belfast is to maintain a link with the city of Derry, given that they are to be UK capital of culture in 2013.

 

      We understand that the city of Dublin is also likely to be represented at MIPIM this year.  This is the first time in a number of years that there has been representation by Dublin at the event. 

 

      Initial discussions with our partners in Lisburn and Derry City Council have indicated that they intend to invite their Committee Chair to attend the event.  It is recommended that The Chair of the Development Committee be invited to participate in MIPIM 2011.

 

      With regard to the request to explore the financial implications of a Belfast-only stand, a number of options are presented below. 

These include:

 

-     Option 1: Belfast-only stand

-     Option 2: Collaborative stand, based on last year’s event

-     Option 3: Involvement in Showcase UK stand – a wider partnership stand located near the existing exhibition location.

 

Option 1: Belfast-only stand

 

Item	Estimated Cost	Note
Stand and multimedia re-design and production	£50,000	Stand would need to be re-done, given that previous graphics were based on partnership
Hire of exhibition space	£15,000	Set cost
Event at the stand	£6,000	Based on one event; cost includes invitations
Hospitality	£500	On Stand
Sub-total	£71,500

 

      This would focus on Belfast-only projects, as was the case at previous events, prior to 2010.

 

      However, given the partners’ comments at the feedback meeting, it is highly unlikely that we could anticipate any match?funding from private sector partners, were we to choose this option.  Those Belfast-based companies with a national presence would be likely to join the London stand, which is currently promoting its participant packages to would-be partners.  Equally, DSD has indicated its preference for a wider partnership approach and would be likely to fund us on that basis only.  We could not expect public sector contributions from Ilex, Derry City Council or Lisburn City Council.

 

      This financial commitment required exceeds the provisional budget of up to £20,000 approved by the Committee for MIPIM 2011.

 

Option 2: Collaborative stand, based on last year’s event

 

Item	Estimated Cost	Note
Stand and multimedia updating and production	£35,000	Need for some updating, particularly multi-media, to reflect new projects and potentially new partners
Hire of exhibition space	£15,000	This cost has already been incurred, and it was based on a surplus from last year’s income.  Partners agreed that this could be rolled forward to this year.

 

Item	Estimated Cost	Note
Events at the stand	£17,000	Based on three events, one each day; cost includes invitations
Delegate fees	£10,000	Estimate, based on last year’s costs.  These are additional delegate places that have to be purchased and that are offered to participants as part of the partner package
Hospitality	£500	On Stand
Sub-total	£77,500
Total minus hire of exhibition space (cost already incurred)	£62,500

 

      Lisburn and Derry City Councils have both confirmed that they have had their budgets for MIPIM 2011 approved by their respective committees.  The private sector partners represented at last year’s event have indicated that a collaborative presence is their preferred approach and they have provisionally committed to attending MIPIM 2011 if it proceeds on this basis.  No approach for support has yet been made to DSD but they too have indicated their support for a joint presence.  SIB is proposing a Northern Ireland approach if they are to be involved. 

 

      If all of these partners were to come forward with financial contributions, it is likely that up to £50,000 of external finance could be raised towards the event.  This would mean that the Belfast commitment could be less than £20,000.

 

Option 3: Involvement in Showcase UK stand – a wider partnership stand located near the existing exhibition location

 

      We have been offered an opportunity to get involved in a Showcase UK stand at MIPIM 2011. 

 

      This is a collective stand involving a range of public and private sector partners based in UK.  For a financial contribution of £9,800, Belfast City Council could avail of:

 

-     Four delegate places at MIPIM 2011

-     Council logo on stand

-     One graphic panel to cover Council activity

-     60 second loop presentation on stand, as part of the multimedia package

-     Opportunity to display literature on the stand.

 

      While this would be a relatively cost-effective method of participation in MIPIM 2011, the profile of the Council would be significantly less than with options 1 and 2.  Equally, at this stage, it is not clear from the organisers what other partners will be involved in the stand.

 

Resource Implications

 

      Option 1 would cost BelfastCity Council up to £71,500

      Option 2 would cost BelfastCity Council up to £20,000

      Option 3 would cost BelfastCity Council £9,800

 

Recommendations

 

      It is recommended that;

 

-     The Committee agree to support Option 2: collaborative presence at MIPIM 2011 and

-     That the Chair of Development Committee be invited to participate in MIPIM 2011.

 

Decision Tracking

 

      Further to participation at MIPIM 2011 a report on outputs will be presented to Committee.

 

Time frame:  May 2011                     Reporting Officer:  Shirley McCay

 

Key to Abbreviations

 

      DSD – Department for Social Development

      SIB – Strategic Investment Board

      URC – Urban Regeneration Company”

 

            The Committee adopted the recommendations.