Agenda item

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

 

“Introduction 

 

      In the last ten years, Belfast has built a strong reputation for hosting major events, the visit of the Tall Ships in August 2009 being the latest, and perhaps most successful major event to be hosted by the City.

 

      Other notable major events include the World Irish Dancing Championships, the World Amateur Boxing Championships, the U19 European football Championships, the Special Olympics Ireland Games, the Women’s World Open Squash Championships and the U-19 Rugby World Cup.

 

      A considerable factor in the success of all these events has been the support of Belfast City Council and the ability of the Council to manage and operate key partnerships to deliver these major events.

 

      As members are aware, the World Police and Firefighter Games (WPRG) are coming to Belfast in 2013.  The Police Service of Northern Ireland, Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service and Northern Ireland Prison Service will host approximately 10,000 law-enforcement officers and fire-fighters from around the world who will compete in a wide variety of sporting events.

 

Relevant Background Information

 

      World Police and Fire Games 2013

 

      In September 2007 the Council agreed to be one of the key stakeholders for the World Police and Firefighter Games (WPFG), which will be staged in Belfast and Northern Ireland in the summer of 2013.  The Council’s commitment of £400,000 is part of a £7 million events budget which is subject to a full robust business plan from the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure being approved by the Department of Finance and Personnel (DFP).  The games are the third largest multi-sport event in the world and takes place biennially.  It is expected that the 2013 Games will attract in excess of 10,000 competitors, which will generate many thousands of bed nights for Belfast and a substantial level of economic activity for the City.

 

      The World Police and Firefighter Games (WPFG) is a bi-annual multi-sports tournament promoted by the WPFG Federation.  In recent years, the Games has attracted circa 10,000 – 14,000 competitors, from over 71 countries, competing in 65 sports over a 10 day period.  Those eligible to compete are serving and retired sworn offices of the state including:

 

·         Police, Fire and Prison Officers;

·         Customs and Excise Staff; and

·         Coastguard Services.

 

      The Games are awarded on a ‘franchise basis’ following a competitive process, which in 2007 Belfast won the rights to host it in 2013.

 

      The previous host cities are as follows:-

 

Year	Host City	Country	Sporting Entries
1985	San Jose	USA	5,934
1987	San Diego	USA	6,358
1989	Vancouver	Canada	5,847
1991	Memphis	USA	5,685
1993	Colorado	USA	7,718

 

Year	Host City	Country	Sporting Entries
1995	Melbourne	Australia	9,744
1997	Calgary	Canada	12,689
1999	Stockholm	Sweden	9,888
2001	Indianapolis	USA	12,301
2003	Barcelona	Spain	14,146
2005	Quebec City	Canada	12,132
2007	Adelaide	Australia	10,957
2009	Vancouver	Canada	14,173

 

      The WPFG became international when in 1989 they took place in Vancouver, Canada.  Ten years after first being presented, the WPFG left North America for Melbourne, Australia.  In 1999, the Games moved to Europe, to Stockholm, Sweden.  In 2003, the second European Games were held in Barcelona hitting the sporting entry record, prior to last year’s Vancouver Games of 14,146 sport entries

 

      The 2013 WPFG, which will be held mainly in Belfast, will generate many thousands of bednights and economic benefits.  The last WPFG which took place in Vancouver in 2009, generated an economic benefit to the city of c$84m.

 

      Belfast was successful in winning a bid to host the WPFG in 2013.  The bid was led by the Royal Ulster Constabulary Athletic Association (RUCAA) and Belfast City Council and was fully supported by the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS), Northern Ireland Prison Service (NIPS) and the Department for Culture, Arts and Leisure (DCAL).

 

      Belfast City Council had representation on the Bid team, when the WPFG were secured in 2007, through that year’s Lord Mayor, Councillor Pat McCarthy, supported by Councillors Stoker and McCann.

 

      In the interim period with DCAL taking the lead, further study has been undertaken into how to successfully deliver the 2013 Games. To this end, a strategic business plan has been developed and was recently approved by the Northern Ireland Executive, which has committed £6m, in principle, subject to final approval by DFP to the delivery of the Games.  The Council through the Development Committee, in September 2007, gave provisional approval to support fund the event to the level of £400,000, subject to the approval of the associated Games business case.

 

      A Key stakeholder Group was established by DCAL in November 2008, in order to take forward the organisation of the event at an operational level, with the PSNI, NI Fire Brigade, NI Prison Service, Sports Council NI, Belfast City Council, NITB and Dept. of Culture, Arts and Leisure all being represented at officer level.  The Director of  Development initially sat on this group, supported by the Head of City Events and Venues, and City Events staff as appropriate, in order to take the project up to the formal stage of forming a Special Purpose Vehicle Company (SPV) to deliver the Games.

 

Key Issues

 

      Governance & Partners

 

      Planning of the games is now underway and recent communication from the WPFG Federation highlights their satisfaction that Belfast 2013 is on course.

 

      A ‘Stakeholder Group’, formed and chaired by the Permanent Secretary of DCAL, has provided direction to the numerous working groups currently co-ordinating the different aspects of the event delivery. However, this is merely an interim position.  These groups cover the areas of Genealogy and Tourism, Accommodation, Ceremonies, Sports, Operations, PR and Marketing, Finance, Security, Sponsorship, Legacy and Volunteers.

 

      In relation to the necessary governance arrangements to deliver the Games, it is intended that DCAL will establish a SPV before the end of 2010, which will have the responsibility for securing the necessary finance and overseeing the delivery of the event. This SPV would operate in a similar nature to Belfast Tall Ships 2009 Ltd and the other initiatives listed above. The Membership of the Board would be made up from the stakeholders, with DCAL indicating a preference that Belfast City provide appropriate nominations to this Board given the Council’s previous experience of event delivery.

 

      The presentation will cover in more detail the nature of the proposed structure, related governance issues, and financial overview of the Games.

 

      Resources

 

      It has also been agreed at Policy & Resources Committee to facilitate office space for the WPFG Management team within the Cecil Ward Building to allow them to work in partnership with the City Events Team.  This additional space would be financed by the SPV and would provide an income for BCC for the period which the staff will be in situ.

 

Financial Information

 

      At a special meeting of the Development Committee held in August 2007, members agreed to support the WPFG 2013 to a maximum of £400,000 subject to the approval of the Games business plan by DFP. 

 

Recommendation/Decision Required

 

      Members are asked to:

 

-     Approve funding of £400k towards the World Police and Firefighter Games 2013, subject to the DFP approval of the event business plan.

-     Consider nominations for the Board of the Special Purpose Vehicle Company

-     Approve the role of officers from within the City Events and Venues team in the delivery of the Games

 

Relevant Papers Attached

 

      Copy of presentation will be distributed at Committee.

 

Decision Tracking

 

      Officers will monitor funding and evaluate outcomes of the events and bring post-project details as part of the Department’s annual review.  These outcomes will be presented to Members as part of the Department’s key performance indicators. 

 

Abbreviations

 

      WPFG – World Police and Firefighter Games

      NITB – Northern Ireland Tourist Board 

      DETI – Dept of Enterprise and Investment

      DCAL – Dept of Culture, Arts and Leisure

      PSNI – Police Service of Northern Ireland

      DFP – Department of Finance and Personnel

      SPV – Special Purpose Vehicle Company.”

 

            The Committee was advised that representatives of the World Police and Fire Games 2013 Stakeholder Group were in attendance to provide an update on the current status of the organisation and the governance arrangements for the games.  Accordingly, Ms. R. Flanaghan and Mr. E. Jardine, Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure, Assistant Chief Constable D. McCausland, Police Service of Northern Ireland, Mr. E. McCartan, Sport Northern Ireland, and Dame Mary Peters (Patron to the Games) were admitted to the meeting and welcomed by the Chairman.

 

            Ms. Flanaghan informed the Members that, since taking over as Permanent Secretary for the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure, she had been impressed by the diversity of works which was being undertaken by the Department and she had developed a keen interest in the World Police and Fire Games.  The event would take place over twenty days, attract up to 20,000 visitors to the City, and would provide many opportunities to showcase Belfast as a tourism venue and would leave a lasting legacy as the third largest multi-sporting event of its kind after the Olympics and Commonwealth Games.  She urged the Members to give the Games their full support.

 

            The Committee then viewed a dvd which depicted the background and history of the event and locations at which it had been held during previous years.

 

            Assistant Chief Constable McCausland outlined what the event meant to the three services involved and how, through sport, they could work with the local communities.  The Games would provide an opportunity to host an event on the world stage and, because of the period of time over which it would take place and the number of countries involved, would result in considerable economic benefits to the City.  He stated that schoolchildren and volunteers would form an integral part of the Games and outlined a number of events which were being proposed in order to involve them.

 

            Mr. McCartan indicated that the Council would be required to take on the lead role for the Games, since it had the knowledge and experience to provide the appropriate support to organise and deliver successful events.  There was a need for all the partners and stakeholders involved to take the lead of the Council in order to deliver a successful games.

 

            Mr. Jardine referred to the Council’s support for and representation on the Bid Team which had secured the event in 2007.  The current stakeholder group had been formed in April, 2008 in order to progress the matter but had been set up only as an interim measure.  There was now a requirement for a Special Purpose Delivery Vehicle to be formed in order to secure the necessary funding and oversee the delivery of the event.  This would involve up to ten Directors, two of whom he proposed should be Belfast City Councillors.

 

            The deputation then answered a number of questions from the Members and made the following points:

 

·         the Stakeholder Group had taken a policy decision in that, if the Games were to be a success, then they needed to be based around one place and Belfast was the most suitable location.  Therefore, nineteen out of the twenty-five venues which were required for the different events were located throughout Belfast.  Any events which would be held outside the area would be for events for which the City could not provide the venue, for example, fell running and sailing;

 

·         the estimated funding of approximately £11 million required to deliver the games contained a degree of contingency funds.  No money had been ringfenced by the Northern Ireland Executive for the event and the new Company would be required to deliver the event with whatever resources were to be made available;

 

·         it had been agreed that, rather than the various Government Departments and Bodies involved in the event submitting individual applications for funding to the Executive, the Department for Culture, Arts and Leisure should submit a bid on behalf of all the participating Departments;

 

·         representatives of the Stakeholder Group had spoken to a number of potential sponsors but before formal commitment could be made clarity was required in relation to the amount of government support which was to be provided.  Also, the Special Purpose Delivery Vehicle had still to be set up and it would be a matter for that Body to identify and secure sponsorship;

 

·         It would be a matter for the new company also to decide how its Chief Executive and support staff would be appointed;

 

·         there would be a number of measures used to get young people involved, for example, through Volunteer Now and by using the legacy of those who had participated in the 2012 London Olympics, as well as a number of projects which would involve all the schools in Northern Ireland;

 

·         the average spend per person at the event was estimated at $220 US per day, which could result in the equivalent of up to $59 million US being put back into the Northern Ireland Economy;

 

·         the Games would not require any capital expenditure as the bid had been awarded on the basis of what facilities the City had at the time of inspection and not what it might expect to have in future years when the Games were being held.  However, any capital spend on additional or current facilities would be welcomed;

 

·         the venue for the opening ceremony had not, as yet, been decided.  At this stage there had been a number of suggestions but it would be a matter for the Special Purpose Delivery Vehicle to decide on the venue;

 

·         the structure of the Board of the new company had been agreed by the Minister.  However, if the Company was of the view that it needed to be extended to take on any additional expertise, then in accordance with its memorandum and articles of association it could do so; and

 

·         the Belfast Visitor and Convention Bureau was currently undertaking a survey in relation to the number of bed spaces which would be available and investigating any alternative forms of accommodation.

 

            The deputation then thanked the Committee for receiving them and retired from the meeting.

 

            Several Members expressed concern that the Mary Peters Track was not fit?for?purpose and that the track and field events, which were likely to attract the most interest, would be held outside of Belfast.  Therefore, it was imperative that the costs associated with refurbishing the track were investigated at the earliest opportunity to ensure that it could be upgraded in time to host those events so that they were held in the City.

 

            It was pointed out that the Mary Peters Track was on the list of schemes on the Council’s indicative capital programme which were uncommitted and unfunded.  Any expenditure on capital projects needed to be considered in the context of the revenue estimates and the prioritisation of the capital programme and that was a matter for the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee.

 

            The Chief Executive explained that the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee, at its meeting on 22nd October, had approved expenditure in the sum of £65,000 to undertake the necessary preparation and design work for the development of the track to include 8 lanes and a spectator stand.  That had been in the context that, if the Council wished to fund the upgrade as part of the rate setting process, it would be in a position to commence construction next year and complete the refurbishment in time for the Games.

 

            After further discussion, it was

 

Moved by Councillor Mac Giolla Mhín,

Seconded by Councillor Mhic Giolla Mhín,

 

      That the Committee agrees to defer consideration of the matter to enable further information and clarification to be obtained in relation to the overall funding package and the proposed list of venues for the event.

 

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

 

Moved by Councillor Stoker,

Seconded by Councillor Kirkpatrick,

 

      That the Committee agrees:

 

(i)    to approve the funding of £400,000 towards the World Police and Fire Games 2013, subject to the Department of Finance and Personnel approving the event business plan;

 

(ii)    that two Elected Members be nominated for appointment to the Board of the Special Purpose Vehicle Company and that clarification be sought as to whether or not the nominees were required to be appointed on the basis of the Council’s d’Hondt System of Proportionality or whether the Council should be represented by the Chairman and Deputy Chairman (or their nominees) of the Development Committee; and

 

(iii)   to approve the role of officers from within the City Events and Venues Team in the delivery of the Games.

 

            On vote by show of hands eight Members voted for the proposal and none against.

 

            The Committee agreed further that clarification be sought in relation to the overall funding package and the proposed list of venues for the event and that the Strategic Policy and Resources and Parks and Leisure Committees be requested to investigate the cost of upgrading the Mary Peters Track and other Council?owned venues/sites which might be used for the Games as well as exploring other funding sources for such work.