Agenda item

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

 

“1.0     Relevant Background Information 

 

1.1       At the Shadow SP&R Committee on 20th February Members agreed the boundaries for new area working groups comprising 4 AWGs based on a combination of the 10 District Electoral Areas across Belfast 

 

-       Area 1: North (2 DEAs) – Castle and Oldpark

-       Area 2: South (2 DEAs) – Botanic and Balmoral

-       Area 3: East (3 DEAs) - Titanic; Ormiston and Lisnasharragh

-       Area 4: West (3 DEAs)- Court; Black Mountain and Collin

 

           

 

 

	NORTH - Castle; Oldpark DEAs	SOUTH - Botanic; Balmoral DEAs	EAST - Titanic; Ormiston; Lisnasharragh DEAs	WEST - Court; Black Mountain; Collin DEAs
Overall combined Population of DEAs	63,807	68,597	98,249	103,073
No of Councillors	12	10	19	19

 

1.2       Work on revised Terms of Reference for the new AWGs is underway and a report will be brought to the Committee in the coming months on this.

 

2.0       Establishment of Local Investment Fund 2

 

2.1       The current £5million LIF programme was established in 2012 under the Investment Programme and was designed to support the delivery of local regeneration projects in neighbourhoods and as a way for Members to connect with their local communities.  LIF has been successful with over 60 projects worth over £4.85m allocated in principle funding of which 20 projects are already complete; 9 are currently on the ground with a further 28 are at tender preparation stage.

 

2.2       Recognising the benefits of LIF at an area level and the outcomes which have accrued from this, Members have agreed the need for a LIF 2 programme. It is proposed that £4million is reallocated from the Belfast Investment Fund reserves to a new LIF 2 programme. 

 

            LIF - Options for Allocation Model for LIF2 and the new AWG Boundaries

 

2.3       The current LIF programme was allocated on an equal basis across the former North, South, East and West (£1,127,500) with a proportional allocation to the Shankill (£490,000).  The revised boundaries under the LGR mean that there are now 10 DEAs in the Belfast area. Both the new West and East AWGs are made up of three DEAs and therefore have larger overall populations and also a larger number of Members per AWG area. Given this, the Committee is asked to give consideration to an option of allocating monies for LIF2 on a proportional basis based on the number of DEAs in an AWG rather than an equal allocation per area.

 

2.4       On the basis of the future AWGs which have been agreed by Committee this option would mean the following –

 

	Option 1 – Equal allocation	Option 2 – Proportional allocation of £4m based on number of DEAs within the AWG £4m/10 (10 DEAs) x numbers of DEAs per AWG
NORTH – Castle & Oldpark DEAs	£1,000,000	£800,000 (2 DEAs)
SOUTH – Botanic & Balmoral DEAs	£1,000,000	£800,000 (2 DEAs)
EAST - Titanic; Ormiston & Lisnasharragh DEAs	£1,000,000	£1,200,000 (3 DEAs)
WEST - Court; Black Mountain & Collin DEAs	£1,000,000	£1,200,000 (3 DEAs)

 

2.5       It is recommended that Members agree ‘Option 2 - Proportional allocation of £4m based on number of DEAs within the AWG’.  This would appear to be a fairer allocation of LIF 2 given that both the East and West AWGs are made up of three DEAs apiece and have larger overall populations. 

 

            LIF 2 – Proposals for use of LIF 2

 

2.6       The current LIF programme was specifically designed to support the delivery of local regeneration projects in neighbourhoods and as a way for Members to connect with their local communities in advance of LGR and.  A fixed amount of £5m was available with a minimum level of investment of no less than £15,000 in a project and a maximum of £250,000 to ensure a spread of investment across the city.  The current LIF programme funded capital projects only

 

2.7       LIF 2 presents a new funding stream for Members and therefore an opportunity to change the focus of what can be funded under the next programme.  This therefore presents an opportunity for Members to consider the possibility of not only supporting capital projects but also funding revenue projects or other focused interventions including for example 

 

-       supporting focused interventions, area planning  and collaborative working and as agreed by the AWGs (similar to those already taken forward – community focused initiatives in West, Shankill and East; community safety initiatives in North and retail in South)

-       potential match funding for smaller scale projects including those seeking funding from other external funding sources including  Peace IV

 

2.8       This would enable Members to focus on the particular needs of their local area and target LIF spend on those issues/projects which will most benefit their local areas within the context of area plans and the emerging Belfast Agenda. It is recommended that it is left to the discretion of individual AWGs to decide if they wish to use 100% of their LIF allocation to fund capital projects, 100% on revenue projects or to agree the breakdown of allocation between funding capital and revenue in line with the AWG priorities.  If Members agree that LIF 2 could also be used to fund revenue type projects or further interventions it is proposed that criteria on how this will be applied will be brought back to Committee in due course.

 

2.9       LIF Capital Projects - If AWGs decide to continue to use some or all of their LIF allocation towards capital projects it is recommended that these are on the same criteria as the under the current programme, that they follow the same processes which are already greed and that these continue to be for investments of a minimum of £15,000 up to a maximum of £250,000.  However a new outcomes framework will be developed to aid decision making and support maximum impact. 

 

            North AWG

 

2.10     The North AWG made the following recommendations for the consideration of the SP&R Committee in relation to their Local Investment Fund

 

LIF Ref	Project	£	AWG Comments
NLIF051	Small Steps	Additional £30,000	That an additional £30,000  from unallocated LIF monies is allocated to the Small Steps project Committee is asked to note that this project has previously received £30,281 and this additional money is to make up a shortfall in funding for the project

 

3.0       Belfast Investment Fund

 

3.1       Members will recall that it was agreed in February that the criteria for the Belfast Investment Fund should be revised.  Work is currently underway in relation to this and discussion ongoing with Party Groups.  An update report on this will be presented to Committee in April.

 

4.0       Resource Implications

 

Financial: As outlined above.

Human: Officer time in working with groups on developing their project proposals

Assets: none at present

 

5.0       Equality Implications

 

            Changes to the overall LIF programme will be re-screened

 

6.0       Recommendations

 

            Committee is asked to note the contents of this report and 

 

            Establishment of LIF 2

 

·        agree that a Local Investment Fund 2 is established and that £4million is reallocated from BIF reserves to fund this

 

                                 Allocation model – LIF 2

 

·        Agree whether to allocate resources equally based on Option 1 or ‘Option 2  - Proportional allocation of £4m based on number of DEAs within the AWG’ as outlined in 2.4 above in relation to LIF 2 given that both the East and West AWGs are made up of three DEAs apiece and have larger overall populations

 

                                 Options for LIF2

 

·        note that LIF 2 presents a new funding stream for Members and therefore an opportunity to change the focus of what can be funded under the next programme.  A new outcomes framework will be developed to aid decision making and support maximum impact. 

·        agree if LIF2 should be refocused to enable AWGs to also fund revenue projects (e.g. supporting focused area interventions) in addition to capital.

·        If the above is agreed, it is recommended that it is left to the discretion of individual AWGs to decide if they wish to use 100% of their LIF allocation to fund capital projects, 100% on revenue projects or to agree the breakdown of allocation between funding capital and revenue projects in line with the AWG priorities.

 

 

            North AWG

 

·        agree that an additional £30,000 of LIF funding is allocated to the Small Steps Adult Education Group project (NLIF055) from unallocated North LIF monies”

 

            After discussion, it was

 

            Moved by Councillor Robinson,

            Seconded by Councillor Attwood,

 

            That the Committee agrees to the establishment of a Local Investment Fund 2 and to adopt Option 2, that is, to allocate the £4 million proportionately based on the number of District Electoral Areas within the Area Working Groups.

 

Amendment

 

            Moved by Councillor Stalford,

            Seconded by Councillor Boyle,

 

            That the Committee agrees to the establishment of a Local Investment Fund 2 and to adopt Option 1 and provide an equal allocation of funding to each of the four Area Working Groups.

 

            On a vote by show of hands two Members voted for the amendment and seventeen against and it was declared lost.

 

            The original proposal standing in the name of Councillor Robinson and seconded by Councillor Attwood was put to the meeting, when seventeen Members voted for and one against and it was declared carried.

 

            The Committee agreed to adopt the remaining recommendations set out in the report in relation to the options for Local Investment Fund 2 and the recommendation by the North Belfast Area working Group to provide £30,000 for the Small Steps Adult Education Group project from the unallocated North AWG LIF monies.

 

Asset Management

 

            The Director of Property and Projects submitted for the Committee’s consideration the undernoted report:

 

“1        Relevant Background Information

           

1.1       (i)  402 Newtownards Rd Easement/Wayleave

            At its meeting on 12 March 2015 the Parks and Leisure Committee received a report regarding the proposed granting of an easement and wayleave to Landmark East and Northern Ireland Electricity (NIE) at 402 Newtownards Road.  The Director of Property and Projects will provide an update to Committee on the decision of the Parks and Leisure Committee.

 

            Landmark East are building the East Belfast visitor centre at the vacant site at 402 Newtownards Road. The building is funded by £250,000 of support from the Council’s Local Investment Fund, £336,700 from the Northern Ireland Tourist Board (NITB) and the remaining £278,000 investment is from Landmark East.

 

1.3       The building footprint takes up the full area of the site and Landmark East have approached the Council seeking approval to take services to the site through Council owned Manderson Street Gardens. The services include an NIE cable, water supply and gas supply and Landmark East will require an easement from the Council to construct a 1000mm diameter trench along the length of the new visitors centre to take the services to the rear of the new building. NIE will also require a wayleave agreement from the Council to provide the required electricity supply.

 

1.4       (ii)  Land at Stewart Street – Proposed sub-letting to Sure Start

            At its meeting on 12 March 2015 the Parks and Leisure Committee received a report regarding the proposed granting of a sub-lease to Sure Start at Stewart Street.  The Director of Property and Projects will provide an update to Committee on the decision of the Parks and Leisure Committee.

 

1.5       The Council hold the land from the NIHE and NIE by way of 25 year leases which commenced on the 31st March 2000.  The land is used as a playground and open space; the playground is currently being refurbished as part of the rolling improvement programme.

 

1.6       At its meeting on the 22nd February 2013 the SP&R Committee approved Local Investment Fund support of £150,000 for Sure Start to construct a modular building on the Council’s leased land at Stewart St.

 

1.7       (iii) Land at Annadale Embankment – Grant of Licence to Evander (NI) Ltd

            The Carvill Group Ltd in 2009 took a licence for Council owned land at Annadale Embankment which they used as a contractor’s compound adjacent to their development of new apartments subject to an annual fee of £30,000. Subsequently under a deed of variation in 2011, the area was reduced and the licence fee reduced accordingly to £4,250 per annum.

 

1.8       On 20th May 2011, the Carvill Group Ltd entered into administration; however the administrators continued to pay the revised licence fee. The Carvill Group (in administration) has now sold its property interests to Evander (NI) Ltd and has sought to terminate the current licence agreement with the Council. There are no outstanding arrears and the licencee has complied with licence terms.

 

1.9       Evander (NI) Ltd has requested the grant of a new 2 year licence on the plot for use as a contractor’s compound. The adjoining site was partly developed by the Carvill Group and Evander (NI) Ltd proposes to complete the development of a further 5-storey apartment block.

 

1.10     (iv) Land adjacent to Finlay Park – Whitewell Road, Belfast 

            The Parks and Leisure Committee at its meeting on 16th October 2014 approved the acquisition of land adjacent to 93 Whitewell Road and to the exchange of lands adjacent to 95 Whitewell Road.  The Council has recently undertaken some refurbishment and development work at Finlay Park, including a refurbished playground and multi user games area together with a new community garden. Given land ownership issues, there was limited opportunity to enhance the image of the entrance to the Park and the aim is to regularise these land issues.

 

2          Key Issues

 

2.1       (i) 402 Newtownards Rd Easement/Wayleave

            Landmark East require an easement over 27 metres x 1 metre of Council land in order to bring services to the new visitors centre at 402 Newtownards Road. The NIE will also require the Council to complete a standard wayleave agreement to facilitate the cable supplying power to the visitors centre at 402 Newtownards Road.

 

2.2       (ii) Land at Stewart Street – Proposed sub-letting to Sure Start

            Sure Start have received approval in principle for £ 150,000 of Local Investment Fund support together with a further £35,000 from Sure Start, £10,000 from NIHE, £10,000 from Helm Housing and a possible £50,000 from the Alpha fund to construct a modular building on the Council’s leased land at Stewart St.

 

2.3       The Committee is asked to note that Sure Start have requested a sub-lease from the Council for the area of land outlined in bold black on the map attached at Appendix ’2’.  This proposal is in line with the SP&R Committee’s clarification of LIF guidance to Members at its meeting on the 22nd June 2012 that a LIF proposal in respect of a Council asset could be eligible if it was subject to a lease of reasonable duration from the Council.

 

2.4       (iii) Land at Annadale Embankment – Grant of Licence to Evander (NI) Ltd

            A new 2 year licence with an annual fee of £2,750 has been provisionally agreed with Evander (NI) Ltd. Under the proposed licence the use will be restricted to a contractor’s compound and the licencee will be required to reinstate the site to an agreed landscaping plan.

 

2.5       (iv) Land adjacent to Finlay Park – Whitewell Road, Belfast 

            At its meeting on the 16th October 2014, the Parks and Leisure Committee approved the acquisition of strip of land adjoining 93 Whitewell Road and to transfer, for storage purposes, a small portion of Council owned land (edged blue) adjacent to Finlay Park to the occupier of 95 Whitewell Road and to provide a fence  at the transferred land for the benefit of both parties.     

 

3          Resource Implications

 

            Finance and Assets

 

3.1       (i) 402 Newtownards Rd Easement/Wayleave

·        A premium of £350 has been agreed with Landmark East for the grant of the easement for the trench.

·        Appropriately the easement and wayleave are to be in land immediately adjacent to the culverted Connswater River and as such there is no prospect of the Council seeking to redevelop the land for anything other than amenity and access to the new C S Lewis Civic square which is being constructed as part of the Connswater Community Greenway project. Under the terms of the proposed easement, Landmark East will replace the ornamental trees at this location and fully reinstate the land to the satisfaction of the Parks Department. 

 

3.2       (ii) Land at Stewart Street – Proposed sub-letting to Sure Start

·        Terms for the proposed sub lease including rent will be brought to the SP&R Committee for approval in accordance with standing orders.

·        The siting of the proposed modular building for Sure Start on part of the Stewart Street open space has been agreed with the Landscape & Design Unit and does not adversely impact on the refurbished playground and open space.

 

3.3       (iii) Land at Annadale Embankment – Grant of Licence to Evander (NI) Ltd

            Termination of the licence to the Carvill Group Ltd (in Administration) and grant of a licence to Evander (NI) Ltd will regularise the current situation.  Annual licence fee of £2,750 p.a. will be payable to the Council

 

3.4       (iv) Land adjacent to Finlay Park – Whitewell Road, Belfast

            The proposals involve the acquisition by the Council of the land adjoining 93 Whitewell Road for a consideration of £500 plus reasonable legal costs subject to satisfying title. In relation to the land adjoining 95 Whitewell Road, it is proposed that the Council pay the owners reasonable legal costs associated with the land transfer. The Council are also to provide a new fence as referred to above. The associated costs will be provided for within the Parks and Leisure departmental budget. 

 

3.5       Human Resources

            Staff resources from the Estate Management Unit and Legal Services will be required to complete all agreements.

 

4          Recommendations

 

            It is recommended that Members agree:

 

4.1       (i) 402 Newtownards Rd Easement/Wayleave

            To grant an easement to Landmark East over the lands at a premium of £350 and to complete a wayleave agreement with NIE to provide an underground cable to supply electricity to the C S Lewis building at 402 Newtownards Road.

 

4.2       (ii) Land at Stewart Street – Proposed sub-letting to Sure Start

            To grant a sub-lease to Sure Start for the land for the term remaining in the Head-Leases held by the Council from the NIHE and NIE, less three days at a rent and detailed terms to be agreed and approved by SP&R Committee in accordance with Standing Orders.

 

4.3       (iii) Land at Annadale Embankment – Grant of Licence to Evander (NI) Ltd

            To approve the termination of the licence to the Carvill Group Ltd (in administration) and the grant of a new 2 year licence agreement to Evander (NI) Ltd in accordance with the above provisionally agreed terms and conditions.

 

4.4       (iv) Land adjacent to Finlay Park – Whitewell Road, Belfast       

            To ratify the decision of the Parks and Leisure Committee of 16th October:

·        To acquire the land adjoining 93 Whitewell Road for a consideration fee of £500, together with meeting all reasonable costs, subject to legal agreement.

·        To transfer, for storage purposes, a small portion of Council-owned land adjacent to Finlay Park to the occupier of 95 Whitewell Road and to provide a fence at the transferred land and pay reasonable legal costs.”

 

            The Committee adopted the recommendations.