Agenda item

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

“1  Relevant Background Information

1.1As part of the budgetary process at the beginning of the financial year, the SNAP Unit was allocated a sum of £60k to match-fund up to six pilot projects which were anticipated to come forward from the Neighbourhood Renewal Partnerships via the Department for Social Development’s Belfast Regional Office.

1.1  Due to the fact that the Neighbourhood Renewal plans have been subject to review, the projects have not materialised.

However as a result of the work which the SNAP team and others in the department have been undertaking, a number of projects have been put forward by community organisations which could be funded from this budget.

1.3In addition to the projects identified above, DSD has written to the Council regarding a proposal from Walkway Community Association in Finvoy Street, Upper Newtownards Road.

1.4DSD currently provides the group with Neighbourhood Renewal revenue funding to deliver a range of projects in the Inner East Neighbourhood Renewal Area.

1.5The Association currently occupies three sites, all of which have issues relating to the lease arrangements. The Association recently requested funding from Neighbourhood Renewal to refurbish its community centre given its poor state of repair. Due to the land issues and the fact that the building is a prefabricated portacabin, this is unlikely to represent value for money.

1.6The Department for Regional Development have indicated that they no longer require the lands in question and may be prepared to transfer should a sustainable long term proposal be developed.

1.7BRO have indicated that they would be keen to work with the Council in assisting the group develop such a project and be prepared to part-fund an appraisal should the Council be willing to do likewise. It is anticipated that the cost to the Council of such an appraisal would not exceed £7,500.

 2   Key Issues

2.1The majority of the projects identified are local, small scale projects which will have an immediate impact at a community level.

2.2Three of the projects i.e. the Ardoyne Créche Facility Study, the Ligoniel Outdoor Hall Plan and the Walkway Community Centre proposal are initiatives to support future development.

2.3Members of the Committee will be aware that the Budget & Transformation Panel have been considering how the £5m Local Investment Fund will be allocated and how projects across the city can be prioritised.

2.4A report on the governance arrangements for the delivery of the Belfast Investment Programme will be considered by the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee on 25 March 2012. It is envisaged that decisions on the further allocation of resources for these three projects would be considered within any framework agreed through the Strategic Policy & Resources Committee.

4    Recommendations

4.1It is recommended that the Committee approves the proposals below along with the proposal for funding an Economic Appraisal for Walkway Community Centre.

During discussion, a Member requested that a report be submitted to a future meeting which would provide an overview of the criteria and processes which had been used in selecting the projects for consideration. He indicated that, whilst the projects chosen were indeed worthy of Council support, there might have been more effective consultation undertaken with Members across the City in relation to the scheme and the availability of funds to support such community-based initiatives. In addition, a request was made seeking clarity on the specific role and remit of the Department’s Strategic Neighbourhood Action Programme, together with an overview of the officers responsible for projects in each area of the City. 

After further discussion, during which the Head of Economic Initiatives undertook to submit a report to a future meeting in respect of the Members’ requests, the Committee adopted the recommendations as outlined.