Agenda item

Sport Northern Ireland - Community Capital Programme

Minutes:

            (Councillor J. Rodgers declared an interest in this item in that he was a Member of the Board of Sport Northern Ireland.)

 

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

 

“1  Relevant Background Information

     

      The Committee will recall that its meeting in December it received a report regarding a number of applications made in respect of the Sport NI community Capital Programme.  At the meeting it was agreed to support the applications in principle, subject to the provision of additional information at a future date.

 

      A decision on the awards is expected by the end of March 2011 at which time the necessary information will be available to inform decision making.  In the interim, additional work is being carried out by the applicants to work up their respective applications.

 

      Since the December Committee further information has come to officers via a variety of community groups and partners.  There are now 4 applications which officers are aware of which relate to different council-owned sites / locations; North Queen Street; the Hammer Open Space; Barnett’s Demesne and Marrowbone Park.

 

      Each of the organisations applications are very different, as are the proposed projects, the levels of finance involved and the potential implications for the Council.  Obviously the Parks and Leisure Department has been in discussion with the groups and has been providing assistance where possible in support of the applications.

 

2    Key Issues

 

      The maximum award available through this programme is £245,000.  Our understanding is that 6 grants awarded across the Northern Ireland region and at the minute there are four projects related to the Council’s assets.  (Members are reminded that the Council cannot be an applicant in respect of this programme..)

 

      The main issues for the Committee relate to the potential implications for the Council should the applications be successful.  For all of the applications the Council must be satisfied that the applicants have the capacity to undertake the project management and delivery of a capital project and to ensure its sustainability. 

 

      To varying degrees a number of other potential issues affect these applications – these have been summarised below and some additional information is attached;-

 

BCC SITE / LOCATION

APPLICATION TO SNI FOR

POTENTIAL ISSUES FOR BCC

 

 

 

North Queen Street

- construction of a 70m x 30m 3G playing surface (charge to be applied)

- plus a 30m x 12m MUGA (free use)

- planning approval would be required

- funding: i.e. the level of the award is £245K; shortfall is likely

- lease arrangements: applicant must hold a 10 year interest in the land to get the award; this would involve transfer from the Council and appropriate legal arrangement providing the Council was confident the applicant could meet its responsibilities

 

Hammer Open space

- replacement of existing grass pitch with a full size 3G soccer pitch

- unlikely to require planning approval (TBC)

- estimated costs appear light (capital implications remain unknown)

- maintenance and management responsibilities to be clarified

 

Barnett’s Demesne

- 2nd phase of funding for a Mountain Bike Trail at Barnett’s Demesne (by CAAN: Countryside Access and Activities Forum)

 

- The Committee has previously agreed to support an application to the Rural Development Programme to provide a mountain bike trail at Barnett’s Demesne;

- The proposal in respect of the RDP application is in “uncommitted” portion of the Council’s Capital Programme, Council contribution agreed at £70K for phase 1

- the application to Sport NI relates to an extension to the proposed trail

- There is a funding shortfall of approx. £65K in respect of the application to Sport NI.

MarrowbonePark

- refurbishment of the Park to include construction of a 3G soccer pitch and a 2 storey building (to include changing facilities; a large activity area, storage and office accommodation)

- economic appraisal required to test robustness of business case and specific proposals within plan

- planning application would be required (not yet submitted)

- at a meeting on 13 December the group asked that a report be brought to the Parks and Leisure Committee seeking its support for the proposal and a commitment from the Council to provide the facilities;

Planning approval is required but no application has yet been submitted;

A lease will be required, this is likely to for a 10 year period;

The estimated cost of the project is £1.3m, this would mean a short fall of £1.05m.

 

 

3    Resource Implications

 

                  Financial

 

      It is likely that there will be capital and potentially revenue implications relating to each proposal, however, these are unknown at this time.

 

      Human Resources

 

      There are no additional human resource implications at this time other than officer time.

 

      Asset and Other Implications

 

      If successful these projects would make a positive contribution to the level of sporting and recreational facilities within the local neighbourhood and would support the delivery of improvements in health and well being and community cohesion. 

 

4    Equality and Good Relations Considerations

 

      There are no equality considerations at this time, however, in the production of any business case / sports development plan it would be expected that equality considerations would be taken into account.

 

5    Recommendations

 

      It is recommended that the Committee:

 

·         Note the content of the report for information purposes at this time;

·         Agree that Officers continue to work with the applicants to clarify the position relating to funding, lease arrangements and organisational capacity to deliver.

·         Agree that the Hammer development continue to be considered as part of the prioritisation exercise within the developing Pitches Strategy

·         Agree that officers will continue to work with the Marrowbone group in developing their application and to note that the proposal will also be considered as part of the prioritisation process within the Pitches Strategy

·         Agree that all relevant legal issues be considered with Legal Services

·         Note that a further report be brought to Committee no later than May 2011 at which time a clearer sense of direction can be presented.

 

6    Decision Tracking

 

      Actions to be completed by the Principal Parks and Cemeteries Development Management by April 2011.”

 

            The Committee agreed to adopt the recommendations.

 

Supporting documents: