Agenda item

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

 

“1.Background Information

                 

      Members will be aware that in August 2013 the World Police and Fire Games are coming to Northern Ireland.  The Police Service of Northern Ireland, the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service and the 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.

 

      In September 2007 the council agreed to be one of the key stakeholders for the World Police and Fire Games (WPFG).  The council committed £400,000 as part of the £7m budget for the games.  A special purpose vehicle company has been formed to deliver the games and the council is represented on the board of this company by two Elected Members, presently Alderman William Humphrey and Councillor Pat McCarthy.

 

      At the meeting of council on 1 September 2011, Members debated two issues regarding the preparation for the games:

 

1.the council’s approach to the application process to have facilities included as venues for the 2013 games; and

 

2.the timetable for the upgrade of the Mary Peters track.

 

The chairman agreed that a report would be submitted to the meeting of the Parks and Leisure Committee on 15 September 2011.

 

2.   Key Issues

     

      Venue selection process

 

      The process for venue selection being undertaken by the World Police and Fire Games company was commenced by Sport NI with a letter dated 29 June 2010 to the Chief Executive.  This required applications to be submitted to Sport NI by 4pm on 29 July 2010.  This letter was passed to the Director of Parks and Leisure for action.

 

      As this was over the July recess it was not possible to present the request or the department’s response to committee.

 

      Sport NI outlined a three stage approach to venue selection:

 

·         Stage 1: applications

·         Stage 2: quality assessment and prioritisation

·         Stage 3: quality commercial assessment.

 

      Interested venue operators were required to complete an online expression of interest form for each sport they wanted to host at their venue.

 

      Sport NI indicated that they would accept applications from:

 

·         Established venues that met the requirements of the World Police and Fire Games.

·         Venues in the process of refurbishment or that had plans in place for refurbishment prior to the games.

·         New venues that would be completed and commissioned prior to the games.

 

      Sport NI indicated that priority would be given to venues that are nearest geographically to the games village but in exceptional circumstances where there is not a suitable venue within Belfast for a particular sport or there is an exceptional venue outside Belfast other venues would be considered.  The guidance notes from Sport NI for the selection of events are attached.

 

      The list of 23 parks and leisure council venues which were submitted for consideration has been circulated.  In addition the City Hall, Waterfront Hall and Ulster Hall were also put forward.

 

      It is understood that a provisional list of venues was considered by the WPFG board at its last meeting and that seven council venues including the City Hall, Waterfront Hall and the Ulster Hall, Shankill Leisure Centre, Boucher Road Playing Fields, Musgrave Pavilion and Cavehill Country Park are currently on that list.  However it should be noted that of the twenty-eight venues currently on the provisional list a total of twenty one are in Belfast.  This includes facilities at Stormont Estate, Queens Playing Fields, Newforge and the Odyssey Arena.  The board is about to enter stage three of the selection process which involves a further quality and commercial assessment.  This will be completed before agreement is reached on the final list of venues.

 

      Mary Peters Track

 

      The Mary Peters Track was submitted to Sport NI as part of the selection process as a potential venue for track and field as well as a number of events.  It currently does not feature on the provisional list of venues as, at the time of initial assessment, the track did not meet the minimum standards required by the WPFG in that it was only a six lane rather than an eight lane track.

 

      At the special meeting of council on 9th February 2011 it was agreed to include the development of the Mary Peters track as part of the council’s capital programme.  An economic appraisal was commissioned and the Parks and Leisure Committee and the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee at their meetings on 14th and 15th April respectively agreed to develop the option for the facility recommended by the economic appraisal, ie to provide a new 8 lane IAAF specification track with a spectator stand and associated works.  The Strategic Policy and Resources Committee also approved the invitation to tender and award of contracts to the most economically advantageous tender received and agreed applications be made to the raising of a loan of £3m to cover the council’s anticipated project expenditure.

 

      The project will be delivered by the council’s Project Management Unit in conjunction with the Parks and Leisure Department under the direction of the Director of Property and Projects.  Work is well underway on project delivery with a design team having been appointed and the planning application being made during September.  Allowing significant contingency time within the project plan it is anticipated that the latest date for completion of the works will be February 2013 which is well in advance of the games which take place during August 2013.

 

      After the Council’s decision in February 2011 the Director of Parks and Leisure wrote to the Chairman of the WPFG Board asking the board to reconsider the Mary Peters track as the venue for the track and field at the 2013 games.  The board is currently considering the council’s request.

 

3.   Resource Implications

       

      Financial

 

      The redevelopment of the Mary Peters facility will cost in the region of £3m to be funded from the council’s capital programme.

 

      Human Resources

 

      There are no additional human resource implications.

 

      Asset and other implications

 

      The development of the Mary Peters track to a standard suitable for international events will make the facility the best available for the 2013 games.  It will also enhance the city’s ability to attract national and local athletic events and will assist in the development of athletics in the city.

 

4.   Equality and Good Relations Implications

 

      None.

 

5.   Recommendations

     

Members are asked to note that the decision making process for venues to be used for the WPFG has not yet been completed by the WPFG Board; that the council submitted 26 venues for consideration; that the provisional list of venues contains 21 venues in Belfast, including 7 council owned facilities; and that the council has written to the Board following its decision to upgrade the Mary Peters’ Track to IAAF standard, requesting the Board to include the upgraded Track in its final consideration of potential venues.

 

6    Decision Tracking

     

      A further update will be provided to Committee by the Director of Parks and Leisure following confirmation of the selected venues.

 

7    Key to abbreviations

     

      IAAF          International Association Athletics

      WPFG       World Police and Fire Games.”

 

            During discussion, the Director clarified the current position in relation to the upgrade of the Mary Peters Track and accepted that more coordination was required between the various Council Departments in relation to providing information to the Members who represented the Council on the World Police and Fire Games 2013. 

 

            After discussion, the Committee adopted the recommendation and agreed that monthly updates on the upgrade of the Mary Peters Track be provided to the Committee.