Agenda item

The Assistant Director of Parks and Leisure reported that the committee of Michael Davitt’s Gaelic Athletic Club had requested that the Council give consideration to a proposal for privileged access and use of the main Gaelic Athletic Association pitch at the Boucher Road Playing Fields.  The Club had offered to meet the cost of the provision of a 40 feet ball stop net behind each goal, and erect a 4 feet spectator boundary around the pitch, together with a gated entry.  The estimated cost of the work would be in the region of £25,000.  The Club had stated that these works would improve and benefit the facility and bring it up to county level competition standard.  In return, the Club had asked the Council to:

·        provide privileged access to the pitch for the Club;

·        provide access for a period of 20-25 years;

·        provide total access to the pitch for training and the playing of matches;

·        provide key holder status for access to the pitch and the facility for nominated officers from the Club;

·        consult the Club before permission was granted for use of the pitch for purposes other than the Club’s activities;

·        provide use for the County Antrim Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association as a neutral venue.

            The Assistant Director requested the Committee to take the following points into account:

·        Facilities Management Agreements (FMAs) were still under review as part of the pitches strategy and no decision had been taken regarding the future of such agreements.  Members might prefer not to enter into a new type of agreement in advance of the completion of the review;

·        The offer from the Club was not in respect of a management arrangement but rather for preferential use.  The Council had not entered into similar arrangements to date and there was an issue of any precedent which would be established and the impact that that might have for other sites;

·        As part of the pitches strategy, Council officers had engaged with the Gaelic Athletic Association at county level to develop a partnership approach.  The discussions were at an early stage and it might appear premature to enter into a bespoke agreement at this time; and

·        The Council had not in the past entered into agreements for the length of time suggested, that is, 20-25 years, unless significant investment had been made in the site and the length of the management agreement and lease had been a condition of the funding body supporting the investment, for example Sport NI.  The majority of the existing Facilities Management Agreements were for between three and seven years and were currently being extended on a month by month basis pending the outcome of the Facilities Management Agreements review.

            The Assistant Director had, therefore, recommended that the Committee defer taking a decision on this request until the review of Facilities Management Agreements had been completed and requested that authorised officers continue to work with Michael Davitt’s Gaelic Athletic Club to develop their proposal.

            The Assistant Chief Executive and Town Solicitor explained to the Committee that, rather than a Facilities Management Agreement, the request from Michael Davitt’s Gaelic Athletic Club was for the preferential use of the facility.  He advised that the Committee should seek to develop a framework, within the proposed Pitches Strategy, for dealing with such requests so that they could be considered in a clear, fair and consistent manner, together with principles and a legal agreement, with partnership arrangements where appropriate and which would include the necessary resources to administer the system. 

            A lengthy discussion ensued, during which a Member pointed out that Michael Davitt’s Gaelic Athletic Club was a long established and respected Club in the City and that it would be willing to accept a lease for a term of seven years.

            Accordingly, it was

            Moved by Councillor Mac Giolla Mhín,

            Seconded by Councillor Mallon,

      That the Committee agrees to accept the proposal from Michael Davitt’s Gaelic Athletic Club for the use of the main pitch at the Boucher Road Playing Fields, subject to a lease for a term of seven years.  

Amendment

            Moved by Councillor Robinson,

            Seconded by Councillor Newton,

      That the Committee agrees to defer consideration of the request until the review of Facilities Management Agreements had been completed, and authorises officers to continue to work with Michael Davitt’s Gaelic Athletic Club to develop their proposal, and that a report on the development of a framework for managing pitches within the context of partnership arrangements be submitted to the Committee in January, 2012.

            On a vote by show of hands ten Members voted for the amendment and nine against and it was accordingly declared carried.

            The amendment was thereupon put as the substantive motion, when ten Members voted for and nine against and it was accordingly declared carried.