Agenda item

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

“1          Relevant Background Information

            The purpose of this report is to seek approval to extend the contract of the Partnership Development Officer to the end of May 2013.

            From 1999 Council led Sport Belfast as the partnership delivery vehicle for Sports Development. For a number of years the Department financially supported the employment of Sport Belfast’s Project Development Officer to the amount of £15,000.

            Over the last number of years the Belfast Strategic Partnership has become the primary vehicle for partnership working to improve health and wellbeing, reducing health inequalities. The framework for action supports the underlying theme of Active Belfast and an action plan is evolving to include Active Living, Active Leisure and Sport.

            Appropriate internal structures for delivery of the Belfast Strategic Partnership action plans will be determined through the review of the Department’s development function.

            It is important that the current momentum is maintained whilst detailed action plan, resources and structures are agreed. Delivery of the work plans developed through the existing Belfast Physical Activity and Sports Development Strategy action plans can be assured through the continued appointment of a Partnership Development Officer.

2          Key Issues

            Partnership Work programmes

            In 2006 Council led the development of the Belfast Physical Activity and Sports Development Strategy and agreed to support close partnership working with a range of organisations to deliver this strategy. A key part of this support was through Parks and Leisure Committee’s decision, on 10 May 2008, to support a fixed term post of Partnership Development Officer within the Leisure Development Unit at a cost of £20,000 per annum, with three years support funding of £15,000 per annum from Sport NI. The final claim under this funding was submitted to Sport NI in August 2012 and the fixed term post has reached its term.

            An extensive work programme has been in operation over the last three years to include work which supports Corporate and Departmental plans. Parks and Leisure committee on 12 March 2012 received a report detailing how the Council is working to support delivery of the NI Strategy for Sport and Physical Recreation. Many of the items listed in this report were delivered through the Partnership Development Officer.

            For continuity and to minimise the negative outcome of non-delivery of work programmes it is felt that the most appropriate solution is to extend the Partnership Development Officer position to the end of May 2013. This will allow sufficient time for review of the Departmental development strand and agreement on appropriate permanent resources.

3          Resource Implications

            Financial

            There is no longer an offer of financial assistance from Sport NI for this position.

            An amount of £27,000 is required to support this post from September 2012 to the end of May 2013. There is an allocation of £30,000 within current budgets to recruit one additional full time Health and Fitness Coach (Referral) which has not yet been recruited and we have now secured 100% funding from Sport NI for four such posts. It is proposed that the budget for our own referral post which is now fully funded can be reallocated to extend the Partnership Development Officer position representing a saving to the Department.

            Cost of extending contract September 2012 – May 2013: £27,000

            Saving from Health and Fitness Coach April 2012 – March 2013: £30,000

            Net saving: £3,000

            Human Resources

            If agreed by Committee, the Partnership Development Officer position will remain in the Parks and Leisure Department until the end May 2013.

            Asset and Other Implications

            There are no assets directly connected to the projects delivered through this proposal.

            Equality and Good Relations Implications

There are no equality and good relations implications from this proposal.

5          Recommendations

Members are asked to:

·        Approve the extension of the Partnership Development Officer post to the end of May 2013 through the reallocation of the referral officer post budget which is now being fully funded.”

            After discussion, the Committee granted the approval sought.