Agenda item

The Director submitted for the Committee’s consideration the undernoted report:

“1.0  Relevant Background Information

1.1    Members will be aware that the Council is currently leading on the development of the Active Belfast approach, as part the Belfast Strategic Partnerships work to address inequalities within the city.

         The Active Belfast approach is also a key strand of the Council’s Leisure Transformation Programme, providing significant opportunities to work collaboratively with a range of partners, with the outcome of improving the health and wellbeing of people in Belfast.

         At the meeting of the Parks and Leisure Committee on Thursday 12 April 2012, the Committee agreed to allocate match funding of £90,000, (£70,000 from Council’s thematic budget and £20,000 from the Parks and Leisure revenue budget) towards the Active Belfast Investment Fund.  Similar allowance was made in the 2013/14 revenue estimates.

         This report summarises the work completed between April 2012 and March 2013, including outputs of the Active Belfast Investment Fund and identifies for Members several priority areas for the development of Active Belfast over the next period.

2.0    Key Issues

2.1    Active Belfast Investment Fund

         A total of 33 projects received support from the Active Belfast Investment Fund in the financial year 2012/2013. The projects ranged across the priority areas of play, travel, schools and workplaces.

         More than 9,600 people directly benefited from activities delivered through the Active Belfast Investment Fund with many others indirectly benefiting as a result of increasing community capacity through the development of 255 people as physical activity leaders and champions across the city and through the investment in new equipment for community based facilities.

2.2    Active Outdoors

         Supported by the Public Health Agency (PHA) through Active Belfast, council have installed outdoor fitness equipment in 8 parks across the city. This equipment has increased the opportunities to be active which are available to park users.  Work is currently underway to develop coach-led programmes to promote the all year round use of the equipment.

2.3    Physical Activity Referral Programmes

         Physical Activity Referral Programmes (PAR) are a key area of regional work for our partners in the PHA. Through the Active Belfast approach additional support for this work has been secured through both Sport NI (£132,000) and the Local Commissioning Group (£45,000).

         This additional support has allowed for the creation of 7 full time equivalent posted dedicated to the improvement of PAR Programmes across the city. This has allowed for work to be undertaken in supporting people recovering from, and living with a range of conditions including coronary heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes and cancer.

2.4    Community awareness programmes

         A range of community awareness programmes have been delivered to increase the understanding of what being active means and to raise the profile of the Active Belfast approach. These have included programmes targeting sedentary women, young children and their parents and people experiencing low levels of mental health. In total more than 500 people have take part in these programmes.

2.5    Priorities for developing the Active Belfast approach

         The Active Belfast Partners have identified the following key actions for the development of the Active Belfast approach:

·         the development of an Active Travel action plan for the city, which will be one of the BSP’s key demonstration projects in 2014;

·         the continued support for programmes targeted at under-represented groups, including the Active Belfast Investment Fund;

·         the development of communication channels for the Active Belfast message, brand and programmes including a dedicated website;

·         to undertake an ongoing process of mapping and scoping all physical activity opportunities available in the city;

·         to develop appropriate engagement and representation with local communities.

3.0    Resource Implications

3.1    Financial

         The provision of match funding to the Active Belfast Investment Fund includes provision of £90k from the Parks and Leisure revenue budget will a further £7k required for the development of an Active Travel Action Plan for Belfast.  Provision has been made in revenue budgets for these programmes of work.

4.0    Recommendations

4.1    It is recommended that Committee note the current position regarding Active Belfast and notes the provision of funding to the work of the Active Belfast Partnership as outlined in the report.”

            The Committee adopted the recommendation.

Chairman