Agenda item

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

“1     Relevant Background Information

         NI Street League is a charity working with homeless people and marginalised groups in Northern Ireland through the medium of football. Their activities are principally focused in Belfast and their aim is to use football to reach some of the most marginalized people in our society.  Using football as a hook they then provide education, training, and volunteer opportunities.

         In October 2014 the charity is bringing the NI Homeless Football Team to the Homeless World Cup in Santiago Chile and 10 teams from Belfast are attending. In order to do so they have acquired a cocktail of support from several organizations and via fundraising from for example IFA, NIHE, Extern and comic relief. 

         The Parks and Leisure department has been approached to help with the overall funding for this event and the shortfall of £4400.

         Advice from the Legal Services Manager has indicated that as a general rule district councils do not have any legal power to contribute to the funds of charitable organisations. The only exception to that general rule being where an application for financial assistance is made under criteria which the Council has in place in relation to the incurring of expenditure for special purposes under the provisions of the Local Government Finance Act (NI) 2011 section 37 (previously known as section 115 of the Local Government Act (NI) 1972.)

         The Act permits the council to make any payment for any purpose which in its opinion is in the interests of, and will bring direct benefit to:

a)    the council;

b)    the district or any part of its district; or

c)    the inhabitants of its district of any part of its district.

         The amount of money available under Section 37 is subject to an annual cap and in determining whether any payment should be made the Council must ask whether the benefit would be commensurate with the payment to be made.

         Key Issues

·         The NI Street League has made a request to the Council for a financial contribution to the Homeless World Cup event

·         The project is principally focused on reaching excluded communities in Belfast; changing peoples’ lives, creating role models, and using sport to improve the quality of life in the city. The benefits include: breaking out of homelessness and maintaining independence, reducing crime, physical and mental health improvement, accessing training/education/employment/volunteering, increased self-confidence and self-esteem, tackling sectarianism and racism, developing role models and sustainable communities. These outcomes have been evidenced via two evaluations (2012, 2014), which are available on request, and in feedback from stakeholders.

·         Should the Committee be minded to make a contribution to the trust, given its charitable status, the contribution would have to be made under Section 37 Local Government Finance Act (NI) 2011.

·         An assessment of the request against the criteria agreed by the Policy and Resources Committee in 2004 has indicated that the request would bring a direct benefit to the inhabitants of Belfast.

·         It is proposed that the Committee seek the approval of the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee to make a contribution of £4,400 to the NI Street League under Section 37 Local Government Finance Act (NI) 2011. If agreed it is considered that the benefit obtained will be commensurate with the payment made.

         Financial

         The proposed £4,400 can be accommodated within the current Section 37 limit and if approved will be provided through existing departmental budgets

         Equality and Good Relations Implications

         Given the focus on tackling sectarianism and racism, it is anticipated that this project will have a positive impact on promoting equality of opportunity and good relations.

         Recommendations

         The Committee is asked to recommend to the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee that the Council agree to make a contribution of £4,400 to the NI Street League and resolve that the expenditure be approved under Section 37 of the Local Government Finance Act (NI) 2011, it being the opinion of the Committee that the expenditure would bring direct benefits to the inhabitants of the district and that the direct benefits would be commensurate with the payment made.”

            The Committee adopted the recommendation.