Agenda item

            (Mr. G. Copeland, City Events Manager, attended in connection with this item.)

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

“1.0    Purpose

1.1    This purpose of this report is to update Strategic, Policy & Resources on the current status of BCC related London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic activity.  The report is also seeking approval from Members for: the installation of the Olympic and Paralympic emblems on the City Hall; for the hosting of the Paralympic Flame Festival at City Hall and for the selection of two Olympic Torch bearers which the Council has been offered by London 2012.

1.2    A number of reports have been taken to Council over the last number of years in regard to plans for the 2012 year.  Therefore, the planning process has started on the events programme for the year.

2.0    Background

2.1    London 2012 Olympic & Paralympic Games

         There are a number of strands relating to the London 2012 Games connected to Belfast.  These are highlighted below.

2.2    Pre-Games Acclimatization and Competitions – There will be details confirmed on these issues in the near future as the information is currently embargoed. It should be noted that this process has been facilitated by the work of the Council’s Sports Development Unit, alongside DCAL, Sport NI and a variety of regional sports bodies.  The output of this process would see significant numbers of international athletes either using Belfast for pre-Games competitive events and or making the city their home for pre-Games acclimatization. However, at the current time, Australia has issued a letter of intent and Hungary & Canada are considered potentials.

2.3    Olympic Torch Relay – In May 2011 it was announced that Belfast will be part of the UK Olympic Torch Relay.  The Northern Ireland Olympic Torch Relay will culminate in Belfast on the 6 June after a three day tour across the region. The route for the Belfast leg has been selected by LOCOG 2012 with no input from BCC Officers and is not open for change as the final selection of both the route and torch bearers rests with the London 2012 Olympic Games

         organisers.  The plan is to welcome the arrival of the Olympic Flame to City Hall, on the evening of the 6 June.  The cortege would be met by a range of performers, some of which will be supplied by LOCOG.  However, there will be a cost to Council, which is currently estimated at circa £50,000.  This money would be found within the agreed finances for the City’s overall 2012 activity and have matched funding from other bodies such as NITB; DSD and Sport NI.

2.3    Olympic Torch Bearer Nominations – Along with the Relay there was also an opportunity for the general public and a range of sporting and non-sporting individuals to be nominated to carry the Olympic flame through Belfast.  The public selection of these individuals closed at the end of June 2011.  However, the Council now has the opportunity to nominate two individuals to carry the Olympic flame.  These nominations must be completed by the 31 October 2011. It should be noted that due to LOCOG 2012 guidelines the Council is not permitted to make a public call or campaign for nominations. Therefore, it is being recommended that the Chair and Deputy, along with Officers from the Council’s Sport Development Unit look at winners from the Belfast Sports Awards which have been staged over the last number of years.

2.4    2012 Paralympic Games Flame Festivals (24 to 29 August) – Council Officers have just received details in regard to this element of the 2012 year.  The proposed event, which the Council has yet to agree to, would be proposed to be staged on Saturday 25 August and be focused in and around Belfast.  There is no nation wide torch relay, like the Olympic Games, and the event would involve the Paralympic Flame being transported to Edinburgh, Belfast, Cardiff and London between the above dates.  The proposed Belfast ‘Flame Festival’, if agreed by Council, would open with lighting of a Paralympic light at sunrise in Belfast (probably Stormont), followed by a series of community visits culminating in an evening celebration at the Belfast Live Site location at City Hall.  This latter element will involve Council financial resources which are estimated around circa £35,000. This money would be found within the agreed finances for the City’s overall 2012 activity and have matched funding from other bodies such as NITB; DSD and Sport NI.

2.5    Inspire Mark – The 2012 ‘Inspire Mark’ is the official London Games brand endorsement for community, civic and cultural activities.  To date the Council has only made limited use of the endorsement London 2012 Games ‘Inspire Mark’. However the series of Inspire Marked ‘Try-it’ events hosted in Leisure Centres have made use of the brand to attract funding from DCAL and BT.  To date over one thousand local primary school and summer scheme children have taken part in a range of Olympic sports, as well as Gaelic and Asian sports activities.

2.6    Olympic & Paralympic Spectaculars – A proposal, from the Government Olympic Executive and DCAL, has been received to install both the Olympic Rings and the Paralympic Agitos on Belfast City Hall.  At this stage the Government Olympic Executive are seeking Council approval to install the symbols.  If approved by Council the Rings and Agitos would require approval from NI Planning Service & NIEA.  It would be anticipated that installation period would be from the 31 December 2011 to the 10 September 2012 (the day after the closing ceremony of the Paralympic Games).  The cost of the production, installation and removal would be met by the Government Olympic Executive.  The Council would be required to look at a launch event for the ‘Spectaculars’.  The proposed launch would be date would be mid-night on the 31 December 2011.  The cost for this event would be met by the Government Olympic Executive as part of their Olympic ‘Look’ campaign.

2.7    Live Site Screen - Belfast City Council now has one of LOCOG/BBC funded Big Screens (all so known as Live Sites).  In total there are twenty-one of these large LED screens around the UK, with a possible twenty-second planned for Derry~Londonderry as part of its preparations for the City of Culture in 2013.  The Belfast screen is based in the grounds of City Hall.  To date the screen has relayed promotional campaigns for the Council and facilitated musical, operatic and sports events.  The Live Site is also available for the use of community, cultural, sports and arts organisations.  This could simply be the promotion of a certain initiative or the staging of an event in front of the Big Screen.  The screen costs the Council a maximum of £20,000 per year, which covers maintenance, insurance and security expenditure.  The screen has temporary planning consent for three year period after which, according NI Planning Service, it should be moved out of the grounds of City Hall, unless the Council decides otherwise and objects. 

3.0    Key Issues

3.1    The following section indicates the key matters required to be addressed by Council.

3.2    Olympic Torch Bearer Nominations – Agreement from Members that the Parks & Leisure Committee Chair and Deputy, along with Officers from the Council’s Sport Development Unit, assess two nominations from previous award winners of the Belfast Sports Awards as the Council’s two Torch Bearer nominees.  It should be noted that those selected by BCC are not guaranteed to be part of the 2012 Torch Relay until LOCOG 2012 run their own checks and scrutiny process.

3.3    2012 Paralympic Games Flame Festival (24 to 29 August) – The Council will need to commit at least £35,000 of its planned 2012 budget to this project.  If agreed, the Council will work closely with LOCOG 2012 and a number of local partners to deliver this significant ceremonial event for the city.  Members will also need to agree to the usage of the City Hall grounds in order to stage this event.

3.4    Olympic & Paralympic Spectaculars – There are a number of key issues here.  Firstly, Members will need to agree to the erection of these items on City Hall.  It will also require input from planning professionals within the Council re the installation of the symbols and applying for temporary planning consent.  The unveiling of the symbols would be financed by the Government Olympic Executive through its Olympic ‘Look’ campaign.  The planned unveiling of the Olympic Rings for Belfast would be coordinated with events in Edinburgh, Cardiff and London and would take place on the 31 December 2011, with the Belfast event taking place at City Hall.

4.0    Resource Implications

4.1    Finance

4.2    Pre-Games Acclimatization and Competitions – Costs have yet to be established.

4.3    Olympic Torch Relay – It is likely that this event would cost the Council £50,000.  It is anticipated that part of this money would be found within the agreed finances for the City’s overall 2012 activity and have matched funding from other bodies such as NITB; DSD and Sport NI.

4.4    Olympic Torch Bearer Nominations – No cost

4.5    2012 Paralympic Games Flame Festival (24 to 29 August) –This element will involve Council financial resources which are estimated around circa £35,000. It is anticipated that part of this money would be found within the agreed finances for the City’s overall 2012 activity and with matched funding sought from other bodies such as NITB; DSD and Sport NI.

4.6    Inspire Mark – No cost to the usage of the LOCOG 2012 brand.

4.7    Olympic & Paralympic Spectaculars – There would be costs attached to any agreed planning application with the largest finance  attached to the proposed launch date at mid-night on the 31 December 2011.  The unveiling of the symbols would be financed by the Government Olympic Executive through its Olympic ‘Look’ campaign to the sum of £30,000.

4.8    Live Site Screen - The agreed screen costs for Council is a maximum of £20,000 per year, for three years from 2011 to 2013.  This covers maintenance, insurance and security expenditure.

4.9    Staffing – It would be envisaged that at least two additional staff would be required to deliver the sited events.  This is based on the experience of previous events such at the World Cross Country; World Boxing and the 2009 Tall Ships events.  This issue will be addressed in broader paper on overall 2012 and 2013 event activity.

5.0    Equality and Good Relations Implications

5.1    As with all major civic events, public events like this have the potential to bring together people from a wide range of backgrounds and therefore promote good relations in the city.

6.0    Recommendations

6.1    SP&R are being asked to recommend:

-     Agree that a report goes to the Parks and Leisure Committee in order that an internal nomination, for the Council’s two Olympic Torch Bearers, is achieved by the 31 October 2011.  This would involve the Chair and Deputy Chair of Parks and Leisure with input of Officers in the Sports Development Unit.

-     Staging of the Paralympic Flame Festival at a costs of circa £35,000 plus match funding from external partners.  Finance for this event would be as part of the Council agreed 2012 budgets from the Development Department.

-     Olympic & Paralympic Spectaculars – That Members agree to the 2012 ‘Spectaculars’ being installed on City Hall by the 31 December. In addition to the staging of an event on the New Year’s Eve to mark the unveiling of the Olympic Rings, with the cost of this event being met by London 2012.”

            The Committee adopted the recommendations.