Agenda item

The Committee considered the undernoted report:

 

“1.0     Purpose of Report or Summary of main Issues

 

1.1       The purpose of this report is to provide an update on the People and Communities Committee Plan highlighting progress and achievements to date.

 

1.2       The People and Communities Committee Plan was approved by Committee on 13 October 2015, following a planning workshop with Members in June 2015 and further discussion at Committee on 11 August 2015. 

 

2.0       Recommendations

 

2.1       The Committee is asked to;

 

·        Note the Committee Plan highlights update report and to agree to attend a Committee Planning workshop to be held in November 2016.  The proposed workshop will enable the development of a work pan for the People and Communities Committee and will help shape the new Corporate Plan and budget setting process for 2017/18. 

 

3.0       Main report

 

            The People and Communities Committee is currently working to an ambitious Committee Plan which describes how its purpose, objectives and activities contribute to the strategic direction of the Council’s Corporate Plan and the achievement of the city’s long term vision and priorities detailed within the emerging Belfast Agenda. 

 

3.2       The current Committee Plan was created after discussion with Members about the role of the Committee and its priorities for the City.  The following priorities were agreed by Members during a planning workshop in June 2015:

 

·        Living Here: Improve the city living experience; Improve neighbourhoods; Reduce health inequalities; and Improve community relations;

·        Infrastructure and Services: Deliver fit-for-purpose city services; Ensure fit-for-purpose city infrastructure; and

·        Enablers: Strong City Leadership and Citizenship.

 

            Committee Plan Update

 

3.3       Over the last year, set against a background of ongoing change and increased pressure on financial resources, Committee has made progress.  Lead officers were asked to provide detailed progress updates and some key highlights are summarised below against the Belfast Agenda priorities:

 

3.4       Living Here – Improve the city living experience highlights:

 

·        As part of the delivery of the Playing Pitches Strategy new changing pavilions have been erected at Waterworks, Cliftonville, Woodlands and Dixon Playing Fields and a number of new 3G pitches completed.  New partner agreements have been signed at 7 sites with key/ holding arrangements. Sports development plans have been developed and are being delivered by the Council’s partners.  We have completed the review of grass pitch allocation.

·        Work is progressing on delivering year 3 actions of the Amateur Boxing Strategy.  Outcomes achieved to date include enabling club support pathways; creating school and community pathways; showcasing boxing and hosting taster sessions and events; working with partners to deliver and improve coach education and funding club support programmes.  

·        We continue to develop our community centre research including a typology, analytical tool and management information system. We have baselined current community centre provision which will help inform the shape of the council’s future provision within neighbourhoods and across the city. 

 

3.5       Living Here – Improved neighbourhoods highlights:

 

·        We established a cross-council working group to develop a draft volunteering charter, action plan and a good practice toolkit and volunteering opportunities provided have increased. 

·        We completed Phase 1 of the Connswater Community Greenway and are on schedule to complete Phase 2 by December 2016.  We are currently looking at future resourcing and programming to ensure the sustainability of the Greenway and to date have named 4 bridges, with 4 more to complete.  The new C.S. Lewis Square is scheduled to open in November 2016, showcasing 7 key pieces of public art.  

·        We continue to drive the citywide Policy and Community Safety Partnership (PCSP) and have developed an outcomes based approach to manage and monitor performance. 

·        We have invested in our neighbourhoods by delivering a range of local events including Rose Week, Spring Fair and Autumn Fair, Play Days and Party in the Park and programmes and activities including summer schemes, fun days, primary school athletics, music in the park and holiday programmes.

·        We delivered community engagement and programming tosupport the Girdwood project and shared space principles were agreed by the Girdwood forum.

 

3.6       Living Here - Reduce health inequalities highlights:

 

·        We continue to work with our partners as part of the Belfast Strategic Partnership (BSP) and locally within neighbourhoods to deliver an integrated programme of work to tackle health inequalities and encourage healthy and active lifestyles.  Some collaborative pieces of work completed include the development of a child friendly action plan, age-friendly Belfast charter, local suicide community response plans and a food, fuel and finance poverty tool kit. 

·        A total of £162,000 has been awarded to 14 projects, targeting under-represented people and groups living in areas of disadvantage via the Active Belfast Grants Scheme.

·        We have supported a range of partnership initiatives including Jog Belfast, the Diabetes Pathway Programme and the ‘Choose to live better’ campaign. 

·        We continue to deliver a range of sports development initiatives including Clubmark Club accreditation scheme, Support for Sport funding programme, Everybody Active 2020 Programme and the Belfast Sports Award and Forum.

·        As part of our Growing Communities Strategy, we continue to empower and engage local communities by delivering a programme of growing, environmental learning and healthy eating activities across the city. 

 

3.7       Living Here - Improve Community Relations highlights:

 

·        An interface action plan identifying priority sites for action is being developed and will be discussed with Members at party briefings in the autumn.

·        The Good Relations Unit have supported 42 organisations through Tranche 1 of the small grants scheme and 31 organisations through planned intervention funding. 

·        We have also delivered a range of community relations projects impacting at a neighbourhood level, including the shared space programme at Girdwood Community Hub, schools project to reduce levels of hate crime and submitted the Peace IV plan to SEUPB.   

 

3.8       Infrastructure and Services – Deliver fit-for-purpose city services highlights:

 

·        We have created the new City and Neighbourhood Services Department and we are currently finalising the work on our departmental change programme.  The change programme identifies key work streams to be taken forward by working groups in order to deliver improved local outcomes and customer focus for the new department. 

·        We continue to invest £585k as part of our playground refurbishment programme investing in 10 existing facilities, with works already underway at Glencairn playground.  Under LGR Transition funding new playgrounds will be constructed at Poleglass, Colin Valley football site and Blacks Road. 

·        Work underway to initiate a scoping exercise on value and quantity of grant aid distributed across all C&NS services in support of community infrastructure and service projects in local neighbourhoods.

 

3.9       Infrastructure and Services – Ensure fit-for-purpose infrastructure highlights:

 

·        The development of the strategic waste plan is ongoing in order to reduce the amount of waste generated and ensure the city maximises the amount of waste recycled.  We have approved the proposal for the strategic management of waste in NI and we are currently delivering Belfast specific actions. 

·        We have adopted the propositions detailed within ‘Towards a Resourceful Belfast: A Materials Strategy’ and we are currently developing a strategy and programme of work using the circular economy approach in collaboration with the Waste Resources Action Programme (WRAP).  

·        Work with ARC21 to procure waste technology continues and a Public Accounts Committee hearing will be held in October to consider the residual waste treatment project.

·        We have reviewed household recycling and civic amenity site provision.  This will be presented to Committee in autumn and subject to a formal consultation process.

·        We have developed draft waste storage guidelines for Purpose Built Managed Student Housing Associations (PBMSA).

 

3.10     Enablers - Strong City Leadership highlights:

 

·        While we continue to deliver quality, operational services across the city, we are also exploring service delivery options, approaches and plans for the new department.  As part of this exploratory work, we have facilitated area working group workshops with members focusing on how we integrate neighbourhood services, create synergies, drive efficiencies and improve our customer focus. 

·        Work is also continuing on the bereavement improvement programme including the review of burial policy for future new burial grounds and cremation provision.  We commenced the implementation of the new memorial management policy and code of memorial safety working practice and have facilitated awareness sessions with Memorial Sculptors. 

·        We are finalising agreement on a multi-agency framework and work package for ASB service delivery across Belfast. 

·        As part of the Olympia/Windsor development, we have established a Belfast Community Benefits Initiative for delivery over the next ten years with DCAL and IFA.  A year 1 action plan has been agreed by all partners, meeting objectives including promoting equality, tackling poverty and social exclusion in the Belfast Area. 

 

3.11     Enablers – Citizenship highlights:

 

·        We have successfully developed and delivered the children and young people outcomes framework and will be commencing a review of summer activity provision. 

·        We delivered a comprehensive community and voluntary sector support training programme to over 300 participants and have completed a partner programme with Belfast Metropolitan College, with 14 Officers achieving level 3 education and training accreditation. 

 

3.12     Next Steps

 

            The Council is now entering a key phase of the strategic planning calendar, when plans at the various levels are reviewed and refreshed in order to inform priorities and decisions about resource allocation in the year ahead 2017/18.  An overview of the key milestones to be taken forward as part of the Committee Planning process are set out below:

 

·        Integrate feedback from the Area Working Group workshops (Aug– Sep 16)

·        Convene People and Communities Committee planning workshop (Nov 16)

·        Integrate feedback into the budget setting process and Corporate Plan (Dec – Feb 17)

·        Present the final draft Committee Plan to Committee/ Council (April 17)

 

3.13     Financial & Resource Implications

 

            The Committee Plan has been developed and delivered in the context of the resources available to the Committee.  The Committee planning workshop will give Members the opportunity to review progress to date, help shape the budget process for 2017/18 and effectively align resources to Member priorities. 

 

3.14     Equality or Good Relations Implications

 

            There are no direct implications at this stage.  However, where necessary all projects, programmes and activities contained within the Committee Plan have been subject to equality screening in line with the Council’s processes.”

 

            The Committee adopted the recommendations as set out within the report.