Agenda item

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

 

 

“1.0     Purpose of Report or Summary of main Issues

 

1.1       The Council’s Capital Programme is a rolling programme of investment which either improves existing Council facilities or provides new facilities. This report outlines

 

-       an update on projects under the Capital Programme

-       proposed movements – Clarendon Playing Fields (Stage 3- Committed), Ulidia Playing Fields and King George IV Playing Fields (Stage 2- Uncommitted)

-       proposed additions– Reservoir Safety Programme and Ventilation system at St. George’s Market (Stage 1 – Emerging)

 

2.0       Recommendations

 

2.1       The Committee is asked to –

 

·        note that updates on the Capital programme since the last update report

 

            Project Movements

 

·        agree that the following project is moved to Stage 3- Committed – Schemes at tender preparation stage on the Capital Programme –

 

·        Clarendon Playing Fields – New mini 3G pitch and floodlighting (see 3.4) – with a maximum budget of £452,000 to be allocated - the Director of Finance & Resources has confirmed that this is within the affordability limits of the Council.  Members are also asked to agree that the necessary procurement processes (including the invitation of tenders and/or the use of appropriate ‘framework’ arrangements) be initiated as required with contracts to be awarded on the basis of most economically advantageous tender received and full commitment to deliver.

 

·        Agree that the following projects are moved to Stage 2 - Uncommitted (see 3.5)

 

·        Ulidia Playing Fields – New 3G pitch and floodlighting  – OBC to be worked up with further detail to be brought back to Committee for consideration in due course

·        King George V Playing Fields – New 3G pitch and floodlighting - OBC to be worked up with further detail to be brought back to Committee in due course

 

·        Agree that the following projects are added as Stage 1 – Emerging Projects

 

-       Ventilation system at St. George’s Market - SOC to be worked up and brought back to Committee for further consideration (section 3.6)

-       Reservoir Safety – SOC to be worked up and brought back to Committee for further consideration (section 3.7)

 

            Other projects – Updates

 

·        Shore Road Changing Pavilion – note that a study is being commissioned to ascertain the best option for future changing provision at the Shore Road  (see 3.8)

·        Fleet Programme - note the Fleet Programme for 17/18 (Appendix 1) and agree that the necessary procurement processes are initiated with the delegation of subsequent evaluation and award processes to the Director of Property & Projects (see 3.9)  

 

3.0       Main report

 

            Key Issues

 

3.1       The Council’s rolling Capital Programme is a significant programme of investment in Council assets and Members are asked to note the update in respect of the delivery of projects as outlined below –

 

            Projects recently completed/in final stages of completion

 

·        Connswater community Greenway – at the end of April a major milestone was reached with the opening of the final section of the transformative Connswater Community Greenway project.  In total the CCG has involved the development of 16km of new foot and cycle paths, improved green spaces, 23 new or improved bridges, 5km of flood walls and embankments, 6 new tourism and heritage trails as well as the C.S. Lewis Square.  This is the single biggest capital project that the Council has ever undertaken at approx. £40m which included funding of £25m from the Big Lottery Fund and

·        City Hall -  New visitor exhibition – ‘A journey from the past to present’ – officially opened by the Lord Mayor on Monday 15th May 

·        North Foreshore Infrastructure works – the North Foreshore site was officially opened for business on Wednesday 3rd May.  As Members are aware a development brief for leisure uses for the site is currently out to the market which submissions due to be returned by 19th May

 

            Projects currently on the ground

 

·        the £3.7million upgrade of the Tropical Ravine

·        Phase 2 of the Olympia regeneration project which includes the creation of the new boulevard entrance, new play space and 3G pitch and Midgley Park replacement

·        New pavilion at Sally Gardens 

 

            Projects at tender preparation stage 

 

·        Preparatory work is continuing on a wide range of projects including the new pitch at Cherryvale under the Pitches strategy which has recently received planning permission, the baby plot memorial at the City Cemetery for which an artist has recently been commissioned and open space upgrades at both the Falls Park and Skegoneil

 

3.2       Members are asked to note that the Property & Projects Department is happy to arrange site visits for Members/ Party Groups to any capital programme project. 

 

            Proposed movements on/additions to the Capital Programme 

 

3.3       Members have previously agreed that all capital projects must go through a 3 Stage process where decisions on which projects progress are taken by SP&R. Members are asked to agree to the following movements as summarised below

 

Project	Overview	Stage
Clarendon Playing Fields	New mini 3G pitch and floodlighting Maximum of £452,000 to be allocated	Move to Stage 3- Committed
Ulidia Playing Fields	New 3G pitch and floodlighting	Move to Stage 2 – Uncommitted
King George V Playing Fields	New 3G pitch and floodlighting	Move to Stage 2 – Uncommitted
St. George’s Market – Ventilation system	To examine the options in relation to the ventilation system at St. George’s Market	Add as an Emerging Project
Reservoir Safety  Programme	To examine the options to ensure the safety of Council owned reservoirs	Add as an Emerging Project

 

            Move to Stage 3 – Committed

 

3.4       Clarendon Playing Fields – Development of a new mini 3G pitch and associated floodlighting.  Members. Members may recall that the Clarendon project was initially added to the Capital Programme under the MUGA programme however in May 2015 Committee was updated that the scope of this project had changed from a MUGA to a mini 3G pitch and the Committee therefore agreed that this should be reconsidered as a stand-alone project and added as an emerging project in its own right.  Since this time work has progressed on the project, an OBC has been completed and assessed and planning is now in place.

 

            It is now recommended that this project is progressed to Stage 3- Committed on the Capital Programme and the Director of Finance & Resources has recommended that a maximum of £452,000 be allocated to this project and has confirmed that this is within the affordability limits of the Council. Committee is also asked to agree that the necessary procurement processes (including the invitation of tenders and/or the use of appropriate ‘framework’ arrangements) be initiated with contracts to be awarded on the basis of most economically advantageous tenders received and full commitment to deliver

 

            Move to Stage 2 – Uncommitted 

 

3.5       Ulidia Playing Fields and King George V Playing Fields – New 3G pitch and floodlighting - Members will recall that they agreed in June 2016 to add the redevelopments of both Ulidia Playing Fields and King George V Playing Fields to the capital programme as Emerging Projects with SOCs to be worked up. These have now been completed in respect of both projects and it is recommended that both projects are now progressed to Stage 2- Uncommitted which will allow the costs to be fully worked up.

 

            Members are asked to note that this does not constitute an investment decision in either project and that as part of the OBC process these projects will be looked at in the context of other strategic initiatives happening in the local areas including the leisure transformation programme, existing facilities, planned projects under external initiatives and/or additional funding opportunities (e.g. DfC investment, Living with Water Programme etc).   

 

            Add as Stage 1 – Emerging Projects 

 

3.6       St. George’s Market – Ventilation system – Members will be aware of the changing nature of the offering at St. George’s Market over the last number of years which has seen it move from being a traditional type of market to much more emphasis on becoming a tourism attraction and a destination of choice within the city with for example the Saturday City Food and Craft Market and specialised markets for example the award-winning Twilight Market which has a particular emphasis on local food producers.  As a result there are an increasing number of hot food vendors and stalls at the market. 

 

            The current ventilation system was installed when the Market was redeveloped in the early 90s and is no longer fit for purpose in terms of the current market offering.  It is therefore recommended that the ventilation system is added as an emerging project onto the Capital Programme in order to assess the best option available in terms of future provision.  Members will however appreciate the limitations of the St. George’s Market both as a listed building and as a major working building and the need to ensure that any new system/upgrades will be sympathetic to the buildings overall usage and design will be considered as part of the Stage Approval process.    

 

3.7       Reservoir Safety Programme – The Council owns a number of reservoirs across the city including Half Moon Lake, Boodles Dam, Waterworks Upper and Lower and Alexandra Park and as a reservoir owner the Council has a number of obligations under the Reservoirs Act (Northern Ireland) 2015 which has recently received Royal Assent and the Drainage (Northern Ireland) Order 1973.  This includes ensuring the safety of reservoirs.  Committee have previously been advised that works are required at Boodles Dam in order to comply with the requirements under the Reservoirs Act which were identified through a Section 10 safety report.  Section 10 reports have now been carried out on the Council’s other reservoir sites and a number of issues have been identified at the Waterworks and Alexandra Park which the Council are required to take forward.  The Council has also recently received notification from the Rivers Agency reminding us of our obligations in this regard. 

 

            It is therefore recommended that a Reservoirs Safety Programme is added to the Capital Programme and that as part of this consultants are engaged to look at the emerging priorities of work required with further detail to be brought back to Members in due course.

 

            Other projects

 

3.8       Shore Road Changing Pavilion – Members are asked to note that following a recent maintenance report on this facility highlighted a number of key issues and noted that the building was in a poor state of repair.  In light of this a study has been commissioned to assess the best option for the future changing provision at the Shore Road as the current provision is no longer fit for purpose.  An update on this study will be brought back to Members in due course for consideration in relation to the next steps 

 

3.9       Fleet Programme 2017/18 – Members will know that the Council needs to run and maintain a substantial fleet in order to deliver its services. In March 2013 SP&R agreed to allocate £2.1m towards the Fleet Programme for 2017-2018. Members are asked to note that the Fleet Programme has been developed in conjunction with Council departments and reflects the service needs of the organisation.  Members are asked to note the agreed Fleet Programme for 2017/2018 (see Appendix 1) and agree that the necessary procurement processes are initiated with the delegation of subsequent evaluation and award processes to the Director of Property & Projects

 

            Physical Programme 2017/2018 and beyond – implications for Members 

 

3.10     Members are aware that the Council is currently delivering a major physical programme which includes

 

-       over 70 projects on the Capital Programme

-       the £105m Leisure Transformation Programme which will see the redevelopment of 7 leisure centres across the city with works due to commence in the summer on Andersonstown, Brook and Robinson

-       35 BIF projects which includes 12 which are at Stage 3 –Committed with the 23  projects currently being worked up

-       A £9m LIF programme – which has already seen over 50 projects completed across the city with a further 70 either underway or agreed in principle

-       a £6m annual rolling programme of maintenance 

 

            In addition the Council is now becoming the delivery agent of choice for a number of central government departments and is currently either delivering or proposed to be the delivery agent for over 40 projects across the city under the Building Successful Communities initiative, Urban Villages or the Social Investment Fund. 

 

3.11     Members will recognise from the above that resources, particularly financial resources, are in increasingly short supply and there is ever increasing demand for the Council to do more with less and less and it is clear that this level of investment cannot be sustained at this rate in the future given the budgetary pressures facing the Council and the wider public sector. 

 

            Members are asked to note that there are a number of major capital projects which need to be considered over the coming months including the new crematorium, the redevelopment of Cathedral Gardens as well as a wide range of emerging projects. Members therefore need to be aware that each decision they take in relation to progressing a capital project or agreeing additional money towards any one project or agreeing any new projects has a consequential impact on the level of financing that is available for other capital projects and each individual decision therefore subsequently limits the capacity of the Council to progress other capital projects thereby potentially necessitating some difficult decisions for Members in terms of prioritisation.

 

3.12     It is appreciated that this is a complex area for Members and it is therefore proposed that a detailed report on the current status of the physical programme, including the capital programme, is brought to Committee next month for the consideration of Members to allow Members to start to consider the physical programme in the context of local area planning etc.

 

3.13     Financial & Resource Implications

 

            The capital programme is a rolling programme of investment in council assets 

 

3.14     Equality & Good Relations Implications

 

            All capital projects are screened as part of the stage approval process.”

 

            The Committee adopted the recommendations.