Agenda item

            The Committee considered the following report:

“1.0     Purpose of Report or Summary of main Issues

1.1        The purpose of the report is to inform Committee that the Council has received a request from East Belfast Football Club to install a hospitality room on council land at Alderman Tommy Patton Park (Inverary Playing Fields).   

2.0       Recommendations

2.1       The Committee is asked to;

·        note the report and to agree in principle, subject to the conditions being met and subsequent approval by Strategic Policy and Resources Committee:

1.     To grant a licence to East Belfast Football Club to locate a temporary building on a piece of council land to be agreed with Council Officers;

2.     That the licence will run co-terminously with the existing Partner Agreement and that in the event that the Partner Agreement ends the licence will also terminate;

3.     That the Club secures the necessary statutory approvals, including planning consent before a licence is granted;

4.     That the Club provides evidence of its health and safety policy, safeguarding policy, insurance cover and meets any other requirements as deemed appropriate and necessary by Officers;

5.     That the Club meets all of the associated costs and agrees to undertake the management and maintenance of the facility in line with the terms and conditions of the licence and is aligned to the sports development plan agreed as part of the Partner Agreement; and

2.2       In addition, it is recommended that the Council agree to the storing of the facility on this site at a location to be agreed with the Park Manager and that the Director of Property & Projects asked to use his delegated authority to enter into an appropriate licence agreement with the Club for a period not exceeding 6 months. 

3.0       Main Report

3.1       The Council has received a request from East Belfast Football Club to install a hospitality room on council land at Alderman Tommy Patton Park.  A copy of the request, photographs of the structure and an outline of the proposed location is available on modern.gov. 

3.2       The Club currently hold a partner agreement with the Council which is due to end on 1st September 2020, with the option to extend to September 2022.  They play in the Intermediate League of the Northern Amateur Football League.  The Club retains ambitions to progress to higher leagues and within this context it is seeking to enhance the facilities available to the club by seeking consent from the Council to install a temporary building which would allow the club to offer pre and post-match hospitality.  It is also proposed that the facility could be used to support the programme of activities undertaken as part of the Partner Agreement. 

3.3       The cost of the building, it’s installation including connection of the services and internal fixtures fittings and equipment will be met through the Club, the building itself is being gifted to the Club.  The building will be owned and managed by the club and there will be no contribution from the Council. 

3.4       Council Officers have had a preliminary meeting with representatives from the Club and have advised that planning consent will be required.  This will be sought by or on behalf of the Club. 

3.5       The club had initially suggested that the proposed location of the building would be as indicated.  It has been suggested by Officers that the size of the building (12m x 6m) plus additional security fencing would be a tight fit and would be too close to the soft play area at the rear of the community centre.  The alternative option would appear to be to install the building further to the right on the opposite side of the path visible on the aerial photograph. 

3.6       Section 20 of the Partner Agreement does not permit the ‘Partner’ to install or construct any building, therefore the Club is seeking consent from the Council.  The club has been advised in writing that the terms of the license would require compliance with terms of the Partner Agreement and Council Bye Laws for the site.

3.7       The club is therefore seeking consent from the Council to install a temporary building for hospitality on an area of council land adjacent to the existing main pitch at Alderman Tommy Patton Park and is seeking permission to temporarily store the building on the site, on a location to be agreed with the Park Manager while the necessary approvals are sought. 

            Financial and Resource Implications

3.8       There are no financial implications, although a licence fee will be charged.  

            Equality or Good Relations Implications

3.9       There are no implications.”

            Following a query, the Assistant Director confirmed that there was no other examples of such a ‘hospitality room’ at other Council-owned locations dedicated to hospitality.  She acknowledged that some teams did provided post-match hospitality at some sites but that this did not involve the consumption of alcohol, in compliance with the Council byelaws.   Several of the Members stated that if approval were to be granted they would be concerned that it would set a precedent for other clubs seeking a similar arrangement. 

            A further Member stated that it was his understanding that a decision had been taken in the past that no portable cabins would be allowed at sports facilities unless they were for temporary changing facilities.

            The Assistant Director undertook to clarify the detail of this and to report back to a future meeting.

            A Member expressed concern that the temporary structure had already been moved to the location before approval had been sought.

            Following discussion, on a vote by a show of hands, five Members voted for the recommendation and ten against and it was therefore agreed not to grant permission to East Belfast Football Club to install a temporary hospitality room on Council land. It was also agreed that, given that the portable cabin was already in situ, it be removed from the site as soon as was practically possible.