Minutes:
The Committee was reminded that it had agreed to receive a presentation from representatives of County Antrim Boxing.
Accordingly, Mr. M. Scott, Mr. G Storey MBE, representing County Antrim Boxing, and Mrs. C. McAuley, Ulster Operations Manager, representing the Irish Athletic Boxing Association (IABA), were welcomed to the meeting.
Mr. Scott provided the Members with an overview of the Boxing Strategy 2012-2022 and detailed the many past accomplishments and successes that had been achieved through the strategy. The representative advised that Boxing was now regarded by many as one of Belfast’s most successful sports.
Mr. Storey provided the Committee with his views on the success of the boxing strategy and the need to support it going forward.
The Committee was then provided with an overview of the funding for the strategy and the representatives asked the Council to consider meeting the following funding requests
· further investment of £49k from Belfast City Council to sustain a boxing programme within Belfast until the end of the financial year 2018/19; and
· that the Council reinstate funding, resources and employees back to the previous £200k per year in order to continue with the strategy.
The representatives then addressed a number of questions, during which, a number of Members voiced their support for the boxing strategy and welcomed the achievements made in the sport since its introduction.
At this stage in the proceedings officers then referred the Members to the details contained within the following report:
“1.0 Purpose of Report or Summary of main Issues
1.1 Members will be aware that the Council developed a 10-year Boxing Strategy for Belfast in 2013. The strategy was devised in partnership with the Irish Athletic Boxing Association (IABA), the Ulster Boxing Council (UBC), the County Antrim Boxing Board and Sport NI (SNI).
1.2 The boxing strategy was initially funded for 3 years with a total budget of £600,000. The timing of the delivery of the Strategy resulted in the funding which was due to end in March 2016 extending into a 4th year with the programme ending on the 31st March 2017.
1.3 Funding was requested at the People and Communities Committee in March 2017and they awarded £24k support for support funding. A further request for recurrent funding was considered at the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee in June 2017 in relation to funding of £101,000 each year for the next 3-4 years. The decision was to award £45k in 2017/18 only.
2.0 Recommendations
The Committee is asked to:
· Consider the request from the Board for in year funding of £49k
3.0 Main report
3.1 A request has been accepted for the County Antrim Board to present to People and Communities Committee this month. Subsequent to this request Officers have received a report from the Board requesting further investment of £49k from Belfast City Council to sustain a boxing programme within Belfast. See Appendices 1 and 2.
3.2 The agreed non-recurring financial support for the implementation of the Amateur Boxing Strategy ended on 31st March 2017 and no further recurring provision has been made for 2018/19. Boxing clubs and the governing body are able to access the support that is available to all sporting clubs through the Leisure Development Unit.
3.3 Financial Implications
The request for in year funding of £49k can be provided from within departmental underspends. However, any recurrent funding for subsequent years would have to be considered as part of the rate setting process and there is no recurrent funding provided for in 20181/9 departmental budgets.
3.4 Equality and Good Relations Implications
The strategy was equality screened in line with the Council process.”
Following discussion, the Committee agreed:
· in year funding of £49,000 would be awarded to the County Antrim Board which had been identified from within departmental underspends; and
· the committee agreed ‘in principle’ to support future funding to support the remainder of the Boxing Strategy and deferred consideration to the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee to enable it to be considered as part of the rate setting process.
The Chairperson thanked the representatives and they left the meeting.