Agenda item

            The Chief Executive reminded the Committee that it had held a workshop in February 2018 to focus on its priority areas of work for the year ahead, particularly in relation to Employability and Skills and City Centre Development.  She outlined that the draft Committee Plan had been drawn up to help maximise the Committee’s role in delivering on the ambitions within the Belfast Agenda, namely, that by 2035:

·        our economy would support 46,000 additional jobs;

·        our city was home to 66,000 more people;

·        there would be a 33% reduction in the life expectancy gap between the most and least deprived neighbourhoods; and

·        every young person leaving school would have a destination which would fulfil their potential.

            She explained that the engagement with Members had helped to build officers’ understanding of the key issues to lead to more informed decision-making on how to best allocate the Council’s resources.

            The Committee was advised that, during the workshop, there had been general support from Members for the direction of travel for the city centre and employability and skills programmes of work.  The Chief Executive explained that a number of Members had emphasised the importance of supporting inclusive growth through economic and city development.

            She highlighted to the Committee that many of the programmes and projects were crosscutting and that there were opportunities to maximise the impact by aligning relevant programmes and actions to areas such as the Smart Belfast Framework and city resilience. 

            The Committee considered the following key programmes and activities, aligned to each of the Belfast Agenda priorities, which were included in the draft 2018/19 Committee Plan:

                  “Growing the Economy

-       Support job creation priorities

-       Shape the development of a Council-wide Inclusive Growth Framework and programme of activities

-       Promotion and marketing of the city internationally, including at MIPIM and the launch of a standalone website promoting investment and development in Belfast

-       Launch  ‘Belfast: City for Business’ concept, along with the new concierge service and further develop opportunities for partnership working

-       Continue to develop the city as a tourist destination, including production of an Outline Business Case for a second world-class visitor attraction

-       International Relations - Further develop Belfast’s Sister City Relationships and continue to build on the relationships with the City of London and with Dublin on the economic corridor

                  City Development

-       Deliver a City Centre Liveability Strategy by pursuing opportunities for City Centre Living, working with public and private sector partners to deliver high-quality mixed-tenure residential accommodation

-       Deliver the City Centre Engagement Plan and improve the capacity of residents and groups to engage in the regeneration and development process

-       Secure full planning permission for the development of the Belfast Telegraph site for a scheme targeted at the professional, creative and tech sectors

-       Implement meanwhile use projects in the city centre, and influence the activity of other partners

-       Work with partners to influence key developments in the city e.g. UU campus, Transport Hub, Belfast Streets Ahead, Hope Street, York Street Interchange. Royal Exchange, Sirocco, Queens Quay & Greater Clarendon etc.

-       Work with city stakeholders, including DfI and the private sector, to implement  the Car Parking Strategy and emerging Action Plan

-       Secure approval and progress the East Bank and Inner North West masterplans

-       Incentivise the development of Grade A office accommodation through the City Centre Investment Fund

-       Work with Partners to deliver the proposed Belfast Region City Deal application including project selection & provision of supporting information including the Belfast Region Infrastructure Investment Plan

-       Deliver the Belfast Infrastructure Plan to provide a holistic approach to assessing the critical interventions required to deliver the objectives of the Belfast Agenda & the Local Development Plan.

                  Working and Learning

-       Ramp up and expand the Employment Academies across the city and across sectors

-       Increase engagement and early intervention with schools and with young people, both within and outside of the formal school setting

-       Pilot new approaches to increase engagement and opportunities for reskilling, retraining and apprenticeships for all ages

-       Deliver and further develop the phased approach to the Belfast Employability Pathway (Belfast Workplace)

-       Maximise the job and employment opportunities from planning and major redevelopment in the city

                  Living Here

-       Progress the City Events and Festivals Strategy and deliver the annual events programme

-       Develop and progress the ECoC Legacy Programme 2018-2023

-       Deliver a City Centre Liveability Strategy by pursuing opportunities for City Centre Living, working with public and private sector partners to deliver high-quality mixed-tenure residential accommodation.”

            The Committee agreed the draft Committee Plan 2018/2019.