Agenda item

            The Committee considered the following report:

“1.0      Purpose of Report or Summary of main Issues

1.1       The purpose of this report is to provide a year-end update on the People and Communities Committee Plan 2017/18 outlining key achievements and progress on key actions and milestones.

1.2       The People and Communities Committee Plan 2017/18 was approved by Committee on the 13 June 2017 and a follow up mid-year progress update was agreed by Committee on the 7 November 2017.  The People and Communities Committee Plan 2018/19 was recently approved by Committee on the 8 May 2018 and a final designed version will be circulated to Members following ratification at the June Council meeting.

2.0       Recommendations

2.1               The Committee is asked to;

·        Note the year-end progress against the agreed actions within the Committee Plan.

3.0       Main report

3.1       Committee Plan Update

            Over the last year, a range of strategies, policies, programmes and projects have been developed and implemented, aimed at improving the quality of life at the local level, working with partner organisations and communities to realise the City’s full potential.  Members will be aware that due to the nature of these key pieces of work, they are delivered over a medium to long-term timescale and will continue to feature on the plan until fully implemented.  Lead officers provided progress updates against Committee Plan projects, programmes and activities.

3.2       All our business as usual services are essential for creating  ‘clean, safe and well-resourced communities’, we have over 1400 staff doing the day job picking up bins, sweeping the streets, burying the dead, helping to ensure food hygiene is maintained, helping tenants deal with housing problems, opening up and operating community centre’s and parks.  All of these services contribute to the wellbeing and success of our city making Belfast a great place to live, work, study, visit and do business in.  Members can access an update on some of the key statistics achieved by these services in Section 4.0 of the People and Communities Committee Plan 2018/19. 

3.3       Some key achievements for 2017/18 include:

·        Successfully delivered the (D) PCSP Strategic Plan 2017/18 using an outcomes-based monitoring approach. 

·        Achieved 17 Green Flag Awards – by successfully retaining 15 and 2 additional at Tullycarnet Park and Dunmurry Village.

·        Finalised the final section of the transformative Connswater Community Greenway (CCG), developed and delivered an animation plan to animate the space.  The Greenway has developed a Management Plan and has applied for Green Flag accreditation.

·        Finalised, tested and delivered the social innovation programme framework, across four areas in the city and further pitching workshops are organised for New Lodge and Inner East.

·        As part of the Amateur Boxing Strategy, the 2017/18 action plan was delivered, monitored on a quarterly basis and a new action plan and budget agreed for 2018/19.

·        As part of the Playing Pitches Strategy, 9 out of 10 projects are now complete and when the work at Cherryvale is completed at the end of summer 2018, the £15m investment and 10 projects will be finalised. 

·        Delivered the good relations integrated action plan, including interface work.

·        Worked collaboratively with our partners to pilot crisis de-escalations (C&V and Statutory Sectors) and street triage services (NIAS and PSNI services)

·        Delivered a range of sports development initiatives, including the:

·        Clubmark scheme, with six clubs newly accredited or progressed higher;

·        Everybody Active 2020 Programme, which has exceeded all year-end targets;

·        Support for Sport funding programme; and

·        Belfast Sports Award, with nominations for all categories. 

·        Secured the first round of Peace IV funding, the launch event took place in January 2018 and a bid for remaining allocation was submitted in February 2018.

·        Successfully piloted the 10 - stage volunteer management process.

·        Continuing to develop our council-wide area-based approach and planning framework, with multiple strands of work to be taken forward as part of this work.  In 2018/19 we plan to phase this work by considering integrating service delivery and in 2019/20 we will agree and deliver area plans.  

·        Work on the Departmental Change Programme is well underway – in relation to service integration, structural change and efficiency.  JDs for Tier-4 management structure are in draft form and we are working with HR/ OD on the recruitment process.  An outline business case for the delivery of a corporate approach to customer focus has also been developed.  

·        Together with Property and Projects, we officially opened the £3.8m upgrade of the Tropical Ravine on Wednesday 11 April 2018.  The opening was extensively covered by local media and the reaction to the new building has been overwhelmingly positive.

3.4      Financial & Resource Implications

            The Committee Plan 2017-18 has been developed and delivered in the context of the resources available to Committee. 

3.5       Equality or Good Relations Implications

            Where necessary all projects, programmes and activities contained within the Committee Plan have been subject to equality screening in line with Council’s processes.”

            The Committee noted the update which had been provided.