Agenda item

            The Committee considered the following report:

“1.0      Purpose of Report or Summary of main Issues

1.1       Background

            The second phase of the development of the new Olympia Leisure Centre is nearing completion and includes a new entrance road leading from Boucher Road. As part of the project, Officers began a process to name the new entrance road, following a similar processes as that applied to name various elements of the Connswater Community Greenway.

1.2       Stage 1 was an open call for suggestions. There were 170 suggested names collated from 531 entries. 40 suggestions (87 entries) were immediately deemed ineligible for consideration (people suggested are still alive, names were derogatory/nonsensical e.g. ‘the path to the devil’s belly’, or no reason for suggestion given). The 130 remaining suggestions were categorised into a long, available on the Council’s website.

1.3

·        Of the 130 eligible suggestions:

·        9 related to Windsor (288 entries)

·        17 related to Olympia (21 entries)

·        1 related to George Best (21 entries).

1.4       All remaining 93 suggestions (114 entries) were suggested by one or two people each, although there were other clusters of similar suggestions.

1.5       The shortlisting process (stage 1) was carried out by officers from Parks, Leisure Development, Property & Projects and Building Control. The criteria were applied to the long list. The naming guidelines in the Council’s Street Naming and Numbering Policy were also applied. This policy is available on the Council’s website and advises against similar sounding names to ensure clarity particularly for the emergency services), no duplication of existing names, appropriate suffixes etc.

1.6       The following three names were shortlisted by the panel:

·        Olympia Boulevard

·        Boucher Boulevard

·        Legends Way.

1.7       The next stage of the process was to ask the public to vote on the shortlisted names with the final decision on the outcome of voting to be agreed by the People and Communities Committee.

2.0       Recommendations

2.1       The Committee is asked to; 

·        note the process undertaken for naming the new road at Olympia and the issues raised.

·        consider the options outlined and to give direction on the way forward.

3.0       Main report

3.1       Key Issues

            The shortlisted names were presented at the March meeting of the South Area Working Group prior to opening the public vote.

3.2       Elected members for the area raised concerns about the proposed names, promoted a specific name on the list, and made additional suggestions, Elisha Scott and Grace Bannister. Several queries were received from others asking why ‘Windsor Way’ wasn’t selected as it had received the most suggestions.

3.3       The public vote did not commence as officers considered it appropriate to advise Members of these issues and to seek direction on the way forward.

3.4       Members may wish to consider the following options in determining a way forward:

1.      Continue with the public vote on the three shortlisted names with the winner to be recommended to People and Communities Committee.

2.      Add ‘Windsor Way’ to the shortlisted names and proceed to public vote as above.

3.      Extend the short list to include ‘Windsor Way’, ‘Elisha Scott’ and ‘Grace Bannister’; and proceed to public vote as above.

4.      Consider the number of suggestions made at Stage 1 and the clear preference for ‘Windsor Way’ and agree to name the new road accordingly.

3.5       Financial & Resource Implications

            None

3.6       Equality or Good Relations Implications

            None.”

Moved by Councillor Corr Johnson,

Seconded by Councillor Newton,

That the Committee agrees that having considered the number of suggestions made at Stage 1 and the clear preference for ‘Windsor Way’ that it agrees to name the new road ‘Windsor Way’.

Amendment

Moved by Councillor Lyons,

Seconded by Councillor Heading,

      That the Committee agrees to extend the shortlist to include ‘Windsor Way’, ‘Elisha Scott’ and ‘Grace Bannister’ and to proceed to a public vote.

            On a vote by show of hands twelve Members voted for the amendment and six against and it was declared carried. 

            The amendment was thereupon put as the substantive motion, when twelve members voted for and six against and it was declared carried.