Agenda item

            The Committee considered the following report:

“1.0      Purpose of Report or Summary of Main Issues

1.1       On 4 September 2018, Ashton in partnership with Lighthouse, Ulster University (UU), Belfast Health and Social Care Trust (BHSCT), Public Health Agency (PHA) and Belfast Healthy Cities (BHC) launched an Appreciative Inquiry (AI) into health and wellbeing in North Belfast.  The event was formally launched by UU Deputy Vice Chancellor Alastair Adair, Belfast City Council (BCC) and the Lord Mayor of Belfast,Councillor Deirdre Hargey.

            This report presents an update on the work of the inquiry and informs members of a request from Ashton for financial support.

2.0       Recommendations

2.1       The Committee is asked to:

·        Note the request to make a match funding contribution of £10,000 to support the work of the Appreciative Inquiry.  This request should be considered in the context of the SP&R Committee decision noted on 23rd November 2018; ‘that no further in year budget reallocations should be considered until the year-end position is presented to Committee in June 2019’.

3.0       Main report

3.1       Key Issues

            Background

            AI is a four-stage process of searching, developing and creating a desired future for an organisation or community, the inquiry underpins a larger Healthy North Belfast (HNB) project.AI was selected as a model for taking the HNB project forward because it seeks to engage stakeholders in self-determined change in a positive holistic focused way with the goal of co-designing and co-producing a transformational plan for North Belfast.

3.2       This AI process is led by a HNB Task Group established on the 8 October 2018 (see Appendix 1). Members are drawn from:

·        Community-based organisations

·        Politicians

·        Public sector departments and agencies

·        Decision makers/senior staff members.

3.3       The purpose of the HNB Task Group is to:

·        Co-produce an imaginative and innovative whole system approach to change aimed at improving health and wellbeing outcomes for people of North Belfast

·        Engage and involve the North Belfast community in a process of positive inquiry that builds on community strengths, assets & resources to change how health and wellbeing is experienced.

·        Involve the community and stakeholders around two key questions: What Works Well and What Can Be Done to Make it Better?

·        Use the Appreciative Inquiry to drive a culture change process at community and agency levels.

·        Collectively make recommendations and help implement decisions emerging as a result of the Appreciative Inquiry process.

3.4       A steering group is in place to guide the process (see Appendix 2), this group is convened before the wider Task Group meetings to coordinate, monitor and report on the progress of Task & Finish Groups. 

3.5       The first task of the Steering group was to conduct a map of current assets, systems and connections.  This work has recently been completed and will be reported to the Task Group at the end of January.

3.6       BCC are represented on both the Task Group and the Steering Group.  It is the intention of Chief Officers to revisit membership to reflect the appointment of the new area manager for North Belfast. 

3.7       The terms of reference states that the inquiry will be delivered over four stages by October 2019 (see below).

3.8       Funding

            Ashton have estimated the total cost of the Inquiry to be £98,500.  To date they have secured £10,000 from the Victims and Survivors Service and a further commitment of £10,000 from the Health and Social Care Board (subject to match funding from other partners).

            Ashton have approached BCC, in its role as a member of the Task Group, to provide £10,000 of match funding.  This match funding is in addition to the in-kind support provided by Senior Officers to support the work of the inquiry.

3.9       Financial & Resource Implications

            There is currently no funding ring-fenced to meet this request.  Members are reminded of the decision noted by SP&R Committee in November 2018 that no further in year budget reallocations should be considered until the year end position is presented to Committee in June 2019.

3.10      Equality Or Good Relations Implications/Rural Needs Assessment

            No implications.”

            After discussion, the Committee:

·        noted the request to make a match-funding contribution of £10,000 to support the work of the Appreciative Inquiry and agreed that this request should be considered in the context of the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee decision of 23^rd November 2018; ‘that no further in year budget reallocations should be considered until the year-end position is presented to Committee in June 2019’ and accordingly agreed that no funding could be made available at this stage; and

·        agreed that a letter be forwarded to the organisation indicating that the request would be considered again in June, subject to funding being available.