Minutes:
The Committee was reminded that the Equality Impact Assessment (EQIA) on the ‘Belfast City Hall: promoting a good and harmonious environment’ in November 2012, referred to the City Hall and grounds and not just the building. It was underpinned by the principle that the Council should move towards a more balanced and inclusive displays in the City Hall and these should be welcoming, attractive, interesting, representative of the history and heritage of Belfast, and representative of the of the diversity of the City.
In summary the policy aspired to meet the following aim – “To manage Belfast City Hall and its grounds in order to help promote a good and harmonious environment for those who visit and work in the building, while reflecting both the diverse identities of its users and the several functions served by the City Hall, and acknowledging its prominent role in the civic life and history of Belfast.”
The Committee was reminded that, following previous agreement at the Party Group Leaders’ Forum, Redhead Exhibition had been commissioned to undertake a piece of work to provide an historical overview of the current context of the City Hall Grounds, in addition to making suggestions for potential relocation of statues and artefacts located therein. A series of Party Group Briefings and discussions at the Party Group Leaders’ Forum have taken place following receipt of that report.
The Party Group Leaders, at its meeting on 24 January 2019, had discussed a range of proposals which had been put forward in relation to this area and a copy of those proposals are set out hereunder:
“Public Representation Programme
Non-political issues for consideration
· Symmetry in city hall grounds and inside city hall.
· There is presently no budget for this spending and a backlog of requests.
Issues of under-representation
This programme must address issues of under-representation identified in the EQIA and in keeping with existing policies and principles established.
Areas of under-representation are:
· Nationalism.
· Women.
· Minority ethnic communities.
· Working class.
Principles
· Contribution – Individuals identified must have made a clear and long-standing connection to the city and Northern Ireland, contributed to its physical, economic and social development and/or a significant place in history.
· Respect - the present statues are to remain and remain where they are. This is in line with the EQIA.
· Addition – there will be a programme of additions in the area of public statues and representations inside City Hall, in the Grounds, the city centre and beyond the city centre. This is in line with the EQIA and approach taken inside City Hall.
· Inclusion – The total package will contribute to making the city more inclusive and address areas of under-representation.
· Co-funding – opportunities for non-Council funding are to be pursued for permanent statues.
Programme
The Council will commit to a public representation programme that will apply to inside City Hall, City Hall grounds and in public spaces across the city. The following elements will be progressed over the next council term.
This programme takes account of the pressures upon Council finances and therefore spreads it across a number of years to ensure it remains manageable and deliverable through the non-recurring capital expenditure budget and fully explore cofounding opportunities.
No new proposals on the issues of matters covered in this programme are to be accepted during the next Council term.
In any ceremony/launch event there will be due recognition to those councillors who proposed and seconded it (regardless of whether their term has ended or not).
The timings are broadly indicative but the programme must be completed within the next Council term.
The statues, benches and bust will comply with the Council policy of a person must be deceased for more than 5 years before they can be considered for inclusion.
Inside City Hall
Year 1
1. Carson Tile – Commemorative tile in entrance hall floor.
2. Bomb Disposal Squad – Commemorative panels added either side of the Operation Banner window and memorial seat placed in the Cenotaph area. This will provide symmetry in the Cenotaph area for seating. The Operation Banner window would also be adapted to include representations of the Royal Navy and Royal Airforce insignia because of their contribution to it.
Year 2
1. WW1 Units of Irish nationalists – in Rotunda and this included in the Remembrance Day commemorations.
2. Health workers – a stained glass window in the ground floor corridor.
Year 3
1. Minority–Ethnic Communities – a stained glass window in the ground floor corridor.
2. Bust of Tommy Henderson – Former Councillor, High Sheriff and Stormont MP and instrumental figure in Independent Unionism.
City Hall Grounds - Permanent representations
Year 2
1. Inez McCormack Statue – Trade Union Leader, first female Chair of ICTU, Human Rights campaigner. Opportunities for donations will be explored.
Year 4
1. Paddy Devlin Statue – Civil Rights Campaigner, Councillor, Stormont MP and member of the Sunningdale Executive. Opportunities for donations will be explored.
Time Limited installations – Bench Statues with explanatory panel.
These benches would be placed in City Hall grounds for exactly two years and replaced by the next bench in the programme i.e. year 3 replaces year 1. After its display in City Hall grounds for 2 years it must be moved to an appropriate public space in the city.
Year 1
Winifred Carney and her husband George.
Proposed site – Northumberland Street and Falls Road – She owned a shop in Northumberland Street.
Year 2
Grace Bannister – first female Lord Mayor
Proposed site – TBD
Year 3
Robert McAdam – Businessman, Inventor, Folklorist and Gaelic Language Revivalist.
Proposed site – TBD
Year 4
Mary Ann McCracken
Proposed Site – TBD
Additional provisions
Existing statues would have explanatory signage added.
Greater prominence to the Jaffe painting, as recognition of the contribution of the Jewish community to Belfast, through a suitable and prominent ground floor location.
City Centre
Year 1/2
Belfast Blitz Memorial
Proposed site - Buoy Park.
Co-funded between BCC and the NI War Memorial.
Year 2/3
Fire Brigade Union Memorial
Co-funding with FBU, other NI Councils and NI Executive. This will be a statue of a generic firefighter and non-gender specific.
Proposed site - The public space between the law courts (closest site to old fire station).
Year 3/4
Belfast and Ant-Slavery Movement
Celebrate Belfast’s role and opposition to slavery through an appropriate installation in the Rosemary Street area with particular engagement with First Presbyterian Church. This will include recognition of Thomas McCabe (led campaign against a Belfast Slave Company), Olaudah Equiano (former slave who campaigned in Belfast in 1790s), John Whitehead (member of 1st Presbyterian who was enslaved), Frederick Douglass and William Lloyd Garrison (abolitionists who campaigned in Belfast in 1840s).
Potential Site – Rosemary Street area.
Commemorations and the civic programme
This is based on the existing memorials and proposals within this programme.
FBU memorial services – offer of City Hall to facilitate commemoration events at the new statue.
Council workers – Co-organised event by Lord Mayor’s office and Trade Unions to commemorate all those staff who lost their lives. Measures to highlight the commemorative nature of the fountain should be considered.
Bloody Friday – An appropriate civic ceremony of commemoration at the Bloody Friday memorial plaque in the rotunda, based upon a consultation with the Bloody Friday families.
A Day of Reflection – A paper on a ‘Day of Reflection’ for all those who suffered as a result of the Troubles to be brought to SP&R.”
After discussion, it was
Moved by Councillor Beattie,
Seconded by Councillor McAteer,
That the Committee agrees that a statue of Winifred Carney be located in a permanent position in the City Hall grounds.
On a vote by show of hands, seven Members voted for the proposal and twelve against and it was declared lost.
Moved by Councillor Long,
Seconded by Councillor Reynolds,
That the Committee agrees to approve the proposals for the City Hall grounds and the City Hall as set out in the Public Representation Programme paper, subject to the omission of the following: “No new proposals on the issues of matters covered in this programme are to be accepted during the next Council term”; and
That the Committee agrees also to consult with the families as appropriate and a full public consultation process on the proposals would be undertaken.
On a vote by show of hands, thirteen Members voted for the proposal and seven against and it was declared carried.
Adjournment
At this stage of the meeting, the Committee agreed to adjourn for a period of 10 minutes.
(The Committee stood adjourned from 12.43 pm to 12.55 pm)
Supporting documents: