Agenda item

The Committee considered the following report:

 

“1.0      Purpose of Report or Summary of main Issues

 

1.1       At the Council meeting in January 2019 it was agreed to allocate £500k to a summer diversionary and festival programme, this was in context of the Revenue Estimates & District Rate report agreed as part of the rate setting process.  The programme was advertised as an open call and officers have completed the preliminary assessment process.

 

1.2       The purpose of this report is to provide the Committee with the detail of the preliminary assessments undertaken by officers and seek approval to award funding to those groups who have met the minimum standard required to receive funding.

 

2.0       Recommendations

 

2.1       The Committee is asked to:

 

·        Make a recommendation that successful projects are awarded funding, totalling the amounts outlined in Table 1.  Any funding awarded is subject to further engagement with groups and analysis of projects and associated budgets in line with Council due diligence procedures;

·        Work with any unsuccessful groups to support, where appropriate, aspects of their application that can be delivered through the Council led Bonfire and Cultural Expression Programme

 

3.0       Main report

 

3.1       Key Issues

 

            Process

 

            Following approval by Council in January 2019 to deliver a £500,000 Summer Community Festivals Diversionary Programme (£250,000 for July Groups and £250,000 for August Groups), the following process has been followed;

 

·        All applicants submitted an application form by an agreed date;

 

·        Officers undertook due diligence exercise to ensure that only applications that are fully completed and meet the conditions of funding were considered for assessment;

 

·        During the open application process, officers were available to advise groups on the necessary due diligence requirements that must be met to enable groups to be considered suitable for funding;

 

·        Officers have undertaken a preliminary assessment of each application against the agreed criteria (see Appendix 1) and are seeking a recommendation from the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee on proposed successful applications.

 

3.2       July Programme

 

            Five applications for the July programme were received with a total funding requirement of £354,229, (this was reduced to £311,729 following a reduction in the amount requested by the The Hubb. 

 

            One of the applications, Consensus Restorative Justice did not meet the minimum quality standard to receive funding.  It is proposed, that officers will work with this group to offer support in delivering a community festival in the local area in the lead up to the 11 July, through the Council led Bonfire and Cultural Expression Programme.

 

            Table 1 summarises the applications received for the July programme.

 

No	Group / Consortium (Project name)	Overview of project	Request £	Score out of 100	Proposed funding award £
1.	Twadell & Woodvale Residents Association (Woodvale Festival 2019	Delivery of an extensive and varied series of events in Woodvale park and other local venues from 5th – 11th July. These will include a community activity programme and large scale musical events at Woodvale Park on 9, 10, & 11 July	100,000	78	84,386
2.	The Hubb Community Resource Centre (Community Shorefest)	Deliver of a number of diversionary and cultural workshops from 1 June, which will include music and community festival events in the local area in the lead up to and on 11 July	44,000 (original request £86,500)	57	44,000
3.	Greater Village Regeneration Trust (GVRT)	Delivery of a coordinated programme of cultural, family and diversionary events across South Belfast from June until 11 July. This project is being delivered with community partners who are based across south Belfast and work with local communities to address issues at bonfires.	37,229	48	37,229
4.	EastSide partnership (Eastival)	Delivery of cultural, arts and diversionary workshops and programmes during June and July.  The project will also deliver festival and music events at C.S. Lewis Square in the week leading up to 11 July.	100,000	41	84,386
5.	Consensus Restorative Justice	Delivery of workshops with bonfire builders, culminating in a community festival and fun day on the 11July.	30,500	18	0
Total			311,729		250,000

 

            Following initial assessment of applications, officers are proposing the following funding for projects who met the minimum quality standard;

 

1.      Greater Village Regeneration Trust (GVRT) – This was the only application for South Belfast, therefore due to the disproportionate amount requested, £37,229, it is proposed that they receive the full amount;

 

2.      The Hubb Community Resource Centre – Initially, as part of their submission a major headline music festival was proposed to be held on the 31 May to 2 June, the total requested was £86,500.  This has been amended to include a community festival 10 to12 July, with a request for £44,000 in total.  As part of their proposal a number of workshops and diversionary activities will also be held in the lead up to the 11 July.  It is proposed that they receive £44,000.

 

3.      East Side Partnership and Twadell & Woodvale Residents Association – Both applications requested £100,000, it is proposed that, if members agree to 1 and 2 the remaining funding available for July (£168,771) is allocated on a pro rata basis, £84,386 for each project.

 

3.3       August Programme

 

            Three applications were received for the August programme with a total funding request amounting to £250,000. As can be seen from Table 2 below all three applications have been assessed to meet the minimum funding threshold. Officers are proposing that all three applications are allocated the funding requested.

 

No	Group / Consortium (Project name)	Overview of project		Request £		Score out of 100		Proposed funding award £
1.	Feile (Feile August Diversionary Dance Night)	Delivery of a free Dance music event as part of Feile on the 8 August.  It is proposed that this event will be developed in partnership with local community groups across Belfast to provide an alternative event for young people who may otherwise engage in activities associated with 8 August bonfires.		100,000		78		100,000
2.	Feile (South & East Summer Diversionary Intervention Programme)	Delivery of outreach and diversionary work during the summer, in the lead up to the 8 August.  This project will also run a number of festival and community events across South and East Belfast in the lead up to the 8 August.		50,000		55		50,000
3.	Feile (North Belfast Summer Diversionary Intervention Programme)	Delivery of a number of diversionary outreach activities and community and sporting events in the lead up to the 8 August.  This project will also deliver music festivals and community events  in a number of locations in North Belfast.		100,000		52		100,000
Total					250,000				250,000

 

3.4       Future Process

 

            Subject to council approval, an appointed officer will work with each successful applicant to support projects in terms of ensuring all relevant policies and procedures are followed including monitoring and evaluation procedures.  This will include further analysis of the detail of the projects and associated budgets and may result in some changes to proposed programmes of works and if required a reduction in funds awarded to ensure relevant council policies and procedures are followed.

 

3.5       Financial & Resource Implications

 

            Budget is included within this year’s revenue estimates.

 

3.6       Equality or Good Relations Implications/Rural Needs Assessment

 

            This programme is being included as part of an equality screening process for our overall approach to Bonfires.”

 

            After discussion, it was

 

Moved by Councillor Long,

Seconded by the Deputy Lord Mayor (Councillor McDonough-Brown)

 

      That the scoring criteria for the award of funding be set at a level of sixty points or higher and only those applications achieving that score be considered for the funding and accordingly the funding would be awarded to Twadell and Woodvale Residents’ Association and the Feile (Feile August Diversionary Dance Night).

 

            On a vote by show of hands, two members voted for the proposal and twelve against and it was declared lost.

 

Further Proposal

 

            Moved by Councillor Reynolds,

            Seconded by Councillor Craig,

 

      That the Committee agrees to adopt the recommendations in relation to the proposed funding awards.

 

            On a vote by show of hands twelve members voted for the proposal and two against and it was declared carried.