Agenda item

            The Committee considered the following report:

“1.0     Purpose of Report or Summary of Main Issues

1.1       This report provides an update for Members on the publication of a Belfast Agenda Statement of Progress in November 2019, which is a legislative monitoring requirement for the Council and its community planning partners.

2.0       Recommendations

2.1       The Committee is asked to:

a)          note the statutory requirement for the Council and its community planning partners to publish a Statement of Progress in November 2019;

b)          note the proposed content of the statement of progress, which is in line with legislative guidance provided by DfC; and

c)          note the proposed timeline associated with the publication of the Statement of Progress.

3.0       Main Report

Key Issues

3.1       The Belfast Agenda, the city’s first community plan, was published in November 2017 and was led by the Council, in partnership with its community planning partner organisations. It is a long term framework outlining how the Council and its community planning partners will work collaboratively to deliver an ambitious and inclusive vision that will create a better quality of life for all citizens in Belfast.

3.2       The Local Government Act (NI) 2014 requires the Council and its community planning partners to make arrangements to monitor progress against meeting the objectives of the Belfast Agenda and the effectiveness of the actions taken in aiming to achieve these objectives. The legislation also requires the Council to publish a statement of progress on progress towards the outcomes and actions taken every two years, with the first statement of progress due for publication in November 2019.

3.3       The statement of progress, therefore, provides an opportunity for the Council and its community planning partners to update the public on the actions that have been taken, or are ongoing, and to demonstrate the impact that these actions are having on the achievement of the outcomes outlined in the Belfast Agenda.  It also provides an opportunity to take stock in terms of embedding the partnership and collaborative arrangements and our focus and approach going forward.

3.4       The key elements of the statement of progress will include a restatement of the vision, a short narrative provided on what our long-term outcomes are trying to achieve and why they are important; recent available data for our population indicators; and an update on the collaborative actions being progressed among partners.

3.5       The document will also highlight good news stories, noteworthy achievements and good practice, which have led to sustainable change and improvement, particularly where there has been collaboration, engagement and innovative working.

Reporting against Action Plans

3.6       Detailed action plans have been developed in collaboration with city partners to deliver against the commitments outlined in the Belfast Agenda within the context of the 4 priority areas. A detailed update will be provided to Members in September, however, an outline of the main areas of activity underway across each area is summarised below:

·             Living Here

Key areas of collaborative activity underway include, for example, the development of an integrated approach to address health inequalities within the city with a specific focus on helping to alleviate  the significant societal challenges linked to Alcohol, Drugs and Mental Health  - lead by the Public Health Agency and BHSC Trust; Development of an inter-agency and coordinated approach to reducing preventable deaths related to cold weather within the city – lead by the BHSC Board; Working with Department for Communities, Northern Ireland Housing Executive and city partners to deliver series of interventions and plan of activity to help support delivery of the housing and population growth ambitions set out within the Belfast Agenda; Development of an inter-agency approach to early intervention and improving outcomes for children and young people – working closely with the Children and Young People’s Strategic Partnership and Belfast Area Outcomes Group; Development of an integrated approach to neighbourhood regeneration and area working alongside community planning partners and city stakeholders.  

·             Working and Learning

Key areas of collaborative activity underway include for example, the development of ‘Belfast Works’ Integrated Employability and Skills pathway, which better links residents to employment opportunities and supports individuals to enter, sustain and progress in employment -led by the Council with support from wider partners including Belfast Metropolitan College, Department for Communities, Department for the Economy, Invest NI, Queens University Belfast, Ulster University, Belfast Health Trust, Urban Villages and business sector representatives;Development of an integrated approach to address educational inequalities/underachievement within the city with a focus an individual’s journey through nurs0ery, primary, post primary and further and higher education - the Education Authority is leading on this work programme alongside the Department for Education, CVS organisations, Queens University Belfast, Ulster University, St Mary’s University College, Stranmillis University College, Urban Villages and other CPP partners.

·             City Development

Key areas of collaborative activity underway include, for example, developing, in partnership with the Department of Infrastructure and other key partners, a Belfast Infrastructure Study which will bring forward specific proposals for enhancing and future sustainability of the city’s urban infrastructure which is critical in unlocking and driving future economic growth across the city; Continued work on the production of the Belfast City Local Development Plan 2035, which will set out a clear vision for how Belfast should look in the future; Continued focused on the delivery of the Belfast Regeneration and Investment Strategy and working with city partners to deliver transformational regeneration schemes including the City Centre Revitalisation Programme; Promoting and enhancing the city’s competitiveness and attracting investment through specific targeted programmes including the delivery of a shared Belfast city promotional brand and participation in major events to showcase to an international audience the investment opportunities within the city and position Belfast as a key investment location.

·             Growing the Economy

Key areas of collaborative activity underway include for example, the development of an enterprise framework which will inform a city-wide approach to addressing the key challenges associated with starting and growing a business in Belfast; Increasing the level of enterprise helps diversify the economy and provide improved routes to opportunity to those who are disadvantaged; Development of a Resilience Strategy; Developing the city’s cultural and tourism infrastructure and offering and positioning the Belfast as a destination of choice; Development and implementation of an ‘Inclusive Growth Strategy’ and call to action for CPP partners to support the creation of an inclusive city.

3.7       Work is already underway in collaboration with action leads / key partners to measure progress on Belfast Agenda commitments through monitoring report cards. The statement of progress will provide an update, where possible, on each action that has been completed/commenced from the respective action plan. A more detailed update on activity, outlined in the Belfast Agenda, will be brought to September Strategic Policy and Resourceds Committee.

3.8       Common across all council areas, community planning is at an early stage of development. A key focus up to now has been the formal establishment the Community Planning Partnerships and building relationships, working with partners to define the specific programmes of work, alongside putting in place the infrastructure and support required to enable collaborative action/delivery. Whilst the statement of progress will outline this journey, it will also set out the good progress has been made in many areas and evidence of success.

3.9       Timeline for the publication of the Statement of Progress

3.10     Effective communication activity will be central to maximising awareness of the statement of progress and officers are working with corporate communications both in relation to the design, development, publication and circulation of the document e.g. press release, social media activity, website etc. It is envisaged that the publication of the statement of progress and associated publicity will also provide a platform for re-engaging with citizens and stakeholders during 2020 as the Community Planning Partnership prepares for the 1^st 4-year review of the Belfast Agenda (due by November 2021).

Financial and Resource Implications

3.11     There are no additional resource implications as a result of this report. Alignment of resources to the delivery of the Belfast Agenda is part of the ongoing organisational and financial planning processes.

Equality or Good Relations Implications/

Rural Needs Assessment

3.12     The Belfast Agenda has been subject to an Equality Impact Assessment at a strategic level and a Rural Needs impact statement at the time of its publication.”

            The Committee adopted the recommendation.