Agenda item

            The Committee considered the following report:

“1.0      Purpose of Report or Summary of main Issues

1.1       The Active Belfast Partnership established a grant scheme in April 2012, utilising pooled resources from the Public Health Agency and Belfast City Council.

1.2       The scheme has been operational now for the past eight years and aims to create opportunities, at local/community level, for individuals to participate in physical activity and promote healthy eating in Belfast in order to help reduce health inequalities. It also raises awareness about the importance of being active and the benefits that stem from regular to moderate activity.

1.3       Staff within the Belfast Health Development Unit promote, administer and monitor the Active Belfast Grants Scheme.  The BHDU is a co-located team of people from BCC, BHSCT and PHA working together to support better health and wellbeing outcomes for the city of Belfast.  The role and function of the BHDU and the staff within it is currently under review and it was agreed during this transition period that where possible workload would be kept at a level to allow for the necessary review and developmental processes to take place.

1.4       With this is mind, and to build capacity and sustainability within the C&V sector to address health inequalities, the option was built in to the previous 19/20 grants process to offer continuation funding where applicants could demonstrate that they were meeting targets and that they could build on their successes/achievements for a further year.

1.5       Furthermore, with all of the changes at a strategic level, dissolution of the Belfast Strategic Partnership, introduction of the Belfast Agenda and associated Boards and the aim to establish a Healthier Belfast Forum – there is a need to review and rejuvenate the Active Belfast Partnership in terms of role and function, membership and priorities going forward.  The three partner organisations (BCC, BHSCT and PHA), have committed to driving forward this process during 20/21 with the view that the Partnership will then be best placed to recommend how physical activity and nutrition-focussed outcomes can be best supported going forward.

            Budget for 2020/2021:

            BCC     £90,000            Active Belfast

            PHA     £90,000            Active Belfast

            PHA     £17,051            Enhancement ‘Nutrition & Healthy Eating’

            Total: £197,051

2.0       Recommendations

2.1       The Committee is asked to:

·        Agree recommendation for current Active Belfast Grant holders to be able to continue their programmes/initiatives subject to meeting review criteria and agreeing a new action plan with relevant leads within the Belfast Health Development Unit (BHDU).

·        Support the reconvening of the Active Belfast Partnership, supported by BHDU, who will have responsibility for defining priority areas and developing a new funding model post 20/21 for consideration (which takes account of, and aligns with, the BCC review of grants and grant processes).

3.0       Main report

3.1       Key Issues

            Members will be aware senior staff from Council, BHSCT and PHA/HSCB have been considering the future of their joint working to address health inequalities in the Belfast area to include reviewing and reaffirming current commitments to the previous Belfast Strategic Partnership (BSP) and the reduction of life inequalities in line with the Belfast Agenda/Community Plan, Making Life Better and a range of forthcoming strategic developments focussing on public health.  

3.2       In relation to Active Belfast specifically, the partners have considered a range of options which have been discussed and agreed at corporate level.  The agreed preferred option involves: 

·        A refresh of the Active Belfast Partnership. 

·        Allocation of continuation funding to current Active Belfast Grant holders (from 2019/20 through now to 2020/21) where targets have been met and outcomes are promising and where the contract holder has indicated that they can build on the initiative (ability to do so was built into the process in 19/20).  This is being proposed for two reasons, to increase capacity and foster sustainability at the local/community level as well as to allow time for development and consideration of a new funding model for future resourcing of physical activity and nutrition focussed work in Belfast.

3.3       History of AB Grants

            The Active Belfast Grants Scheme was created in April 2012 and aimed to create opportunities for individuals to participate in physical activity.  The Parks and Leisure Committee at the time agreed to match fund the Belfast Strategic Partnership/Active Belfast investment (£90k in place from PHA) by agreeing to provide a total of £90k from BCC towards the Active Belfast Grants (this has continued for the past 8 years). 

            The current focus of the Grants is to create opportunities for individuals to participate in physical activity and promote healthy eating in Belfast in order to help reduce health inequalities.

3.5       Rationale for Continuing to Fund Current AB Grant holders

            In 2019/20 the application for the grants included a sustainability question for the first time.

            Question: If further funding was to become available for an additional 3 years, how would you develop/shape the programme? 

            The form stated that there was no guarantee of additional funding however if this could be offered it was made clear that any further funding awarded would be subject to the outcomes and performance of the original contract having been met and/or exceeded.

3.6       During this transition year (2020/21) the three partner organisations and leads within BHDU are proposing to roll over and extend the current contracted Grants, with BHDU staff continuing to monitor on a quarterly basis and continuing to release funding based on positive progress monitoring, this will help sustain, and test out ongoing sustainability and achievement of outcomes, from the previous year (2019/20).

3.7       There may be a few instances where some contracts are not rolled forward or funding amounts are reduced – in this instance any surplus funding (expected to be small) will be considered and allocated by the Active Belfast Partnership – options include enhancing contracts that are performing well and funding of developmental or exploratory work to inform the priorities of the partnership going forward.

3.8       BHDU will direct anyone making enquiries around funding to other potential sources of support such as the BCC Everybody Active grants round which opens in April 2020 as well as other grant opportunities such as those provided by the National Lottery Community Fund – as well as directing them to NICVA as a source of advice re. grants.

3.9       Active Belfast Partnership

            The partnership has not met in over a year, however a meeting date has now been set for the 27th January 2020 for key stakeholders to meet and agree the process for reconvening the partnership and refreshing terms of reference, membership, etc.  It is anticipated that the rejuvenated Active Belfast Partnership will align with the Belfast Agenda/Healthier Belfast Forum (once established) and work closely with Active Belfast Limited to clearly define and guide work to address physical activity and nutrition focussed actions for the City.

3.10      Financial & Resource Implications

            Subject to Council and PHA approval/agreement a minimum of £197,051 (as outlined in the table at 1.0) will remain available to support this work in 20/21, BCC contribution has been included as part of the rates setting process.

            Kim Kensett (PHA) and Grainne McMacken (BHSCT) will continue to lead on this work within the BHDU during the transition year.  Project and business support is also currently available within the BHDU.

            Oversight will continue to be provided by Kelly Gilliland within BCC and David Tumilty within PHA with all stakeholders in the Active Belfast Partnership taking on a more active role as the year progresses and the partnership regains its focus and momentum

3.11      Equality or Good Relations Implications/Rural Needs Assessment

            None.”

            The Committee adopted the recommendations.