Agenda item

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

“1.0      Purpose of Report or Summary of main Issues

1.1       At the meeting of the People and Communities Committee on 4th June 2019, it was agreed that a review be undertaken of the Departments ongoing partnership agreements with a focus on alignment with the Belfast Agenda and value for money.  Included within this review was the partnership agreement with Belfast Healthy Cities, who facilitate the city’s membership of the WHO European Healthy Cities Network.

1.2       Following the decision of Committee, officers have been engaging with Belfast Healthy Cities and its three other core funding partners, to inform and establish a shared review process, taking account of the potential to enhance alignment of the city’s membership to the WHO European Healthy Cities Network, with the ambitions of the Belfast Agenda.

1.3       This report outlines action being taken to review Council’s partnership agreement with Belfast Healthy Cities, providing a timeframe for the completion of the review and subsequent next steps, and asks that Members approve a six month extension to the current partnership agreement with Belfast Healthy Cities, to allow for the completion of the review.

2.0       Recommendations

2.1       The committee is asked to:

·        Note the content of the report;

·        Agree to receive a follow up report outlining the outcomes of the review of Council’s partnership agreement with Belfast Healthy Cities; and

·        Agree to extend the current partnership agreement with Belfast Healthy Cities to 30th September 2020.

3.0       Main report

            Key Issues

3.1       Members approved the completion of an Expression of Interest for Belfast to re-designate as a WHO Healthy City and participate in Phase VII of the WHO European Healthy Cities Network at the meeting of the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee on 17th August 2018.

3.2       Belfast’s membership to the WHO European Healthy Cities Network is facilitated by Belfast Healthy Cities (BHC), an independent partnership organisation, recognised as having charitable status by The Charity Commission for Northern Ireland. Belfast Healthy Cities is governed by a Board of Directors, elected annually and representing the public, university, voluntary and community sectors.

3.3       As part of the partnership agreement with Council in 2019/20, Belfast Healthy Cities have been leading on the development of the city’s application for Phase VII of the WHO European Healthy Cities Network, including undertaking action to satisfy each of the 13 requirements for the city’s membership. It is envisaged the application for Phase VII will be drafted in the coming months and will be brought before Council in early Summer for approval.

3.4       During Phase VI (2015-19) of the WHO European Healthy Cities Network, the local context in Belfast and the region has shifted, most notably with the introduction of Community Planning and a greater emphasis being placed on outcomes.  The city’s Community Planning Partnership is the key strategic partnership for Council in terms of the ambitions of the Belfast Agenda, including reducing the gap in life expectancy between the most and least deprived communities in Belfast.

3.5       The review of Council’s partnership arrangements with Belfast Healthy Cities, is therefore timely in shaping how best the city’s membership for Phase VII of the WHO European Healthy Cities Network is aligned with the ambitions of the Belfast Agenda.

3.6       Council are one of four core funders to Belfast Healthy Cities, along with the Public Health Agency (PHA), Belfast Health and Social Care Trust (BHSCT) and Northern Ireland Housing Executive (NIHE).  Officers have engaged with the other funding organisations to outline the decision of Council and in the spirit of ‘collaborative gain’ as set within the Belfast Agenda, it has been agreed to widen the scope of the review of Council’s partnership agreement with Belfast Healthy Cities, to also include the agreements of the other core funders.

3.7       A collective specification has been agreed by the four core funding organisations of Belfast Healthy Cities and external, independent support has been secured to undertake a collective ‘value for money’ review of partnership agreements with Belfast Healthy Cities, taking account of the direct and indirect benefits brought to the city.

3.8       It is envisaged the review will be completed by late May 2020, with a report brought back to the both the People and Communities Committee and Strategic Policy and Resources Committee in June, outlining the outcome of the review, recommended actions and implementation timescales.

3.9       Members are asked to approve an extension of the current partnership agreement with Belfast Healthy Cities, until 30th September 2020 to allow for the completion of review, submission of the application for Phase VII of the WHO European Healthy Cities Network and to provide an initial period for transition and implementation of the recommendations.

3.10      Financial & Resource Implications

            Extending the current partnership agreement with Belfast Healthy Cities as recommended, will require the ongoing grant aid of £40,647 for six months.  This has been included within the revenue estimates for 2020/21 and does not represent any growth.

3.11      Equality or Good Relations Implications/Rural Needs Assessment

            There are no Equality or Good Relations Implications and no Rural Needs Assessment required for the recommendations outlined above.”

            The Committee adopted the recommendations.