Agenda item

            The Members of the Committee considered the following report:

 

“1.0     Purpose of Report or Summary of main Issues

 

1.1            To present draft terms of reference for a review of Active Belfast Limited and the current tri-partite governance arrangements.

 

2.0       Recommendations

 

2.1       The Members of the Committee are asked to recommend that, in accordance with the Council decision of 4th May 2021, the Chief Executive exercise her delegated authority to:

 

·        consider the draft terms of reference set out below; along with the comments submitted by the Active Belfast Limited (ABL) Board,

 

·        approve the review timeline set out below; and

 

·        agree that officers proceed with the procurement of an independent consultant to conduct the review.

 

3.0       Main Report

 

            Key Issues

 

3.1       The Strategic Policy and Resources Committee, at its meeting on 20th November, 2020, agreed that a report be submitted to a future meeting setting out the terms of reference for a review of the Council’s governance arrangements, in relation to the delivery of its leisure service.

 

3.2       The Committee noted the motion and agreed that a report be submitted to a future meeting setting out the terms of reference for a review of the ABL board, including its membership and governance arrangements.

 

3.3       Work to progress this action has been significantly delayed by the most recent COVID lockdown, however, officers have now had an opportunity to draft Terms of Reference for consideration.

 

3.4       The draft terms of reference set out below were presented to the ABL board on 9th August 2021 for comment.  Members of the Board were content with the terms of reference, however, they had suggested that the review takes account of the boards own 2020 – 2025 strategy, as well as some of their other strategic development work (i.e. aquatics strategy).  (The minutes of that meeting are being presented separately to the Committee for noting under agenda item 9d.)

 

Draft Terms of Reference

 

3.5       Introduction / Purpose

 

Belfast City Council intends to conduct a review of the tri-partite operating model currently in place to govern the delivery of its leisure service with particular reference to the role, membership and governance arrangements of the Active Belfast Ltd (ABL) board.

 

3.6       Specifically, the objective of the exercise is to:

1      Undertake a review of the overall performance of the ABL Board against the Council’s original objectives.

 

2    Review the ABL governance arrangements including the board’s role in monitoring contract compliance and the performance of the strategic operating partner (GLL).

 

3       Review the level of control delegated to the ABL Board.

 

4       Provide a commentary on the overall status of the partnership and governance, between the three parties to the contract.

 

5    Make recommendations in terms of how governance arrangements could be amended/improved going forward.

 

3.7       It is recommended that the work undertaken will include the following:

 

·          Review the existing tri-partite contractual arrangements.  Any review of contractual arrangements will need to take into consideration input and advice from legal services.

 

·      High level assessment of the ABL governance arrangements including a review of performance.

 

·      Review the membership of the ABL Board.

 

·      Engage with members of the ABL Board for their views – including Council officers, GLL, current Board members and, where possible, previous Board members (up to 3-year period of notification of termination of membership).

 

·      Review the level of added value provided by ABL within the current tri-partite arrangements.

 

·      Consider how contractual and governance arrangements could be improved based on review findings and engagement with Board members.

 

·      Regular progress meetings with, and reports to, the agreed project manager or management team.

 

Presentation of a final report with recommendations to the Committee.

 

Expected Outcomes

 

3.8       Based on the above activities, the following outcomes are expected:

 

·        A report on the membership and governance arrangements of the ABL board.

 

·        An options paper with recommendations for how governance arrangements for the Council’s leisure service should operate in the future.

 

3.9       Proposed Timeline

 

Agree Terms of Reference	CMT Active Belfast Ltd SP and R	June 2021 9th August 2021 20th August 2021
Appointment of independent contractor	CNS	October 2021
Commence review		October/November 2021
Draft report and findings	CMT SP and R Active Belfast Ltd	January/February 2022

 

Communications and Public Relations

 

3.10     None.

 

Financial and Resource Implications

 

3.11     Funding associated with the review will be resourced from within existing revenue estimates.

 

Equality or Good Relations Implications

 

3.12     None.”

 

            The Members of the Committee agreed to recommend that, in accordance with the Council decision of 4th May, the Chief Executive exercise her delegated authority to adopt the recommendations contained within the report.