Minutes:
The Committee were advised of the details of a number of requests that had been received from organisers seeking to host events in various Belfast park locations during the coming months, including those that had received funding via the Summer Community Diversionary festival fund, as agreed at the May 2022 meeting of the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee.
The Members of the Committee agreed to grant authority to each of the applicants for the following proposed events:
July Programme
· Twaddell and Woodvale Residents Association - Events in Woodvale Park and other local venues from 27th June – 11th July. To include a community cultural activity programme, diversionary youth work and two large scale musical events on 8th and 9th July;
· EastSide Partnership (Eastival) - Programme of music and community events 7th – 9th July. To include a ‘Fifes and Fusion’ event, large-scale community event at the CS Lewis and Ballymacarrett walkway;
· Ballymac Friendship Trust - Urban/ Street Festival 7th – 11th July. To include outreach work, community events live music performances and animation between CS Lewis Square and Pitt Park;
· Charter NI - Youth work, community, cultural, creative art and sporting events 4th – 12th July. To promote heritage, educate on a broader cultural context, and showcase local artists.
· The Hubb Community Resource Centre - Diversionary and Cultural workshops from 27th June – 12th July. To include music and community festival events in Grove Park;
· Greater Village Regeneration Trust (GVRT) over July and August to coordinate a programme of cultural, community and diversionary events. To work with community partners and include trips across South Belfast.
August Programme
· Feile (Feile August Diversionary Dance Night) in Falls Park on the 8th August. To enable the delivery of a free dance music event as part of Feile and ongoing targeted outreach work in partnership with local community groups across Belfast. A community event to also take place in Distillery Street;
· Feile (South and East Summer Diversionary Intervention Programme) community festival along the Lagan Walkway on 6th and 7th August and a music event in St Georges Market. To enable to delivery of outreach and diversionary work during the summer, in the lead up to the 8th August;
· Feile (North Belfast Summer Diversionary Intervention Programme) – To enable to delivery of a number of diversionary outreach activities and community and sporting events (including a boxing event) in the lead up to the 8th August;
· Combat Laser – Cave Hill Country Park – July and August - The organiser to pay the Council an appropriate fee for use of the park. Forest Fitness NI to use a secluded forest area within Cave Hill Country Park with little disruption to other park users.
It was further agreed to delegate authority to the Director of Neighbourhood Services to ensure the following:
· to negotiate a fee where appropriate which recognised the costs to Council and endeavoured to minimise any negative impact on the immediate area and take account of the potential wider benefit to the city economy, in conjunction with the Council’s Commercial Manager; and
· to negotiate satisfactory terms and conditions of use via an appropriate legal agreement to be prepared by the City Solicitor, including managing final booking confirmation dates and flexibility around ‘set up’ and take down’ periods, and booking
amendments, subject to:
o The organisers resolving any operational issues to the Council’s satisfaction;
o Compliance with Coronavirus restrictions in place at the time of the event;
o the organisers meeting all the statutory requirements of the Planning and Building Control Service including the terms and conditions of the Park’s Entertainment Licence
The Members noted that the above recommendations were taken as a pre-policy position, in advance of the Council agreeing a more structure framework and policy for ‘Events’, which was currently being taken forward in conjunction with the Council’s Commercial team.
Supporting documents: