Agenda item

The Committee was reminded that, in April 2022, it had received an update on the emerging findings and recommendations following the Phase 1 of the ‘Belfast Agenda: Continuing the Conversation’ engagement process which would inform the refresh and focus of the Belfast Agenda (BA) for the period 2022-2026.

            It was reported that, since its launch in 2017, the Belfast Agenda had been a city leadership document, coalescing partners beyond the core legislative requirements of community planning with a focus on addressing key city challenges. The approach adopted had enhanced the relationship between the public, voluntary and community private sector to drive forward real change addressing inequalities and improve quality of live within and across the city.

            The refreshed Belfast Agenda would maintain the same level of ambition and collective leadership commitment to deliver the long-term vision and outcomes previously agreed. It would be delivery and outcome focused and would be positioned as a City Strategy which would identify the major transformational programmes and investment opportunities for the city. Community Planning Priority Actions Work continued with community planning partners and wider stakeholders to unpack and understand the scope of the agreed priority areas for focus over the next four years, Underpinning and composite delivery action plans were being co-designed and agreed with partners. A core set of guiding principles had been applied in developing the action plans to test and identify the most appropriate interventions to delivery greatest impact. These included:

·        Adding clear value: The Council could achieve significant gains by collaborating across its partnership and sectors in a way it could not through its existing single agency or thematic ‘business as usual’.

·        Impact for Belfast’s people, place, economy: The work the Council delivered together would be felt in practical ways by individuals, families, communities, residents and businesses in Belfast, delivering tangible outcomes.

·        With Belfast’s Communities: The work the Council do would fully engage Belfast’s residents, communities and businesses, building on their strengths and ensuring their voice was central to planning and delivery. The Council would work ‘with and alongside’ its communities, not ‘To or For’ them.

·        Intelligence led priorities and action: The Council would focus its collaboration on the things that data, evidence and community insights tell them matter most to Belfast and it would deliver together in ways that evidence tells them would make a real difference.

·        Resourcing: Delivery would require joint resourcing and effort, (i.e. staff time, services or investment). Should be a leadership commitment to jointly resource the initiative.

            It was reported that the draft emerging action plans remained live documents and would be subject to further discussions and refinement with Members and wider stakeholders as set out in the report.

            It was reported that Phase Two Engagement events that had been arranged for September, had now been rescheduled to take place throughout October and into November, with a greater focus, discussion and input around the strategic intent and scope of the priority areas, how success would be measured in terms of stretch goals and the high-level delivery action plans.

            The following events were proposed and would be publicised online, via the VCSE panel network and via posters in local community-based assets and facilities:

            In addition, two online and facilitated engagement sessions would be organised for those that were not able to make the above events or would feel more comfortable attending an online session. A business and development workshop had also been arranged to take place on 27th October at Queen’s University, together with the continued use of a range of engagement tools, including Your Say Belfast platform, to extend the reach and enable people to input into the process.

            An independent facilitator was also being procured to help host the engagement events and to prepare an independent report with an analysis of the main issues raised during the sessions and how this was reflected in the refreshed Belfast Agenda and action plans.

            Feedback from the phase 2 engagement would be reflected in the draft strategy document and action plans. These would be brought through the Community Planning Partnership, established CPP Delivery Boards and relevant Council Committees for consideration and approval in advance of being published for a 12-week formal consultation period. It was highlighted that an easy read version would also be created to help make the document more accessible.

            The Committee:

·        Noted the progress of the development of the refreshed Belfast Agenda and supporting four-year Delivery Action Plans as set out in the report;

·        Note the update around Phase 2 engagement, which had been endorsed by the Community Planning Partnership; and

·        Noted the timeline for progressing the revised Belfast Agenda to public consultation.