Agenda item

            The Committee considered the following report:

“1.0     Purpose of Report/Summary of Main Issues

1.1       The purpose of this report is to update the Committee on the implementation of the Dual Language Street Sign Policy.

2.0       Recommendation

2.1       It is recommended that the Committee note the update.

3.0       Main Report

3.1       Since 15th July, the Building Control Service has received over 500 requests for street signs in a second language.

3.2       Most of these requests received by email required further information to be sought from the applicant. All have been responded to with a request to provide the missing information to allow for validation to be carried out. Where this information is not provided within four weeks, a further reminder allowing seven days is issued to the applicant. If there is no response these are being closed and the applicant informed. An online application form is now available on the Council’s website to capture all required information for new applications.

3.3       Where multiple applications are received for the same street from different applicants, these will be processed in the order in which they were received.

3.4       The Service has visited the Electoral Office to obtain the details of residents in the first batch of 15 streets in order to validate these applications.

3.5       The first list of Members’ notifications in respect of these applications will be emailed to Members no later than w/c 24th October 2022.

3.6       This Member notification process will replicate the process for notifying members in relation to planning applications that relate to their DEA or within the City Centre. The purpose of the notification is to allow members to raise any potential adverse impacts on equality, good relations or rural needs in relation to the proposed street sign. That representation must be sent to the Director of Planning and Building Control within 21 days of the notification. If either the Elected Member notification or the initial assessment identifies a potential adverse impact on equality, good relations or rural needs the application will be referred to Committee for approval to proceed to survey.

3.7       The process for the initial assessment has been finalised and assessments have been carried out for the first list of streets. This process will initially include officers from Building Control, Good Relations, Equality and Diversity Unit and Legal Services.

3.8       Part of this initial assessment will be to determine if the street falls within the city centre business core, for which additional consultation may be required.

3.9       The next stage is to survey streets, and this will be done in the order the applications were received. There are currently two streets out for survey.

3.10     Timeframes for a final decision in respect of applications will be dependent on a number of factors including the size of any street surveyed, whether the application has to be referred to Committee and current resources as officers prioritise the tasks.

3.11     Approval has been granted for three additional staff to be recruited on a temporary basis who will be focussed on dealing with the applications once recruited and trained. It is hoped these officers will be in post by in December 2022.

            Financial and Resource Implications

3.12     None – additional staff previously approved.

            Equality or Good Relations Implications/Rural Needs Implications

3.13     Equality and good relations issues arising from this report are addressed in the established processes for dealing with applications.”

            The Committee noted the contents of the report.