Agenda item

            The Operational Director, City and Neighbourhood Services, submitted the following report:

“1.0      Purpose of Report or Summary of main Issues

1.1       To advise Committee of progress with the Stadia Community Benefits Initiative (SCBI) for 2023/2024  .

2.0       Recommendations

2.1       The Members of the Committee are asked to  note progress to date

3.0       Main report

3.1       The Council has been undertaking the Leisure Transformation Programme to renew its Leisure facilities across the City. This Programme has been influenced by the Partnership opportunities presented by the NI Executive Stadia Programme.

3.2       The Council, Department for Communities (DfC) and the Irish Football Association (IFA) have recognised the opportunities presented by the Stadia Programme, have committed to work together to maximise these benefits, and have agreed to establish a Stadium Community Benefits Initiative as part of the Belfast Community Benefits Initiative (‘the Project’) to implement and deliver agreed objectives including promoting equality, tackling poverty, and tackling social exclusion within the Belfast area.

3.3       In March 2016 the Council, DfC and IFA signed an agreement which sets out their respective commitments to the project. As other major stadia are developed in Belfast it is anticipated that other sports governing bodies shall become parties to the agreement. At its April 2018 meeting People and Communities committee agreed that Council would work with the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) within the Stadia Community Benefits Initiative and recognised their significant planned investment in Gaelic Games in the city to support their Gaelfast strategy. GAA activities became fully incorporated into the action plan at the start of financial year 2019-2020, with Gaelfast staff imbedded into the governance structure at the Delivery Board and the Policy and Performance Group.

3.4       The agreement is for a period of ten years with financial commitment from Council and IFA in place to the end of March 2026. Delivery is managed through monthly meetings of the Delivery Board, which reports quarterly to the Policy and Performance Board. Financial and performance reports will be presented to Council and other partners’ Boards as necessary.

3.5       The Policy & Performance Group is responsible for agreeing the Benefits Realisation Plan and associated annual targets. Work was undertaken to ensure the end benefits/outcomes are aligned to partners’ strategies. To measure the progress of this the Council and the IFA have developed a range of indicators/intermediate benefits which are monitored through programme delivery:

a.      Number of coaching sessions provided

b.     Number of coaches engaged in delivering coaching

c.      Number of sessions improving club governance

d.     Number of volunteering opportunities

e.      Participation opportunities for under 16s

f.       Female participation rates

g.     Number of people completing skills development programme

h.     Number of sessions for under-represented groups

i.       Number of sessions for school and youth groups

j.       Community group usage of stadia

k.      Number of clubs attaining club-mark

l.       Educational opportunities

m.    o. Number of programmes targeting ASB

n.     q. Improved collaborative working

o.     r. Number of disabled participants

p.     s. Number of older people participating

            The policy and performance group held their meeting on Thursday 9 May 2024 to review performance for 2023/24 and to be updated in terms of the programme for 2024/25

3.6       Following the completion of a baseline assessment in early 2017, workplans are developed each year. The Action Plan for 2024-2025 has been produced by the partners and includes a mixture of sports specific programmes with both National Governing Bodies and collaborative initiatives delivered jointly by both the sporting organisations.

3.7       Performance

            Delivery during 2023/2024 has now been completed and details of the IFA and GAA specific activities are included at appendix (i) and appendix (ii) 

            The programmes and performance indicators for 2024/2025 have been agreed by the Policy and Performance Group.

3.8       Financial Implications

            In accordance with the Council’s obligations under its DfC Funding Agreement for the Olympia Regeneration Project, the Council has committed a sum of £100,000 per annum for a minimum of ten years, so that a minimum of £1,000,000 is contributed in total to the Project.

            In relation to 2023/24 partners reported a full spend in line with programmes delivered.

            The budget spend for 2024/2025 has also been approved by the Policy and Performance Group.

3.8       Equality Impact/Rural Needs Assessment

            There are no additional impacts related to this report.”

            The Committee noted the progress to date.