Agenda item

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

 

“1.0      Purpose of Report or Summary of Main Issues

 

1.1       The Council’s Physical Programme currently includes over 200 capital projects with investment of £150m+ via a range of internal and external funding streams, together with projects which the Council delivers on behalf of external agencies. The Council’s Capital Programme forms part of the Physical Programme and is a rolling programme of investment which either improves existing Council facilities or provides new facilities. This report includes a review of recently completed and underway physical projects, along with requests for approvals relating to the Capital Programme.

 

2.0       Recommendations

 

2.1       The Committee is asked to:

 

·        Physical Programme Half Year Update - note the overall update on projects that have been completed recently and projects currently under construction at 3.1 to 3.5 below and in Appendix 1; and that the Property & Projects Department is happy to arrange a site visit to any projects that have been completed or are underway.

·        RICS Awards – note that two Council projects recently won prestigious NI RICS Awards  in the Heritage category for Templemore Baths and also for St. Comgall’s in the Refurbishment category and will now go on to compete in the National Finals in London in October.  Approval is sought for the Chair of the SP&R Committee or their nominee along with a senior officer to attend the awards in October.

 

·        Capital Programme –

 

o   HWRCs & Civic Amenity Sites – Containers (Skips and Compactors) – Note that a satisfactory tender return has been received and that the Director of Finance has confirmed that this project is within the affordability limits of the Council and agree that a maximum of £675,000 be allocated.

o   IT Programme – C&NS Case Management Solution – Agree that the project is moved to Stage 3 – Committed and held at Tier 0 – Scheme at Risk pending further development of the project and a satisfactory tender return; and that necessary procurement processes (including the invitation of tenders and/or the use of appropriate ‘framework’ arrangements) be initiated with contract to be awarded on the basis of most economically advantageous tenders received and full commitment to deliver.

 

3.0       Main report

 

            Key Issues

 

3.1       Physical Programme Half Year Update

 

            Members are aware of the scale of the Council’s Physical Programme via a range of internal and external funding streams. Members are advised that the Property & Projects Department is happy to arrange a site visit to any projects that have been completed or are underway. Below is a brief summary of projects completed since February, as well as a sample of projects currently underway.

 

3.2       Awards and recognition

 

            Two of the Council’s recently completed capital projects have been successful at the prestigious Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) Awards held on 21 May – winning in the Heritage category for Templemore Baths and also for St. Comgall’s in the Refurbishment category. The awards recognise and celebrate the most inspirational initiatives and developments across the UK and the projects are going forward as finalists for October’s national awards. Approval is sought for the Chair of the SP&R Committee or their nominee along with a senior officer to attend the awards in October.

 

            In addition, the VOYPIC project delivered by the Council was shortlisted in the Refurbishment category. Templemore Baths and St Joseph’s Church Sailortown were also shortlisted in the Heritage Angel Awards organised by Ulster Architectural Heritage.

 

3.3       Recently completed projects:

 

·        City Hall Statues – Winifred Carney and Mary Ann McCracken – sculptures of both women have been installed in the grounds of Belfast City Hall. Mary Ann McCracken was an abolitionist, social reformer and activist who fought for the rights of women and championed Belfast’s poor, and Winifred Carney was a suffragist, trade unionist and Irish independence activist. The unveilings took place on International Women’s Day in March.

·        Pitt Park – the £1.7 million redevelopment of Dr Pitt Memorial Park is now complete, funded by Urban Villages. The park has created an attractive, safe and accessible area where families, children, and people of all ages can get active, have fun and enjoy the rich heritage of the area.

·        Paisley Park Sportsplex – the improvement project is now complete and included the installation of the 3G pitch, floodlighting and also new changing facilities.Funded by DfC.

·        Belfast Bikes Expansion – new bike stations are now installed at Sandown Road, Drumglass and Glencairn.

·        Playground Improvement Programme – improvements are now complete at Loughside Park and Northlink playgrounds.

·        Bredagh GAC (BIF) – completion of refurbishment of the club’s premises to provide a multi-purpose hall, meeting and IT rooms, kitchen facilities, installation of a new lift, new roof and external improvements.

·        Greater Shankill Community Council (BIF and SOF) – completion of refurbishment of the building including installation of accessible door, lift to all floors, and new shop frontage.

·        LORAG (LIF) – community garden project is complete (see also below for Lockhouse);

·        Somme Cross-Community Memorial (LIF) – completion of environmental improvements at the Garden of Remembrance including installation of a Cairn stone monument;

·        Tullycarnet Outdoor Gym (LIF) – project completed.

·        Holylands Area Improvement Initiatives (LIF) – completion of environmental improvements which included tree planting.

·        Musgrave Car Park – completion of environmental improvements to car park including asphalt surfacing and line marking.

 

3.4       Physical projects underway:

 

·        Neighbourhood Regeneration Fund (NRF): a total of 16 significant scale projects have now progressed to Stage 3 – Delivery stage under the £10m+ NRF Programme. Procurements are well underway for the majority of schemes dependent on the requirements of each scheme. Officer support remains in place for projects at Stage 2.

·        Ballysillan Playing Fields -this is a £7.5m partnership project with DfI’s Living with Water Programme, DfC and Urban Villages. Design and engagement stages have been carried out and Planning permission has been secured. It is anticipated that the contractor will be on site in Autumn.

·        Lagan Gateway Greenway Phase 2 – work continues on the next stages of this major investment of £5m in a new navigation lock, iconic foot and cycle bridge and new path connections. 

·        The Lockhouse - this £2.7m partnership project will reimagine a historic and culturally important residential building along the Lagan towpath into a community focal point for good relations activity and cross-community partnership working including minority ethnic communities. Remaining elements funded by DfC, DfI and Urban Villages. Works underway on site.

·        ABC Trust Health and Leisure Hub – Phase 2 of the project is continuing on site comprising a community café, boxing club, minor halls, community gym and office space. Part of the Urban Villages Initiative.

·        Playground Improvement Programme – New Lodge playground is due to be completed in June.

·        LIF and BIF - a total of 2 projects on site under the BIF Programme, 18 completed to date; and a total of 5 projects are on the ground under the LIF Programme, 127 projects completed to date.

·        Corporate projects – a range of capital IT projects via Digital Services to ensure business continuity including the completion of the e5 Financial Replacement System; and ongoing delivery of Fleet Replacement Programme via City & Neighbourhoods Services.

 

3.5       Physical projects in development:

 

            The remainder of the Physical Programme includes projects in the development stage (Stage 2 – Uncommitted, Stage 1 – Emerging or equivalent) including:

 

·        Capital Programme: Cathedral Gardens, New Crematorium, Belfast Stories, Reservoir Safety Programme, Alleygates Phase 5, LTP Girdwood Indoor Sports Facility, Waste Plan, Relocation of Dunbar Link Cleansing Depot, New Cemetery, Access to the Hills – connections from Cavehill to Black Mountain, Sydenham Greenway, Glencairn Park/Ligoniel Park Greenway, Black Mountain / Upper Whiterock Greenway, Colin Greenway, City Hall – Installation of 2 Stained Glass Windows.

·        A range of other schemes including the remaining LIF, BIF and SOF projects.

     

3.6       Capital Programme - Proposed Movements

 

            Members will be aware that the Council runs a substantial Physical Programme. This includes the rolling Capital Programme – a multimillion regeneration programme of investment across the city which improves existing Council assets or provides new council facilities.

 

3.7       Members have agreed that all capital projects must go through a three-stage process where decisions on which capital projects progress are taken by the Committee. This provides assurance as to the level of financial control and will allow Members to properly consider the opportunity costs of approving one capital project over another capital project. Members are asked to note the following activity on the Capital Programme:

 

Project	Overview	Stage movement
HWRC & CAS Containers	The project involves the replacement of containers (compactors and skips) at HWRCs and Civic Amenity sites in order to maintain service continuity and health & safety standards.	Stage 3 – Committed: Proceed to contractor appointment with a maximum budget of £675,000
IT Programme – C&NS Case Management Solution	This project will replace the existing IT system (APP) for the regulatory management functions, to ensure procurement, legal and GDPR compliance.	Move to Stage 3 - Committed

 

3.8       HWRCs & Civic Amenity Sites - Containers

 

            Members will be aware that the Containers (Skips and Compactors) project was approved at SP&R Committee in October 2023 to move to Stage 3 - Committed project on the Capital Programme. Members agreed that the necessary procurement processes be initiated as required with contracts to be awarded on the basis of most economically advantageous tenders received and full commitment to deliver. Members are asked to note that a satisfactory tender return has now been achieved and it is recommended that a maximum of £675,000 is now allocated to this project. The Director of Finance has confirmed that this is within the affordability limits of the Council.

 

3.9       IT Programme – C&NS Case Management Solution

 

            This project is part of the overall IT Programme and will replace the existing IT system (the Authority Public Protection software case management system or APP) for the regulatory management functions, to ensure procurement, legal and GDPR compliance. The current system has been in place since 2005.  The new system will be a single modern and intuitive system designed to embed mobile technology and digitally transform how CNS plan, manage and monitor service delivery across core units. Members are asked to recommend that the IT Programme - C&NS Case Management Solution project now progresses to Stage 3 – Committed and that it is held at Tier 0 – Scheme at Risk pending further development of the project and a satisfactory tender return. An update will be brought back to Committee at this stage along with the final budget allocation and confirmation that this is within the affordability limits of the Council. Members are asked to agree that necessary procurement processes (including the invitation of tenders and/or the use of appropriate ‘framework’ arrangements) be initiated with contract to be awarded on the basis of most economically advantageous tenders received and full commitment to deliver.

 

3.10      Financial & Resource Implications

 

            Financial – Capital Programme - HWRCs & Civic Amenity Sites – Containers – a maximum of £675,000 is now allocated to this project. The Director of Finance has confirmed that this is within the affordability limits of the Council.

 

            Resources – Officer time to deliver as required

 

3.11      Equality or Good Relations Implications/ Rural Needs Assessment

 

            All capital projects are screened as part of the stage approval process.”

 

            The Committee adopted the recommendations as set out in paragraph 2.0 of the report.