Agenda item

            The Director of Neighbourhood Services submitted for the Committee’s consideration the following report:

“1.0      Purpose of Report/Summary of Main Issues

1.1       To report to committee on the recently launched Community Recovery Fund (CRF), which the Deputy Prime Minister is making available to support communities impacted by the public disorder that took place between July and August 2024,  including Belfast.  In England this will be issued under section 31 of the Local Government Finance Act 2003, and in Northern Ireland funds will be released to the Department of Finance, to support those communities most affected.

2.0       Recommendation

            The Committee is asked to agree that Officers Develop and Submit an Action Plan on 28th October under the following 4 Themes: -

·        Theme 1 Good Relations Inclusion and Integration

·        Theme 2 Wider University and Lower Ormeau

·        Theme 3 Area Based Initiatives and Programmes

·        Theme 4 Resource Recoupment

            Main Report

3.1       The CRF is allocative and offers a flat rate of £600,000 to each eligible local authority, to be spent before the end of the Financial Year 2024-25.

            Expenditure is eligible under this scheme if it is in response to the violent disorder that took place between July and August 2024 and is on, or in connection with:

a.      Immediate action to safeguard life or property.

b.     To prevent suffering or severe inconvenience.

c.      To reduce the risk of further disorder in the future.

d.     To rebuild social trust and promote cohesion between communities.

3.2       The Fund has deliberately sought to provide local areas with flexibility to design a package that responds to their circumstances. The following are examples of expenditure which may be covered by the grant, though this list is not exhaustive.

3.3       Community and voluntary activity:

·        Projects which build connections between communities. For example, by bringing people together from different groups, including those of different faiths, around a shared goal/objective, such as through volunteering, befriending or mentoring schemes.

·        Events, workshops, or campaign activities to educate on what constitutes a hate crime and supporting victims of hate crime.

·        Projects in schools and universities which help address tensions/unrests, linked to hatred and intolerance, for example guidance for teachers on how to de-escalate tensions and respond neutrally to concerns.

·        Initiatives which help counter or strengthen resilience to mis/disinformation and prevent false and harmful narratives spreading. For example, social media focused ‘critical thinking’ lessons in school.

·        Temporarily increasing safety patrols.

·        Measures to prevent anti-social behavior, crime and reduce reoffending including youth diversionary activities.

·        Destination marketing and funding for the development and promotion of campaigns which encourage people to visit the local area.

·        Campaigns to encourage local pride and to bring people back into the high streets.

·        Campaigns to promote community cohesion and educate on hate crime.

3.4       Immediate clean-up and repair:

·        Repairs to highways, public buildings, street lighting, bus shelters and other street furniture, including fences and railings or removal where repair is insufficient.

·        The costs of works to clear debris which are or may be the cause of danger to the public and the cost of clean-up affected areas, including removal of graffiti.

·        Hire of additional vehicles, plant and machinery that are not those already in use by the authority, and incidental expenses.

3.5       Associated costs with the above activity:

·        Legal, clerical and other charges incurred on any of the above work.

·        Additional temporary employees or contractors, to work on the emergency or replace permanent employees diverted from normal work.

·        Special overtime for employees, either during the emergency for overtime worked on the emergency itself, or afterwards to catch up on work from which they were diverted by the incident.

3.6       The above programmes will be additional to the departments core work, and an Action Plan for the said has to be submitted to the department by 28th October 2024, with delivery by the  31st March 2025, that said this is a considerable investment for Belfast City.  Officers have been in discussions with the relevant department in Westminster and providing programmes are committed Council will have the ability to deliver into the Financial Year 25/26.

3.7       Officers have initially reviewed the fund criteria above and have concluded that there are four main themes an action plan for delivery could be developed: -

·        Theme 1 Good Relations Inclusion and Integration

·        Theme 2 Wider University and Lower Ormeau

·        Theme 3 Area Based Initiatives and Programmes

·        Theme 4 Resource Recoupment

3.8       Officers will submit the draft action plan for 28th October and inform the funder the plan is subject to Belfast Full Council meeting ratification.

            Financial and Resource Implications

3.9       All the budget detailed within the report is at 100%, the biggest implication is that of resource to design, implement, manage and monitor the programmes, however Council will be able to recoup this under Theme 4.

            Equality or Good Relations Implications/Rural Needs Assessment

3.10      All the above aligns with Council’s Good Relations Strategic Framework, which seeks to improve Good Relations between people from different political, religious, and racial backgrounds.”

            The Committee agreed that officers develop and submit an Action Plan on 28th October under the following 4 Themes:

·        Theme 1 Good Relations Inclusion and Integration;

·        Theme 2 Wider University and Lower Ormeau;

·        Theme 3 Area Based Initiatives and Programmes; and

·        Theme 4 Resource Recoupment.