Agenda item

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

“Relevant Background Information

      The Community Services Section manages 28 Community and Play Centres across the City the operations of which support the development of a Community Centre Committee at each facility. The Constitution of these Committees was agreed by the former Community & Leisure Services Sub-Committee in February 1999. The Constitution allows for appointees of the Council ‘from time to time, as it considers appropriate. At least one of these will be a member of the Community & Leisure Services Sub-Committee’ [Section (4)(c) (i)]. Currently 24 Centres operate a Community Centre Committee.

      Appointments to these Community Centre Committees were agreed by the former Community & Leisure Services Sub?Committee in September 2005 and ensured the appointment of at least one Member of that Sub?Committee. In April 2007, however, under the Council’s new governance arrangements, responsibility for Community Services moved to the Development Committee.  Current appointments to a number of Community Centre Committees do not reflect this change and a number are without Development Committee representation. The Hammer Community Centre Committee does not currently have any Member representation. There may also be Members of Development Committee who, subsequent to the change in responsibility, would now wish to take up appointment to Centre Committees.

      Membership is normally valid for the term of office of the Council.  The term of the current Council may be extended beyond 2009 under the Review of Public Administration.

      Community Services are currently reviewing delivery models for Community Centres in order to ensure that the resources of the unit are being used to best effect in achieving the overall vision whilst still meeting the needs of local communities and citizens.  A key element of this review will consider the involvement and responsibility levels of Community Centre Committees in future centre programme design and ratification.

Key Issues

      There are 4 Community Centre Committees whose current membership does not include a representative of the Development Committee:

-     Ardoyne

-     Divis

-     Hammer

-     Highfield

      Members should therefore consider the following options in establishing whether there is a need to adjust Council appointees to Community Centre Committees thus reflecting representation from the Development Committee.

Options:

1.   Current appointments remain in operation for the term of office of this Council. Representation from the Development Committee would not then apply in terms of all Community Centre Committees.

2.   That officers seek declarations of interest from the Development Committee with regard to appointment to those Community Centre Committees where no Development Committee representation exists thus ensuring Development Committee representation in regard to all Community Centre Committees.

3.   That in addition to current representation on Community Centre Committees Members of the Development Committee are afforded an opportunity to seek further nomination to any of the 24 Community Centre Committees. Officers would seek declarations of interest from Members and would ensure that at least one Member is nominated to those Community Centre Committees currently without Development Committee representation.

4.   That fresh nominations are sought in regard to all Community Centre Committees and that Officers seek declarations of interest from all Members of Council. Subsequent appointments would ensure that at least one Member is a representative of the Development Committee.

Resource Implications

      Expenditure in relation to appointments will be met within approved budgets

Recommendations

      Members are asked to agree on which option, if any, as outlined above, the Committee wish to adopt with regard to Development Committee representation on the Community Centre Committees.”

            Following discussion, the Committee agreed to adopt Option 3 contained within the foregoing report.