Agenda item

            The Director reminded the Committee that, in 2003, the Department for Social Development had produced a Neighbourhood Renewal Strategy entitled “People and Place”, which aimed to tackle deprivation within the most disadvantaged urban neighbourhoods in Northern Ireland.  As a result, twelve Neighbourhood Renewal Partnerships had been established in Belfast.  She reminded the Committee further that, since 2007, the Development Department’s Strategic Neighbourhood Action Plan Team had been responsible of the co-ordination of neighbourhood renewal for the Council.  Since that date, the Team had provided considerable support to the Partnerships including:

(i)    preparing co-ordinated responses to each of the Neighbourhood Renewal Action Plans.  These had resulted in the Council being identified as having a lead or supporting role in over 500 service delivery actions at a neighbourhood level;

(ii)    creating a neighbourhood renewal database which detailed all of the key actions and implications for the Council;

(iii)   appointing two Neighbourhood Development Officers to co-ordinate the delivery of proposals contained within the Action Plans;

(iv)  securing a commitment to deliver on neighbourhood renewal within the Council’s Corporate Plan; and

(v)   profiling Council service delivery within each Neighbourhood Renewal Area.

            The Director pointed out that the Council acting alone could not deliver on all of the proposals within the Action Plans, since other organisations had been requested to assist in the undertaking of a number of them.  There was, therefore, a need for the Council to work in partnership with a range of organisations in order to ensure that neighbourhood renewal was delivered successfully. 

            She advised the Members that over recent months discussions had been held with the Belfast Regeneration Office on a wide range of issues, including Neighbourhood Renewal, its synergies with the Strategic Neighbourhood Action Plan and the potential to commence a pilot scheme whereby both organisations could deliver services in a more integrated manner and apply the lessons learned to future Action Plans.  Following these discussions, the Belfast Regeneration Office had suggested that the Lenadoon Neighbourhood Renewal Area be considered as a suitable location for a joint pilot scheme to test joined-up activities in the short, medium and long term.  She pointed out that a report on the progress of this project would be presented to a future meeting of the Committee.  She assured the Members that, whilst the work on the Lenadoon Area scheme was being developed, the Council would continue its work on the twelve Neighbourhood Renewal Action Plans.

            Several Members expressed concern at the length of time it had taken for the Department for Social Development to agree to participate in a pilot scheme and expressed the view that one pilot area was insufficient.

            After discussion, the Committee noted the information which had been provided, agreed that the Council officers explore with the Belfast Regeneration Office the use of the Lenadoon Neighbourhood Renewal Area as a potential pilot area for joint working and agreed further that the Belfast Regeneration Office be informed that the Committee wished for more such pilot schemes to be developed as soon as possible.