Agenda item

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

“Relevant Background Information

      The Community Service Section manages 28 Community and Play Centres across the City the operations of which support the development of a Community & Play Centre Committee (CPCC) at each facility. The Constitution of these Committees was agreed by the Community & Leisure Services Sub Committee 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 Centre Committee.

      Appointments to the CCPCs were agreed by the Community & Leisure Services Sub Committee September 2005 and ensured membership of at least one Member of that Committee. However in April 2007 under the Council’s new governance arrangements responsibility for Community Services moved to the Development Committee.  Current appointments on a number of CCPCs does not reflect this change in governance and a number of CCPCs are without Development Committee representation i.e. Ardoyne, Divis, Hammer and Highfield.

      The Development Committee on 15 October 2008 agreed that, whilst current Councillor representation on CCPCs continue to apply, Development Committee Members be afforded an opportunity to seek nomination to additional CCPCs. This process should ensure that a least one Development Committee Member is nominated to the 4 CCPCs without Development representation.  Subsequently, Officers issued correspondence to Development Committee Members with a closing date of 9 January 2009 seeking nominations on this basis.

Key Issues

      Expressions of interest have been received from Members as follows:-

-     Cllr D. Dodds – Duncairn

-     Cllr C. Maskey – North Queen Street

      In addition, a number of Members also responded to indicate that they wish to maintain their current membership of CCPCs.

      Members should note that no nominations have been received to date in relation to Ardoyne, Divis and Highfield which are without Development Committee representation and Hammer, which is without any Councillor representation.  The constitution of the CCPCs requires that if Councillor representation occurs then at least one representative be a Member of the Development Committee.

Resource Implications

      Expenditure in relation to appointments will be met within approved budgets

Recommendation

      It is recommended that:-

1.   Members approve the nomination of Cllr D. Dodds to Duncairn and Cllr C. Maskey to North Queen StreetCCPCs.

2.   Members nominate appointments to Ardoyne, Divis and Highfield as required by the CCPCs constitution.

3.   In respect of Hammer CCPC that Members either:

-     Make an appointment to the Hammer CCPC

-     Agree that the option of a Council appointment to Hammer CCPC is not enacted

Abbreviations

      CPPC     Community and Play Centre Committee”

            After discussion, the Committee:

(i)     approved the nomination of Councillor D. Dodds to Duncairn and Councillor C. Maskey to the North Queen Street Community Centre Committees;

(ii)    approved the nomination of Councillor Lavery to the Ardoyne Community Centre Committee;

(iii)   approved the nomination of Councillor Kyle to Dee Street Community Centre and Avoniel Play Centre Committees;

(iv)   approved the nomination of Councillor Campbell to the Dee Street Community Centre Committee;

(v)    approved the nomination of Councillor Stoker to the Hammer Community Centre Committee; and

(vi)   authorised the Community Development Manager to write to Elected Representatives of the relevant local areas requesting expressions of interest in relation to the membership of the Divis and Highfield Community Centre Committees.