Agenda item

To consider further the minute of the meeting of 16^th September under the heading “Community Centres – Conditions of Hire” which, at the request of Councillor Crozier, was referred back to the Committee by the Council at its meeting on 1^st October.

            The Committee considered further the minute of the meeting of 16th September under the heading “Community Centres – Conditions of Hire” which had been taken back at the Council meeting on 1st October at the request of Councillor Crozier.  An extract of the minute in this regard is set out hereunder:

      “The Committee noted that the current conditions of hire in respect of directly?managed Community Centres stated that ‘the facility will only be used for the purposes stated in the application and shall not be used for party political or religious activities’ and that this clause appeared to have been based on the prevailing practice in the Leisure Services Department in the mid-1980s.  Following a request from an Elected Member as to whether the ban on religious activity use could be removed from the conditions, advice had been sought from Legal Services.  Essentially this advice indicated that there was nothing within current legislation to prevent the use of Council property for religious activity, so long as there was no breach of Section 76 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998.  It was pointed out that, if this condition in connection with the hiring of Community Centres were to be removed there might be implications for other Council assets.

      The Director informed the Committee that, subsequent to the papers for the meeting having been distributed, the matter had been discussed by the Chief Officers’ Management Team where it had been ascertained that there were inconsistencies across the Council regarding conditions of hire.  Accordingly, the Team had agreed that officers from the Development, Parks and Leisure and Legal Services Departments meet as a matter of urgency to discuss the situation and submit a report to a meeting of the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee.  She requested therefore that the Committee defer consideration of the report to enable the group appointed by the Management Team to investigate conditions of hire across the Council and to submit its report to the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee.

      During discussion in the matter, several Members pointed out that the legal advice indicated clearly that Community Centres could be used for religious purposes and that, therefore, the Committee should agree to amend the conditions of hire for such buildings. 

      Following further discussion, it was

Moved by Councillor Rodgers,

Seconded by Councillor McCausland,

      That, in view of the advice provided by Legal Services, the Committee agrees to amend the conditions of hire for Community Centres to enable religious groups to use such premises, on the understanding that there would be no breach of Section 76 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998.

      On a vote by show of hands six Members voted in favour of the proposal and one against and it was accordingly declared carried.”

            During discussion in the matter, the Community Services Manager informed the Committee that religious organisations could and did use community centres but that the standard conditions of hire did not permit the use of such centres for religious purposes.  She pointed out also that it was a condition of hire that, on health and safety grounds, a member of staff be present when a centre was in use and as religious organisations would probably wish to use the centres out of normal working hours, it might not be possible for all such requests to be accepted.

            After further discussion, the Committee noted the information which had been provided by the Community Services Manager and agreed to affirm its decision of 16th September.