Community and Recreation Committee 20 September 2005
From Nigov
C247
Community and Recreation Committee
Tuesday, 20th September, 2005
MEETING OF COMMUNITY AND RECREATION COMMITTEE
Members present: Councillor Stoker (Chairman); the Deputy Lord Mayor (Councillor Convery); and Councillors Adamson, Attwood, M. Browne, Ervine, McCann, McClenaghan, Mullaghan, Ní Chuilín, O’Neill, Stalford and Wilson.
Also attended: The High Sheriff (Councillor D. Browne); and Councillors Moore and Patterson.
In attendance:
- Mr. M. Elder, Director of Community and Recreation;
- Mr. T. Husbands, Managing Director, The Belfast Waterfront and Ulster Halls;
- Mr. P. Lucas, Head of Community and Leisure Services;
- Mr. M. Parkinson, Head of Parks and Cemeteries Services; and
- Miss L. Hillick, Committee Administrator.
Apologies
Apologies for inability to attend were reported from Councillors Campbell, Hendron, Humphrey, McMillen and Rodgers.
Minutes
The minutes of the meeting of 16th August, which had been printed and circulated, were taken as read and signed as correct. It was reported that those minutes had been adopted by the Council at its meeting on 1st September.
Belfast Waterfront and Ulster Halls Board
Lanyon Place Public Realm
In considering the minutes of the meetings of the Belfast Waterfront and Ulster Halls Board of 18th and 31st August, copies of which had previously been circulated, the Committee’s attention was drawn to the minute of 31st August under the heading “Lanyon Place Public Realm”, agreeing to grant to the Managing Director approval for the commissioning of an Economic Appraisal/Feasibility Study to assess the potential for the inclusion of an Exhibition Hall on one or two floors of the Development Site 2 Building on Lanyon Place.
A Member expressed concern that representatives of the Laganside Corporation had intimated that ownership of Lanyon Place would pass to the Lanyon Place Management Company following the dissolution of the Laganside Corporation and suggested that officers within the Community and Recreation Department liaise with the Corporation to ascertain the reasons as to why the ownership of Lanyon Place was not being transferred to the Council.
The Committee agreed to this course of action.
Adoption of Minutes
The minutes of the meetings of the Belfast Waterfront and Ulster Halls Board of 18th and 31st August were thereupon approved and adopted.
Community and Leisure Services Sub-Committee
Advice Services Funding – North Belfast
In considering the minutes of the meeting of the Community and Leisure Services Sub Committee of 6th September, copies of which had previously been circulated, the Committee’s attention was drawn to the minute under the heading “Advice Services Funding – North Belfast”, agreeing that the Belfast Group of Citizens’ Advice Bureaux be offered grant-aid, equivalent to the amount previously recommended by the Sub Committee at its meeting on 7th June, viz., an additional £21,934, and to ensure equity of funding across the City, a proportionate increase in funding be allocated to Advice Services in West Belfast. The Sub-Committee had agreed also that, since there existed the possibility of a legal challenge being issued against the Council in respect of this decision, it would be appropriate if the advice of the Director of Legal Services were to be obtained prior to the minutes of the Sub-Committee being adopted by the principal Committee. Accordingly, the Head of Community and Leisure Services reported that the Director of Legal Services had advised that he could see no difficulty, from a legal perspective, with the decision which had been reached.
The Committee noted the information which had been provided.
Adoption of Minutes
The minutes of the meeting of the Community and Leisure Services Sub Committee of 6th September were thereupon approved and adopted.
Parks and Cemeteries Services Sub-Committee
Facility Management Agreements - Cherryvale Playing Fields
In considering the minutes of the meetings of the Parks and Cemeteries Services Sub-Committee of 31st August and 12th September, copies of which had previously been circulated, the Committee’s attention was drawn to the minute of 12th September under the heading “Facility Management Agreements – Cherryvale Playing Fields”, agreeing not to accede the request which had been received from the Bredagh Athletic Club to make a presentation to the Sub-Committee in connection with its proposals for the facility management of the Cherryvale Playing Fields.
A Member stated that he was of the view that the Club’s proposals in this regard would enhance the existing facilities at the Cherryvale Playing Fields and accordingly, it was
Moved by Councillor McCann, Seconded by Councillor O’Neill and
Resolved – That the Committee agrees to accede to the request which had been received from the Bredagh Gaelic Athletic Club to make a presentation to the Parks and Cemeteries Services Sub-Committee with regard to its proposals for the facility management of the Cherryvale Playing Fields.
Review of Client Contractor Split – Development of a New Management Structure to Support the Parks and Cemeteries Services Section
The Committee’s attention was drawn also to the decision of 12th September under the heading “Review of Client Contractor Split – Development of a New Management Structure to Support the Parks and Cemeteries Services Section”, agreeing to affirm the Sub-Committee’s decision of 9th August, subject to the omission of those decisions in respect of the Bereavement Services and Parks Estates Units, to enable representatives of the GMB Trades Union to attend the Sub-Committee’s next monthly meeting in order to present its views thereon.
The Head of Parks and Cemeteries Services reported that correspondence had been received from representatives of the Northern Ireland Public Service Alliance requesting that it also be afforded the opportunity to attend the next monthly meeting of the Sub-Committee in order to present its views in relation to the Review.
After discussion, the Committee agreed to accede to the request and agreed also that representatives of the Senior Staff Association be invited also to the meeting.
Adoption of Minutes
Subject to the foregoing amendments, the minutes of the meetings of the Parks and Cemeteries Services Sub-Committee of 31st August and 12th September were approved and adopted.
Outreach Worker Symposium
The Committee was reminded that the former Client Services Committee, at its meeting on 7th December, 2004, had agreed that the Council host a workshop in the City Hall in order to consider future outreach work throughout the City.
The Director of Community and Recreation reported that the workshop, which had been held on 21st March, had been organised by the Belfast Education and Library Board and Challenge for Youth, which jointly employed many of the outreach workers who engaged with vulnerable and at risk young people within the City centre. He informed the Committee that funding for many of the outreach posts had ceased, resulting in a threat to jobs and the service which they provided. The Conference report had been due to be launched earlier that day and the authors of the report, Mr. S. Carr, Belfast Education and Library Board and Mr. C. Davies, Challenge for Youth, had requested the opportunity to make a short presentation to the Committee at its meeting on 18th October in relation to the report’s findings and he recommended accordingly.
The Committee adopted the recommendation.
Support for Sport
Request for Funding or Assistance
The Committee was informed that the Support for Sport Working Group, at its meeting on 2nd September, had considered requests for funding or assistance which had been received under the headings of development and hospitality. Information in respect of the Working Group’s recommendations, as indicated hereunder, had previously been circulated.
Development
| Organisation | Amount Requested | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| Dee Street Youth Club | £361 | Provision of support up to a maximum of £211 representing up to 75% of the eligible running costs and £150 in respect of a one off equipment grant |
| Newpark Association | £1,000 | Provision of support of up to a maximum of £1,000 representing up to 75% of the eligible running costs |
| Cliftonville Community Regeneration Forum | £1,000 | Provision of support of up to a maximum of £1,000 representing up to 75% of the eligible running costs |
| Willowfield Temperance Harriers | £1,000 | Provision of support of up to a maximum of £1,000 representing up to 75% of the eligible running costs |
| Zhu Chang Hai International Wushu Association | £528 | Provision of support of up to a maximum of £528 representing up to 75% of the eligible running costs |
| Lamh Dhearg Gaelic Athletic Club | £900 | Provision of support of up to a maximum of £660 representing up to 75% of the eligible running costs |
| Sport and Leisure Football Club | £1,000 | Provision of support of up to a maximum of £1,000 representing up to 75% of the eligible running costs |
Hospitality
| Organisation | Requested | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| Belfast Boat Club Hospitality in the form of a finger buffet for approximately 200 people in the Belfast Boat Club on 3rd December Provision of support of up to a maximum of £1,000 |
Support for Sport Away Day
The Director of Community and Recreation sought the Committee’s approval to hold a Support for Sport Away Day at Malone House on 28th October in order to apprise new Members of the assessment criteria which was applied to support for sport applications and, if necessary, to review the existing criteria.
The Committee granted the approval sought and agreed that attendance thereat be considered an approved duty.
Strategy for Sport Northern Ireland
The Director of Community and Recreation reported that the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure, in partnership with the Sports Council for Northern Ireland, was in the process of developing a Strategy for Sport for Northern Ireland which would establish a vision for sport and the key priorities for the future development of sport within the Province. The Strategy would provide the direction for sport over the next ten years and would provide also a basis for determining the focus for future investment and decision making.
He reported that the Sports Council for Northern Ireland had hosted a Focus Group Session on 14th September, which he had attended with various stakeholders in order to provide the views of District Councils. He stated that he was of the view that there was a need for the Committee to be updated on those facilities which would be developed in the City and their impact on the sports sector. Accordingly, he recommended that the Committee agree to invite representatives from the Sports Council of Northern Ireland, together with Mr. T. Whitehead, Strategic Investment Board, to attend a future meeting in order to provide further information in this regard.
The Committee adopted the recommendation.
Departmental Staff Briefing
The Committee considered the undernoted report in relation to proposals to hold a number of Departmental Staff Briefing Sessions at the Belfast Waterfront Hall.
The Committee granted the approval sought.
Establishment of a Youth Forum
Pursuant to Notice on the Agenda, a Member requested that officers within the Community and Recreation Department be granted authority to investigate the possibility of the establishment of a Forum for the Elderly.
The Committee granted the authority sought.
Chairman
