Council 1 February 2006
From Nigov
MONTHLY MEETING OF BELFAST CITY COUNCIL
Held in the City Hall on Wednesday, 1st February, 2006 at the hour of 6.00 o'clock p.m., pursuant to Notice.
Members present
The Right Honourable the Lord Mayor (Councillor W. Browne) (Chairman); the Deputy Lord Mayor (Councillor Convery); the High Sheriff (Councillor Humphrey); and Councillors Adamson, Attwood, D. Browne, M. Browne, Campbell, Cobain, Crozier, Cunningham, Cush, D. Dodds, Ekin, Empey, Ervine, Hanna, Hendron, Jones, Kelly, Kirkpatrick, Lavery, Maginness, P. Maskey, McCann, McCarthy, McCausland, McClenaghan, McCoubrey, McGimpsey, McKenzie, Mhic Giolla Mhín, Moore, Mullaghan, Newton, Ní Chuilín, O'Neill, O'Reilly, Patterson, Rodgers, Rodway, Smyth, Stalford, Stoker and Wilson.
Reading of Scriptures
In accordance with Standing Order 9, the Lord Mayor read a short passage from the Scriptures.
Summons
The Chief Executive submitted the summons convening the meeting.
Apologies
Apologies for inability to attend were reported from Councillors Austin, N. Dodds, Hartley, Long, A. Maskey and McMillen.
Minutes
Moved by the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor (Councillor W. Browne), Seconded by the Deputy Lord Mayor (Councillor Convery) and
Resolved – That the minutes of the proceedings of the monthly meeting of the Council of 4th January be taken as read and signed as correct.
Change of Membership on Outside Body
The Council was advised that the Sinn Féin Party Grouping had indicated that it wished Councillor Moore to replace Councillor McClenaghan on the membership of the Northern Ireland Local Government Association.
The Council approved the foregoing amendment to its representation on the Northern Ireland Local Government Association for the period to end on the date of the Local Government Elections to be held in May, 2009.
Policy and Resources Committee
Moved by Councillor Rodway, Seconded by Councillor Newton and
Resolved - That the minutes of the proceedings of the Policy and Resources Committee of 9th and 20th January be and they are hereby approved and adopted.
Community and Recreation Committee
Moved by Councillor Stoker, Seconded by Councillor Adamson,
That the minutes of the proceedings of the Community and Recreation Committee of 17th January be and they are hereby approved and adopted.
Request for Matter to be taken Back for further Consideration
Provision of First-Aid Services
The Chairman (Councillor Stoker), at the request of Councillor Stalford and with the consent of the Council, agreed that the minute of the Belfast Waterfront and Ulster Halls Board of 14th December under the heading ”Provision of First-Aid Services”, as adopted by the principal Committee at its meeting on 17th January, be taken back to the Board for further consideration.
Amendment
Moved by Councillor Newton, Seconded by Councillor Stalford,
That the decision of the Community and Recreation Committee of 17th January under the heading “World Rose Convention” be amended to provide that the Council do not authorise the incurring of any expenditure in connection with the event.
After discussion, a division on the matter was demanded. A poll having been taken on the amendment, there voted for it twenty Members, viz., the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor (Councillor W. Browne); the Deputy Lord Mayor (Councillor Convery); the High Sheriff (Councillor Humphrey); and Councillors Attwood, Campbell, Crozier, D. Dodds, Hanna, Kelly, Kirkpatrick, Maginness, McCarthy, McCausland, McKenzie, Mullaghan, Newton, O’Reilly, Patterson, Rodway and Stalford; and against it twenty-two Members, viz., Councillor Adamson, D. Browne, M. Browne, Cunningham, Cush, Ekin, Ervine, Hendron, Jones, Lavery, P. Maskey, McCann, McClenaghan, McCoubrey, McGimpsey, Mhic Giolla Mhín, Moore, Ní Chuilín, O’Neill, Rodgers, Smyth and Stoker.
The amendment was accordingly declared lost.
Adoption of Minutes
The original proposal relevant to the minutes of the Community and Recreation Committee was thereupon put to the meeting and passed in the following form:
That the minutes of the proceedings of the Community and Recreation Committee of 17th January be and they are hereby approved and adopted, subject to the omission of the minute of the Belfast Waterfront and Ulster Halls Board of 14th December under the heading “Provision of First-Aid Services” which, at the request of Councillor Stalford, is taken back to the Board for further consideration.
Development Committee
Moved by Councillor McCausland, Seconded by Councillor Stoker,
That the minutes of the proceedings of the Development Committee of 18th January be and they are hereby approved and adopted.
Requests for Matters to be taken Back for Further Consideration
SS Nomadic
At the request of Councillor D. Dodds, the Chairman (Councillor McCausland), with the consent of the Council, agreed that the minute of the meeting of the Development Committee of 18th January under the heading “SS Nomadic” be taken back to the Committee for further consideration.
Cultural Tourism Visitor Management Plan – Extension to Tender
The Chairman (Councillor McCausland), at the request of Councillor Mullaghan and with the consent of the Council, agreed that the minute of the Tourism and Promotion of Belfast Sub-Committee of 11th January under the heading “Cultural Tourism Visitor Management Plan – Extension to Tender”, as adopted by the principal Committee at its meeting on 18th January, be taken back to the Sub-Committee for further consideration.
Christmas 2005 Post-Event Report
At the request of Councillor McCarthy, the Chairman (Councillor McCausland), with the consent of the Council, agreed that the minute of the Tourism and Promotion of Belfast Sub-Committee of 11th January under the heading “Christmas 2005 Post-Event Report”, as adopted by the principal Committee at its meeting on 18th January, be taken back to the Sub-Committee for further consideration.
Adoption of Minutes
The original proposal relevant to the minutes of the Development Committee was thereupon put to the meeting and passed in the following form:
That the minutes of the proceedings of the Development Committee of 18th January be and they are hereby approved and adopted, subject to:
(i) the omission of the minute of the Development Committee of 18th January under the heading “SS Nomadic” which, at the request of Councillor D. Dodds, is taken back to the Committee for further consideration;
(ii) the omission of the minute of the Tourism and Promotion of Belfast Sub-Committee of 11th January under the heading “Cultural Tourism Visitor Management Plan – Extension to Tender” which, at the request of Councillor Mullaghan is taken back to the Sub-Committee for further consideration; and
(iii) the omission of the minute of the Tourism and Promotion of Belfast Sub-Committee of 11th January under the heading “Christmas 2005 Post-Event Report” which, at the request of Councillor McCarthy is taken back to the Sub-Committee for further consideration.
Health and Environmental Services Committee
Moved by Councillor O’Reilly, Seconded by Councillor O’Neill,
That the minutes of the proceedings of the Health and Environmental Services Committee of 9th and 23rd January be and they are hereby approved and adopted.
Request for Matter of be taken Back for Further Consideration
Revision of Council’s Requirements for Placing Legal Notices in Newspapers in Respect of Applications for Licences and Permits
The Chairman (Councillor O’Reilly), at the request of Councillor Ní Chuilín and with the consent of the Council, agreed that the minute of the Health and Environmental Services Committee of 9th January under the heading “Revision of Council’s Requirements for Placing Legal Notices in Newspapers in Respect of Applications for Licences and Permits” be taken back to the Committee for further consideration.
Amendment
In considering the minute of the meeting of 9th January under the heading “Environmental Health – Response to the Draft Private Tenancies (Northern Ireland) Order 2005”, the Council agreed that the response be strengthened to address the problems associated with unscrupulous landlords charging excessive rents over and above the maximum amount payable under Housing Benefit and the introduction of a provision requiring programmes of cyclical maintenance to be established and adhered to.
Adoption of Minutes
The original proposal relevant to the minutes of the Health and Environmental Services Committee was thereupon put to the meeting and passed in the following form:
That the minutes of the proceedings of the Health and Environmental Services Committee of 9th and 23rd January be and they are hereby approved and adopted subject to:
(i) the omission of the minute of 9th January under the heading “Revision of Council’s Requirements for Placing Legal Notices in Newspapers in Respect of Applications for Licences and Permits” which, at the request of Councillor Ní Chuilín, is taken back to the Committee for further consideration; and
(ii) the amendment of the minutes of 9th January under the heading “Environmental Health – Response to the Draft Private Tenancies (Northern Ireland) Order 2005” to provide that the response be strengthened to address the problems associated with unscrupulous landlords charging excessive rents over and above the maximum amount payable under Housing Benefits and the introduction of a provision requiring programmes of cyclical maintenance be established and adhered to.
Application for the Grant of an Amusement Permit – 348 Woodstock Road
Moved by Councillor O’Reilly, Seconded by Councillor O’Neill and
Resolved – That the Council, in its capacity as Licensing Authority, agrees to grant an application for an Amusement Permit in respect of premises located at 348 Woodstock Road, subject to the conditions set out in the minutes of the Health and Environmental Services Committee of 5th December, 2005.
Town Planning Committee
Moved by Councillor Patterson, Seconded by Councillor O’Neill and
Resolved – That the minutes of the proceedings of the Town Planning Committee of 5th, 13th and 19th January, omitting matters in respect of which the Council has delegated its powers to the Committee, be and they are hereby approved and adopted.
Notices of Motion
Standing Charges on Telephone Bills
In accordance with Notice on the Agenda, Councillor D. Browne proposed:
"That this Council asks BT to drop its standing charge on telephone bills for pensioners. Further that this Council highlights to the Department for Social Development how important the dropping of this standing charge is to the older citizens of Belfast."
The proposal was seconded by Councillor D. Dodds.
After discussion, the Council agreed to adopt the Notice of Motion.
Child Protection Arrangements
In accordance with Notice on the Agenda, Councillor Kelly proposed:
“This Council calls on the Department of the Environment to ensure that standard child protection arrangements and policies are in place throughout Local Government in Northern Ireland. Council further calls on all government departments to establish a legal basis to child protection arrangements in Belfast and Northern Ireland generally, including a duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.”
The proposal was seconded by Councillor Ní Chuilín.
After discussion, the Council agreed to adopt the Notice of Motion.
Education Reforms
In accordance with Notice on the Agenda, Councillor Stalford proposed:
“This Council rejects the education reform proposals outlined by the direct rule Education Minister, Angela Smith, on 6th December, 2005 on the grounds that:
(a) they will reduce parental choice;
(b) they are not reflective of the responses received from various consultation exercises on the issue;
(c) they will not improve standards in schools in the City of Belfast and beyond;
(d) they will result in school admissions policy being determined by postcode;
(e) they will destroy the competitive ethos of grammar schools and will usher in a comprehensive-style system, which has demonstrably failed on the United Kingdom mainland.
Council accordingly resolves to write to the Minister outlining the Council’s opposition to these proposals.”
The proposal was seconded by Councillor D. Dodds.
At the request of the seconder and with the permission of the Council, Councillor Stalford agreed to amend the Notice of Motion by the inclusion of the following words:
“(f) demands that the Minister give proper attention to the education deficit among the school population without destroying all that is good within our education system”.
After discussion, the Motion, as amended, was put to the meeting when twelve Members voted for it and fifteen against and it was accordingly declared lost.
Northern Ireland National Stadium
In accordance with Notice on the Agenda, Councillor Crozier proposed:
“Belfast City Council calls upon the Government to take heed of the views of the Northern Ireland football supporters and many others who believe that the Maze is not a suitable location for the Northern Ireland National Stadium; and further calls on the Secretary of State to follow precedents in other parts of the United Kingdom, most notably the proposed London 2012 Olympic Village, and identify a suitable inner city brownfield site for the National Stadium in Belfast.”
The proposal was seconded by the High Sheriff (Councillor Humphrey).
The proposer, with the permission of the Council, amended the Notice of Motion by the inclusion, after the words “National Stadium” on the fourth line, of the following words “calls upon the Secretary of State to reveal immediately the full business case for the siting of a National Stadium at The Maze, to set out the full costs of the proposal, to indicate how it fits in with wider Government policy in relation to planning, urban regeneration and Targeting Social Need and to facilitate an open and fair debate on the location of a National Stadium” and to the inclusion of the following sentence at the end of the Notice “The Council agrees also to circulate the Motion to other District Councils.”
After discussion, the Motion, as amended, was put to the meeting when a division on the matter was immediately demanded.
A poll having been taken, there voted for the Motion nineteen Members, viz., the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor (Councillor W. Browne); the Deputy Lord Mayor (Councillor Convery); the High Sheriff (Councillor Humphrey); and Councillors Attwood, Crozier, D. Dodds, Hanna, Hendron, Jones, Maginness, McCarthy, McCausland, McKenzie, Mullaghan, Newton, Rodway, Stalford, Stoker and Wilson. No Members voted against the Motion.
The Notice of Motion was accordingly declared carried in the following form:
“Belfast City Council calls upon the Government to take heed of the views of the Northern Ireland football supporters and many others who believe that The Maze is not a suitable location for the Northern Ireland National Stadium; calls upon the Secretary of State to reveal immediately the full business case for the siting of a National Stadium at The Maze, to set out the full costs of the proposal, to indicate how it fits with wider Government policy in relation to planning, urban regeneration and Targeting Social Need and to facilitate an open and fair debate on the location of a National Stadium; and further calls on the Secretary of State to follow precedence in other parts of the United Kingdom most notably the proposed London 2012 Olympic Village, and identify a suitable inner city brownfields site for the National Stadium in Belfast.
The Council agrees also to circulate the Motion to other District Councils.”
Chairman
