Policy and Resources Committee 19 August 2005
From Nigov
B115
Policy and Resources Committee
Friday, 19th August, 2005
MEETING OF POLICY AND RESOURCES COMMITTEE
Members present: Councillor Rodway (Deputy Chairman) (in the Chair); the High Sheriff (Councillor D. Browne); and Councillors Atwood, M. Browne, Cobain, Hartley, Jones, Lavery, Maginness, Moore, Newton, O’Reilly, Rodgers, Smyth and Wilson.
In attendance: Mr. P. McNaney, Chief Executive; Mr. T. Salmon, Director of Corporate Services; Mr. L. Steele, Head of Committee and Members’ Services; and Mr. J. Hanna, Senior Committee Administrator.
Apologies
Apologies for inability to attend were reported from the Chairman (Councillor A. Maskey) and Councillors Crozier and McCann.
Minutes
The minutes of the meeting of 24th June, 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 4th July.
City Hall Centenary Celebrations – David Mach Sculpture
(Mr. D. Cartmill, Acting Head of Corporate Services Directorate Support, attended in connection with this item.)
The Committee considered further the minute of the meeting of 24th June under the heading “City Hall Centenary Celebrations – David Mach Sculpture”, agreeing that the decision on the question of the siting of the sculpture be deferred to enable a presentation to be received from the applicants. A copy of the minute in that regard is set out hereunder.
The Committee was advised that the applicants had been invited to attend but had intimated that they would not be represented at the meeting. The Acting Head of Corporate Services Directorate Support explained that there were problems in relation to the raising of match funding for the project and it was unlikely that it would proceed.
After discussion, the Committee noted the problems in relation to the match funding for the project and agreed to affirm its decision of 22nd April that the statute had no relevance to the City of Belfast and was wholly inappropriate for display within the vicinity of the City Hall and accordingly that authority for the siting of the sculpture in the City Hall Grounds be not granted.
Financial Matters
Loan Transactions
The Committee was informed that loan transactions for the quarter ended 30th June, 2005 had been as undernoted:
Loans Raised Mortgages - Government Loans Fund - Lending Funds £761,833 Temporary Loans - Total Loans Raised £761,833 Loans Repaid Mortgages - Government Loans Fund - Lending Funds - Temporary Loans - Total Loans Repaid ___ - Total amount of Loans outstanding at 30 June 2005 £44,407,896 Less Investments and Cash in Bank 23,788,866 Net Debt £20,619,030 Made up of:- Belfast City Council -% - Transferred Services 100.00% £20,619,030 100.00% £20,619,030
Noted.
Grants and Subscriptions – Link News
(Mr. D. Cartmill, Acting Head of Corporate Services Directorate Support, attended in connection with this item.)
The Committee was reminded that, at its meeting on 24th June, it had agreed to defer consideration of a request for financial assistance which had been received from the Co-Editor of Link News in relation to the publication of Link News, a quarterly publication aimed at highlighting Parkinson’s Disease to lay and professional workers and sufferers in Northern Ireland, to enable Council officers to ascertain whether support could be provided by the Health Trusts or whether the Council, while unable to make a financial contribution, could provide support in some other manner.
The Acting Head of Corporate Services Directorate Support reported that further discussions had taken place with the applicant and the following actions had been undertaken:
- the Eastern Health and Social Services Board had provided the applicant with contacts in the North and West Belfast Trust, who had agreed to consider the request for funding;
- the Head of Community and Leisure Services had undertaken to display at Council-owned Community and Leisure Centres publicity/promotional material in relation to Link News; and
- the request for funding in respect of the costs incurred for the publication in so far as they related to the Council area had been resubmitted.
The officer explained that, in view of the additional information which had been received, the Council would have a discretion to make a contribution to defray the costs of publishing and distributing the newsletter under Section 115 of the Local Government Act (Northern Ireland) 1972.
The Committee was advised that a significant number of persons who suffered from Parkinson’s Disease in Northern Ireland resided in the Council area and in pursuit of one of the Council’s key priorities, that is, to create a healthy city, a contribution to Link News might assist in creating a greater understanding of the disease amongst the wider Community.
After discussion, the Committee agreed to provide a one-off payment of £750 towards the ongoing publication of Link News and it was
Resolved – That the aforementioned expenditure be approved under Section 115 of the Local Government Act (Northern Ireland) 1972, it being the opinion of the Committee that the expenditure would be in the interest of, and would bring direct benefit to, the District and the inhabitants of the District, with the Committee being satisfied that the direct benefits so accruing would be commensurate with the payments to be made.
Annual Audit of Accounts
The Committee noted that, in accordance with Section 77 (3) of the Local Government Act (Northern Ireland) 1972, the Chief Local Government Auditor had given notice that, at 11.00 a.m. on Tuesday, 20th September, 2005, he would be holding the annual Audit of the Council’s Accounts for the year ended 31st March, 2005.
Political Processes and Members’ Issues
Members’ Sub-Committee
Resolved – That the minutes of the meeting of the Members’ Sub Committee held on 15th August, copies of which had previously been circulated, be approved and adopted.
Belfast District Policing Partnership
The Committee noted the contents of the minutes of the meetings of the Belfast District Policing Partnership and its Sub-Groups which had been held on 23rd (5) and 28th February, 3rd March and 25th and 28th April.
Drainage Council for Northern Ireland
The Head of Committee and Members' Services reminded the Members that the Council, following the Local Government Elections held on 5th May, had determined through the application of the d’Hondt system of proportionality its representation on a large number of Outside Bodies, and these appointments had been made formally at the Annual Meeting on 26th May. A total of ninety such appointments had been made in this way across a range of organisations. In the months preceding the election every effort had been made to identify all the organisations on which the Council would be offered representation, and choices had been made by the Party Group Leaders on the basis of the information received.
The Head of Committee and Members' Services pointed out that he had now received from the Drainage Council for Northern Ireland a request for the Council to nominate a Member to apply for appointment to that Body. It had not been possible to include the Drainage Council in the original exercise since there had been no guaranteed place on that Body. He stated that the Drainage Council was different from the other organisations which had been considered under the d’Hondt system in that, while ten of the eighteen persons appointed by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to the Board of the Drainage Council would represent Local Councils, there was no guarantee that a representative of Belfast would be appointed, since “appointments are made primarily on merit and ability to make a contribution to the work of the Body”. In the past three Council terms, that is, since 1993, Belfast had not been represented on the Drainage Council. There would be no remuneration made to any persons appointed, although travel allowances to official meetings were payable.
He explained that the role of the Drainage Council was to determine which watercourses should be designated for drainage works at public expense and to consider the Department’s proposals for Drainage and Flood Protection Schemes. Applicants should be able to demonstrate an understanding of the representative role of District Councils in the context of the development of drainage and flood defence systems.
The Head of Committee and Members' Services requested that the Committee consider whether it wished to nominate a representative to make application for appointment to the Drainage Council for Northern Ireland, and if so to determine how that person should be selected. He pointed out, if the Committee felt that a nomination should be made, that the next choice under the system which had been used to determine appointments to Bodies where appointments were guaranteed would have fallen to the Democratic Unionist Party Grouping on the Council. If a new exercise were to be commenced, the first choice would also fall to that Grouping since it was the largest on the Council.
After discussion, the Committee agreed that it would be appropriate to nominate a representative to make application for appointment to the Drainage Council for Northern Ireland, that the determination of the Member be obtained by continuing the original selection process which had been used following the Local Government Elections, that is, by offering the nomination to the Democratic Unionist Party Grouping with the name of the representative to be submitted to the Council at its meeting on 1st September, and authorised the Head of Committee and Members' Services to continue the application of that original process to determine the Party Groupings which would be entitled to appoint nominees to any subsequent invitations of a similar nature which might be received during the current Council term.
Approval of Civic Duty – Service to Commemorate the 60th Anniversary of the Founding of the United Nations
The Committee was advised that Sir Patrick McCormack, M.P., on behalf of the House of Commons, had extended to the Lord Mayor an invitation to attend a service which would be held in St. Paul’s Cathedral, London, on United Nations Day, 24th October, to commemorate the 60th Anniversary of the founding of the United Nations. Her Majesty the Queen and His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh would be in attendance on this special occasion and the Prime Minister and other Party Leaders would also be present. In addition, an invitation had been extended by the Lord Mayor of London, Alderman Michael Savory, for the Lord Mayor to visit the Mansion House and it was hoped that this engagement could be combined with attendance at the service.
Accordingly, the Head of Committee and Members' Services recommended that the Committee approve the attendance at the service of the Lord Mayor and the Chief Executive (or their nominees) and that authority be granted for the payment of the appropriate travelling and subsistence allowances and any incidental expenses incurred in connection therewith.
The Committee adopted the recommendation and granted the authority sought.
Review of Public Administration: Update
The Chief Executive submitted the undernoted report regarding the Council’s current position in relation to the Review of Public Administration.
The Committee noted the information which had been provided and agreed that a special meeting, to which all Members of the Council would be invited, be held at 12.00 noon on Friday, 16th September to formulate the Council’s final response to the Review.
Corporate Strategic Issues
(Mr. M. McCann, Business Support Manager, Chief Executive’s Department, attended in connection with these items.)
Performance Management
Corporate Complaints Procedure 2004/2005
The Committee noted the annual report in relation to the number of complaints which had been received by the Council during the proceeding year.
Consultative Document
The Supply Competition for Domestic Customers
The Committee was informed that a consultation document entitled “The Supply Competition for Domestic Customers” had been received from the Northern Ireland Authority for Energy Regulation. The purpose of the consultation was to seek views on how the Northern Ireland electricity market could be opened to retail competition for domestic households by 1st July, 2007 as required by a European Union Directive.
The Business Support Manager stated that the consultation paper set out two main options and the proposed Council response is set out hereunder:
- Every effort should be made to ensure that the cost of opening the domestic electricity supply to competition is approached in a manner that produces the most benefit for consumers with the least cost;
- Protecting and enhancing consumer choice must be at the forefront of any proposed changes to domestic electricity supply;
- Although not directly related to the EU Directive on domestic electricity supply competition, energy efficiency is an important consideration. Efforts to encourage responsible energy use are welcomed by Belfast City Council. However, the Council is conscious of the need to balance environmental and social implications. The protection of the environment must be balanced with the need to protect the socially disadvantaged. The Council is concerned about the potential impact of a two tier pricing system on large families, for example, or socially disadvantaged groups. More information and further consultation would be required on these issues before changes to the current pricing tariffs are changed.
The Committee approved the proposed response to the consultation document.
Legal Issues
Consultation on Proposed Corporate Manslaughter Bill
(Miss. D. Murtagh, Principal Solicitor, attended in connection with this item.)
The Committee considered the undernoted report in relation to the proposed Corporate Manslaughter Bill.
The Committee noted the contents of the foregoing report.
Good Relations and Equality Issues
(Mrs. H. Francey, Good Relations Manager, attended in connection with these items.)
Good Relations Funding – Grant Applications
The Committee was advised that applications for Good Relations Grant-Aid had been received from fifteen organisations. The applications had been assessed using pre-agreed criteria and a schedule of the requests, together with the recommendations thereon of the Good Relations Steering Panel, is set out below:
| Organisation | Recommendation £ |
|---|---|
| NI Tolerance, Education & Cultural Society | 1,000 |
| Lower Shankill Community Association | 5,000 |
| Red Lead Art | 4,000 |
| Belfast Exposed | 2,500 |
| Belfast Interface Project | 10,000 |
| Spanner in the Works | 1,500 |
| Replay Productions | 3,000 |
| Templemore Family Centre | 3,000 |
| University of Ulster | 5,000 |
| Al-Nisa Association Northern Ireland | 1,000 |
| Ulster-Scots Heritage Council | 1,000 |
| Public Achievement | 7,000 |
| NI Muslim Family Association | Nil |
| Ardoyne/Shankill Health Partnership | Nil |
| Fifes and Drums Historical and Musical Society | Nil |
The Committee adopted the recommendations in respect of the applications for Good Relations funding as set out in the aforementioned schedule.
Good Relations Strategy
The Committee noted a report, copies of which had previously been circulated, in relation to the implementation of the Council’s Good Relations Strategy during the period from 1st April till 30th June, 2005.
Peace-Building Course in the United States of America
The Committee noted a report, copies of which had previously been circulated, which provided details in relation to the attendance of a Good Relations Officer at the ‘Moral Imagination’ peace-building course which had been held in the United States of America from 31st May till 8th June, 2005. (This should be requested under Freedom of Information)
Minority Ethnic Engagement in Political Life
The Committee was advised that the Community Relations Council had requested the Council to host jointly a roundtable discussion on the theme of political engagement by black minority ethnic groups in Northern Ireland. The discussion would be built around an input from an invited guest and it was suggested that the speaker for the event would be Councillor Rotimi Adebari from Portlaoise Town Council, who was a key activist in the minority ethnic community and the trade union sector on issues relating to unemployment and social inclusion. It had been suggested also that the Electoral Commission be invited to participate since they were undertaking currently research on the participation of minority groups in the electoral process in Northern Ireland.
The Good Relations Manager reported that the event, which would be held in the City Hall, would be limited to approximately 35 persons in order to facilitate in-depth discussion and provide an opportunity for full participation. Invitations would be issued to the members of the Good Relations Steering Panel, representatives of the local black and minority ethnic sector and representatives of the Race Equality Units at the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister and the Equality Commission. The event would last approximately two hours and would take place during late Autumn 2005. She pointed out that provision for the incidental costs associated with the event, such as speakers’ expenses and catering had been made within the budget of the Good Relations Unit. The Good Relations Steering Panel had considered the request and had recommended that the Committee approve the hosting of the event.
The Committee adopted the recommendation.
Draft Disability Discrimination (Northern Ireland) Order
The Committee considered the undernoted report in relation to an addendum to the Draft Disability Discrimination (Northern Ireland) Order.
After discussion, the Committee noted the information which had been provided and agreed that a report providing an update on disability access and associated issues in Council-owned properties be submitted to a future meeting of the Committee.
Anti-Poverty Strategy for Northern Ireland - Revised Consultation Document
The Committee was reminded that, at its meeting on 20th August, 2004, it had approved a response to the New Targeting Social Need – The Way Forward: Towards an Anti-Poverty Strategy consultation document.
The Good Relations Manager reported that the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister had issued a revised strategy which was more detailed than the original but still lacked important information on how the strategy would actually be implemented and how targets would be established for the numerous indicators. She pointed out that this phase of the consultation had not been given a particularly high profile and, whilst it was evident that major changes to the document would be unlikely at this stage, it would be worthwhile for the Council to reiterate its previous comments and express dissatisfaction and concern at the lack of inclusion of specific actions and targets and she recommended accordingly.
The Committee adopted the recommendation.
Human Resources Issues
Personnel Sub-Committee
Resolved – That the minutes of the meetings of the Personnel Sub Committee held on 27th June and 11th August, copies of which had previously been circulated, be approved and adopted.
Accommodation and Hospitality
Requests for the Use of Accommodation in the City Hall and the Provision of Civic Hospitality
The Committee was advised that a number of requests for the use of accommodation in the City Hall and the provision of civic hospitality had been received from various Bodies. A schedule of the applications, together with an indication as to whether they fell within the criteria approved by the Committee and the recommendations thereon of the Head of Committee and Members' Services, is set out below.
The Committee adopted the recommendations contained within the schedule submitted.
Civic Buildings and Property Care
Use of the City Hall for Celebrate Belfast Events
(Mr. D. Cartmill, Acting Head of Corporate Services Directorate Support, attended in connection with this item.)
The Committee considered a report in relation to the staging in the City Hall of Celebrate Belfast events. A copy of the report, with the exception of the appendix referred to therein, is set out below.
The Committee agreed to delegate authority to the Celebrate Belfast Member/Officer Working Group to determine up to twelve projects to be accommodated during the fifteen month programme of events and agreed further, given the timescale involved, to approve the request which had been submitted by the Bruiser Theatre Company.
Creative Industry Showcase – Use of City Hall by Artist
The Committee was advised that the Economic Development Sub-Committee, at its meeting on 3rd August, had been reminded that a Creative Industry Showcase would be held in Boston and New York during November. During the Showcase, a local artist, Ms. Nicola Russell, intended, on behalf of the people of Belfast, to present to the Mayor of New York one of her paintings. She had requested that the Council endorse the presentation and, in addition, had indicated that she would like to spend one week in the Reception Area within the City Hall working on the painting. The Sub-Committee had agreed to endorse the presentation of the painting and had recommended that the Policy and Resources Committee permit Ms. Russell to spend one week in the Reception Area of the City Hall as requested.
The Committee granted the permission sought.
Chairman
