Development Committee 13 June 2007
From Nigov
Development Committee Wednesday, 13th June, 2007
MEETING OF DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
Members present
Councillor M. Browne (Chairman); the Deputy Lord Mayor (Councillor Kelly); and Councillors Attwood, Convery, Ekin, Hartley, Humphrey, P. Maskey, McCarthy, McCausland, Mhic Giolla Mhín and Stoker.
In attendance
- Ms. M. T. McGivern (Director of Development)
- Ms. S. McCay (Head of Economic Initiatives)
- Mr. T. Husbands (Managing Director, the Belfast Waterfront and Ulster Halls)
- Mr. N. Malcolm (Committee Administrator)
Apologies
Apologies for inability to attend were reported from Councillors Cunningham, D. Dodds and Ní Chuilín.
Minutes
The minutes of the meetings of 30th April and 15th, 16th and 23rd May, 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 June.
Welcome
The Chairman welcomed the Members to the first meeting of the Development Committee following the introduction of the Council's new governance arrangements on 4th June.
Day and Time of Future Meetings
In accordance with Notice on the Agenda, the Committee gave consideration to the day and time of its future meetings. After discussion, it was agreed that, where possible, the Committee would meet at 4.30 p.m. on the second Wednesday of each month.
Belfast Waterfront and Ulster Halls Board
The minutes of the meeting of the Belfast Waterfront and Ulster Halls Board of 30th May were approved and adopted.
Change of Membership on the Belfast Local Strategy Partnership
The Committee Administrator reported that notification had been received from the Democratic Unionist Party Grouping that it wished Councillor Rodway to replace Councillor McKenzie as one of its representatives on the Belfast Local Strategy Partnership.
The Committee approved the foregoing alteration to the membership of the Belfast Local Strategy Partnership.
Change Management Process
The Committee considered the undernoted report.
The Director of Development drew the Committee's attention to various aspects of the report. She indicated that it was her intention to submit reports to the August meeting of the Committee regarding the use of delegated authority, the establishment of Working Groups and Councillor representation on various outside bodies.
After discussion, the Committee adopted the recommendations contained within the report and noted the information which had been provided by the Director.
European Unit
Implications of a Review of the Unit
The Committee considered the undernoted report regarding the implications of a review of the European Unit which had been undertaken by a firm of consultants.
During discussion in the matter, the Director indicated that she was keen to make permanent the two fixed-term posts of European Union Officer and, if sufficient funding were obtained, to create a third such post within the Unit.
Following discussion, the Committee noted the contents of the report regarding the review of the European Unit. In addition, the Committee agreed that the two posts of European Unit Officer be created as permanent positions and, should sufficient funding be available, that a third post of European Unit Officer be created, subject to the matter being assessed by the Council's Business Improvement Section.
European Unit Progress
The Committee considered the undernoted report regarding the progress which had been achieved in the previous month by the European Unit.
After discussion, the Committee adopted the recommendations.
Legacy Fund for Cultural Infrastructure in Belfast
The Committee considered the undernoted report regarding the creation of a Legacy Fund for Cultural Infrastructure in the City.
The Director drew the Committee's attention to various aspects of the report and indicated that the impetus for the creation of a Legacy Fund had arisen from requests for financial assistance which the Council had not been able to fund. She pointed out that there was general support for such a scheme from the Party Groupings represented on the Council and that, should the Committee be in favour of creating the Fund, the matter would need to be referred to the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee to enable the necessary finance to be provided.
Following discussion, the Committee agreed that the proposals outlined in the report provided the basis for the creation for a Legacy Fund for Cultural Infrastructure in Belfast and that the matter be referred to the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee for further consideration.
Rolling Programme to Support Innovation in Culture, Arts and Heritage
The Managing Director of the Belfast Waterfront and Ulster Halls informed the Committee that the former Arts Sub-Committee, at its meeting on 4th January, had agreed to the implementation of the Rolling Programme to Support Innovation in Culture, Arts and Heritage during the financial year 2007/2008. He pointed put that the purpose of the Programme was to assist organisations to avail of opportunities for grant-aid which arose during the year, including those which would become available after the closing date for Annual Funding and Multi-Annual Funding applications. Grants awarded through the scheme would range from £250 to £3,000.
He reported that the undernoted applications for funding under the terms of the Programme had been received:
|Organisation |Event |Amount Requested |Recommendation | |The Black Box Trust |The creation of a gallery for new and |£3,000 |Funding of £3,000 | | |emerging visual artists | | | |Green Shoot Productions |The development of a high-quality theatre|£3,000 |Funding of £2,500 | | |programme in the Mount Vernon area | | | |Kabosh Theatre Company |The commissioning of a Jewish playwright |£3,000 |Not to award a grant on this | | |to create a script focusing on historical| |occasion | | |and contemporary experiences of the | | | | |Jewish community in Belfast | | | |Polish Association of Northern |The organisation of a Polish Week in |£3,000 |Not to award a grant on this | |Ireland |Belfast | |occasion | |Tinderbox Theatre Company |To enable Tinderbox to participate in a |£3,000 |Funding of £3,000 | | |major festival in Poland | | |
The Committee adopted the recommendations.
Cathedral Quarter
After discussion, the Committee agreed to defer consideration of a report regarding the development of the Cathedral Quarter and a proposal to create a position of Cathedral Quarter Development Manager which would be funded by the Department for Social Development.when?
Neighbourhood Economic Development Programme - Phase 3 Request
The Committee was advised that the Neighbourhood Economic Development Programme had been introduced by the Council in 2003 in order to promote and support economic development activity in local communities. During Phase 1, £200,000 had been allocated to the Programme and Phase 2, which had been
launched in August, 2005, had made available grants of between £5,000 and £20,000 to enable community organisations to improve employability and economic conditions in areas of need. A total amount of £300,000 had been allocated during the second phase and this had resulted in, inter alia, eighteen persons obtaining full-time employment, the creation of six thousand square feet of workspace in the Shankill area, the levering of £603,665 of funding and the launch of the West Belfast Traders' Association.
She pointed out that to date the Programme had attracted considerable interest from organisations in the social economy and community sectors involved in local economic development throughout Belfast and indicated that, in line with the Council's current Economic Development Strategy, the key themes for Phase 3 of the Neighbourhood Economic Development Programme would include business competitiveness and community economic regeneration. She indicated that grants of between £5,000 and £20,000 would be awarded to non-profit making community neighbourhood groups, together with their associated business partners, to plan, develop and invest in activities which contributed to the economic fabric of their own area. The Programme would be launched officially in September with a closing date for applications in November and letters of offer being issued in December. The Economic Development Unit intended to hold a series of clinics throughout the City which would provide opportunities for representatives of organisations to speak on a one-to-one basis with officers regarding the scheme.
The Committee noted the information provided, agreed that an amount of £200,000 be made available for Phase 3 of the Neighbourhood Economic Development Programme and that a further £5,000 be provided to market and develop the scheme.
Economic Development Unit - Update Report
The Committee considered the undernoted report regarding work being undertaken by the Economic Development Unit.
The Head of Economic Initiatives explained various aspects of the report and answered questions from the Members regarding its contents.
During discussion, a number of Members expressed concern that the Department for Employment and Learning was not providing any financial assistance towards the costs associated with the Jobs Fair to be organised by the Gasworks Employment Matching Service (Gems). Following a suggestion from a Member, the Head of Economic Initiatives undertook to request Gems to provide transport to enable unemployed persons from the outer regions of the City to travel to the Jobs Fair.
After further discussion, the Committee adopted the recommendations contained within the foregoing report.
Belfast City Centre Management
Update Report
The Head of Economic Initiatives advised the Committee that Mr. Billy McGivern had been appointed as the new Chairperson of Belfast City Centre Management. She advised the Committee further that the position of City Centre Manager was vacant currently and that the post of Development Manager within the organisation would become vacant in the near future.
She informed the Members that Belfast City Centre Management had accepted the offer made by the Committee at its meeting on 30th April whereby the Company would be managed in a caretaker capacity by a Council employee or through the Belfast Visitor and Convention Bureau, or a hybrid of both, until 31st March, 2008, the date on which the Council's current funding arrangement with the Company would end. The organisation had agreed to accept the offer for a six month period, with a possibility that it would be extended until 31st March, 2008. During the same period, Belfast City Centre Management intended to undertake a recruitment exercise for the position of City Centre Manager and would be obtaining the necessary funding to meet the costs associated with that position from sources other than the Council.
The Head of Economic Initiatives pointed out that, in accordance with the Committee's decision of 30th April, the contents of the Belfast City Centre Action Plan had been discussed with representatives of Belfast City Centre Management. Following these discussions, the Company and the Belfast Chamber of Commerce had indicated that they were considering undertaking their own research into the key challenges facing the City centre over the next year.
Noted.
Board of Belfast City Centre Management
The Head of Economic Initiatives reminded the Committee that the Chairman and the Deputy Chairman of the former Economic Development Sub-Committee had represented the Council on the Board of Belfast City Centre Management. She pointed out that, given the matters which would be discussed by that organisation in the coming months, it was important for the Council to fill those two positions which had become vacant following the introduction of the new governance arrangements within the Council. Accordingly, she recommended that the Chairman and the Deputy Chairman (or their nominees) be appointed as the Council's representatives on the Board of Belfast City Centre Management.
The Committee adopted the recommendation.
Strategic Neighbourhood Action Programme
The Committee considered the undernoted report.
During a lengthy discussion in the matter, Members enquired as to how the Council intended the Strategic Neighbourhood Action Programme to relate to neighbourhood renewal and community planning and how the Programme would seek to address the problem of poverty within the City.
In response, the Director of Development indicated that the Programme, which was an integral part of the Council's community planning process, aimed to improve the services which the Council provided to communities. She pointed out that a Strategic Neighbourhood Action Programme Steering Group, involving Elected Members, would be established and she encouraged Councillors to participate in the Neighbourhood Panels which would be appointed under the scheme. She informed the Members that she would be submitting to a future meeting a report which would contain further information on how the Programme would be rolled out across the City and that proposals for alleviating poverty within the City would be an important aspect of the Community Services Strategy which would be presented to the Committee later in the year.
Following further discussion, the Committee noted the information which had been provided by the Director and authorised expenditure in the sum of £40,000 in relation to the External Partnership Organisation Research and £20,000 for the first phase of the Communications Action Plan as outlined in the foregoing report.
Community Development Project Grants
The Committee was advised that Community Development Project Grants were awarded to organisations which supported and strengthened local efforts to enhance and improve the quality of life within a neighbourhood or area. The maximum amount which could be awarded under this scheme was £500.
The Director explained the main components of the Grant Scheme and who could apply. She informed the Committee that the maximum amount which could be awarded to a community group under the authority delegated currently to the Director of Development in any one financial year was £500. In previous years, in order to permit applications received under the Christmas Community Chest, which enabled organisations to hold events during the Christmas period for local residents, to be progressed using this delegated authority, the former Community and Leisure Services Sub-Committee had approved the payment of Community Development Project Grants. This was now the responsibility of the Development Committee and it would be necessary therefore for it to approve the payment of grants.
She reported that ninety-eight Project Grants had been received, seventy-seven of which had been recommended for grant-aid and it was proposed that £38,460 be allocated in this regard.
The Committee considered the applications which had been received and agreed with the Director's recommendations as indicated below:
Recommendations for Grant Approval
| |APPLICATION |REQUESTED |RECOMMENDED | | |NO. | | | |NORTH | | | | | | | | | |174 Older Peoples Group |628 |£500 |£500 | |Ainsworth Residents Association |658 |£500 |£500 | |Ardoyne Fleadh Cheoil |591 |£500 |£500 | |Ballysillan Avenue Residents |631 |£500 |£500 | |Benview Community Centre |586 |£500 |£500 | |Cliftonville Comm. Regeneration |717 |£480 |£480 | |Docksiders Senior Mens Group |624 |£480 |£480 | |Donegall Park Avenue Seniors |617 |£500 |£500 | |Donegall Park Avenue Association |719 |£1000 |£500 | |Evergreen Senior Citizens Club |615 |£500 |£500 | |Friends of Clifton House |740 |£500 |£500 | |Glenbank Comm. Association |602 |£500 |£500 | |Harbour Lights Seniors Group |744 |£500 |£500 | |Ligoniel Family Centre |585 |£500 |£500 | |Lower Oldpark Comm. Association |725 |£500 |£500 | |Lower Oldpark Friendship Club |715 |£500 |£500 | |Manor Street/Cliftonville |729 |£500 |£500 | |Mid Skegoneill Comm. Group |730 |£500 |£500 | |Midland Art Club |597 |£500 |£500 | |Midland Senior Citizens |598 |£500 |£500 | |Mountainview Pensioners Association |620 |£500 |£500 | |Old Ardoyne Residents Group |625 |£500 |£500 | |Sacred Heart Pensioners |593 |£500 |£500 | |Sailortown Regeneration Group |613 |£500 |£500 | |Shore Crescent Friendship |714 |£500 |£500 | |St Kevins Senior Citizens |595 |£500 |£500 | |St Silas Senior Citizens |616 |£500 |£500 | |Star Neighbourhood Centre |608 |£500 |£500 | |Trinity/New Lodge Senior Citizens |732 |£500 |£500 | |Tigers Bay Residents |716 |£500 |£500 | |The Thursday Club |596 |£500 |£500 | |The Vine Centre |722 |£500 |£500 | |Tudor Renewal Residents Association |649 |£500 |£500 | |Westland Community Group |727 |£500 |£500 | |Whitecity Over 50's |712 |£500 |£500 | | | | | | | | |Sub- total |£17,460 |
| | | | | | | | | | |SOUTH | | | | |Lower Ormeau/Botanic Environment |611 |£500 |£500 | |NI Tolerance Educational & Cultural Assoc |756 |£500 |£500 | |NI Comm. For Refugees/Asylum |755 |£500 |£500 | |Silver Threads Ebor Street |650 |£500 |£500 | |St John Viannie |610 |£500 |£500 | |Taughmonagh Evergreens |633 |£500 |£500 | | | |Sub-total |£3,000 | |EAST | | | | |Ardcarn Residents |632 |£500 |£500 | |Ballymac Friendship |726 |£500 |£500 | |Clarawood 50 Plus Club |734 |£500 |£500 | |The Oak Partnership |626 |£500 |£500 | |Residents of Cherryvalley/Kensington/Shandn |753 |£500 |£500 | |Short Strand Comm Forum |651 |£500 |£500 | |St Columcilles Wednesday Club |724 |£500 |£500 | |Walkway Community Association |654 |£500 |£500 | |Wandsworth Community Associations |579 |£500 |£500 | |Lagan Village Hall |634 |£500 |£500 | |Roslyn Street |630 |£500 |£500 | | | | | | | | |Sub-total |£5,500 | |WEST | | | | |An Monia Tober |636 |£500 |£500 | |Albion Community Group |737 |£500 |£500 | |Artability |656 |£500 |£500 | |Beechmount Comm. Project |732 |£500 |£500 | |Cairde Naomhl Pol |735 |£500 |£500 | |Clonard Senior Citizens |741 |£500 |£500 | |Conway Youth Centre |653 |£500 |£500 | |Denmark Street Comm. Centre |718 |£500 |£500 | |Fruithill Fold Tenants Association |605 |£500 |£500 | |Highfield Residents Association |652 |£650 |£500 | |Holy Trinity Centre Monday Club |623 |£700 |£500 | |Link Womens Group |604 |£500 |£500 | |Lower Shankill Group Welfare |600 |£500 |£500 | |Lower Shankill Community Association |711 |£500 |£500 | |Mid Andersonstown Festival Committee |603 |£500 |£500 | |SCA Montague Day Centre |738 |£500 |£500 | |Sherbrook Senior Citizens |609 |£500 |£500 | |Stadium Projects |739 |£500 |£500 | |Sountlink Fellowship Day Centre |713 |£500 |£500 | |St Michaels Craft Class |661 |£500 |£500 | |Tearmann Fold |752 |£500 |£500 | |Twin Spires Community Group |614 |£500 |£500 | |Townsend Street Pres. Church |746 |£500 |£500 | |West Belfast Comm. Forum |618 |£500 |£500 | |Gort An Muna Historic & Cultural Society |704 |£500 |£500 | | | | | | | | |Sub-total |£12,500 |
Recommendations for Grant Refusal
|Group Name |Applic No. |Area |Request |Reason for Rejection | | | | | | | |N. Belfast Community Safety |606 |North |£500 |Not meeting the criteria of 'A Well Run| |Partnership | | | |Community Group' | |Friends of Waterworks |728 |North |£500 |Not meeting the criteria of 'A Well Run| | | | | |Community Group' | |Grapevine Senior Citizens Group |721 |North |£500 |Not meeting the criteria of 'A Well Run| | | | | |Community Group' | |Indian Senior Citizens Club |612 |North |£500 |Not meeting criteria of 'A Well Run | | | | | |Community Group' | |Sailortown Arts & Crafts |742 |North |£500 |Not meeting criteria of 'A Well Run | | | | | |Community Group' | |Olympia 60 Plus Club |743 |South |£500 |User group of Directly Managed | | | | | |Community Centre | |Retired Senior Volunteer Programme |607 |South |£500 |Incomplete application | |Morton Senior Citizens Club |750 |South |£500 |User group of Directly Managed | | | | | |Community Centre | |St Lukes Family Centre |720 |West |£500 |Outside BCC boundary | |Beyond Skin |745 |East |N/A |Application withdrawn | |Short Strand Community Forum |659 |East |£500 |2nd application | |Glencairn Senior Citizens |748 |West |N/A |Application withdrawn | |Glen Residents Association |723 |West |N/A |Application withdrawn | |Highfield Community Centre Ctte |733 |West |£500 |User group of Directly managed | | | | | |Community Centre | |Word of Faith |751 |West |N/A |Application withdrawn | |Bethel Senior Citizens |747 |West |£500 |Not meeting the criteria of 'A well Run| | | | | |Community Group' | |Church of The First Born |754 |West |£500 |Incomplete application | |Clonard Senior Citizens |660 |West |£500 |2nd application | |Friends of Fruithill |619 |West |£500 |Incomplete application | |Habinteg Pensioners Group |599 |West |£500 |Incomplete application | |N&W Belfast Trust Quality User Group |749 |West |£500 |Not meeting criteria of 'A Well Run | | | | | |Community Group' |
(The Deputy Chairman, Councillor Humphrey, in the Chair.)
Gasworks Site
Safety at the Water Feature
The Committee considered a report (This should be requested under Freedom of Information) regarding the water feature located within the Gasworks Site. The report indicated that, under the terms of the lease between the Council and the developers of the Radisson Hotel, the Council could only alter substantially or replace the water feature with the approval of the developers. In addition, a report which had been commissioned from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents had indicated that the existing arrangements at the water feature provided the Council with an adequate legal defence should an incident occur, that reducing the depth of water in the feature would be counter productive as it would be likely to encourage greater numbers of people to the facility, thereby increasing the likelihood of anti-social behaviour, and could well create a precedent for the reduction of water levels at other sites owned by the Council where water was a feature.
After discussion, the Committee agreed that the water feature at the Gasworks Site remain in its current format, that the additional security patrols introduced last year and the fencing erected in 2004 remain in place. In addition, the Committee agreed that the project to partially fill the water feature in the Gasworks be removed from the Capital Programme.
Wheel Clamping Services
The Head of Economic Initiatives reminded the Committee that, at its meeting on 21st March, it had requested details of the wheel clamping services operating within the Gasworks Site. She pointed out that the service was required in order to ensure the free flow of traffic within the main roads of the estate, since the provision of double yellow lines had proven to be an insufficient deterrent. The service had been the subject of competitive quotations on a number of occasions, with the fee revised on an annual basis. The current contract was due for renewal. In addition to the clamping scheme operated by the Council, one developer, Ormeau Gasworks Limited, operated a private clamping operation on the land which it leased. She indicated that a number of complaints had been made regarding this private operation.
The Head of Economic Initiatives informed the Members that all developments within the Gasworks Site had dedicated car parking provision for staff and visitors, that the wheel clamping contract operated only in the main estate roads on which double yellow lines were painted, that the company undertaking the contract ensured that drivers parked on double yellow lines were dissuaded from remaining stationary by making them aware of the clamping regime and that no occupied vehicles were clamped. In the previous six months, nine vehicles only had been clamped. She pointed out that, since all release fees were returned to the Council by the operator, there was no incentive for the company which undertook the contract to maximise the number of vehicles clamped.
Following discussion, the Committee agreed that quotations be sought for the renewal of the wheel clamping service within the Gasworks Estate.
Site B Northern Fringe
The Committee considered the undernoted report regarding Site B on the Northern Fringe of the Gasworks.
During discussion in the matter, a Member informed the Committee that, following a recent meeting between Elected Members and the Minister for Social Development, he had been advised earlier in the day that the new Headquarters Building for the Public Records Office of Northern Ireland would not be located on the site of the former Crumlin Road Gaol. He suggested, therefore, that the Council should endeavour to ensure that this building was located on Site B of the Northern Fringe of the Gasworks Site.
Following further discussion, the Committee agreed to maintain its support for the location of the Public Records Office of Northern Ireland Headquarters Building at the site of the former Crumlin Road Gaol. The Committee agreed further that, if this location were to be excluded as an option, negotiations be undertaken with the Public Records Office to secure the development of the Headquarters Building, on the best possible terms, within the Gasworks Northern Fringe site.
Tender for the Provision of a Shuttle Bus Service
The Committee was reminded that, at its meeting on 15th February, 2006, it had agreed to the introduction, for an initial period of one year, of a shuttle bus service operated by Translink between the City centre and the Gasworks Site. Half of the costs of providing the bus were recovered through the service charge paid by tenants within the Gasworks, with the balance being met through income generated from the visitors' carpark located within the Site.
The Head of Economic Initiatives reported that more than 2,000 passengers were using the service on a weekly basis. Accordingly, since the trial period was due to finish in September, the provision of the service would require to be tendered on a formal basis and she requested authority so to do.
The Committee granted the authority sought.
Laganside - Management of Public Assets
The Committee considered the undernoted report.
The Director drew the Committee's attention to various aspects of the report and answered questions from the Members concerning it. During this discussion, a Member expressed the view that the bed of the River Lagan was Crown Property and not owned by the Department for Social Development as indicated in the report.
Following discussion in the matter, the Committee agreed to adopt the recommendation contained within the report, subject to clarification being obtained by the Director regarding the ownership of the bed of the River Lagan.
Belfast Metropolitan Area Plan
The Director of Development informed the Committee that the Belfast Metropolitan Area Plan Public Local Inquiry, which had commenced in April, would be undertaken in two stages. The first, which was underway currently and was scheduled to finish on 26th June, was considering the strategic or regionally significant issues, including the main Plan policies and proposals, and the Council was participating in this stage. The second phase, which would address the more local or site-specific issues, would be held in October. She pointed out that formal written submissions to be considered during stage two had to be submitted by 23rd August. She reminded the Members that a list of the site-specific issues to be included in the Council's submission to the second phase of the Inquiry had been circulated with the papers for the meeting and was available on the Members' Portal.
The Director recommended that a special meeting of the Committee, to which all Members of the Council be invited, be held to receive an update report on stage one of the Belfast Metropolitan Area Plan Public Local Inquiry and to review the site-specific issues which the Council wished to raise during the second phase of the Inquiry.
The Committee adopted the recommendation.
North Foreshore - Risk Assessment and Management
The Director of Development informed the Committee that, as part of the planning process for the Council's proposals for the North Foreshore, the Council was required to provide information regarding the nature and extent of contamination on the land, the risks associated with developing the site and a remedial
strategy to eliminate or minimise those risks. In addition, the Council was required to submit a Risk Assessment and Management Report in connection with the development of the contaminated land. Accordingly, a tendering exercise had been undertaken in order to procure such a Report.
The Director reported that nine submissions had been received. These had been judged on professional competence and cost and, as a result of this assessment, she recommended that the contract be awarded to the company which had submitted the most economically advantageous tender, namely Golders Associates (UK) Limited, Edgewater Road, Belfast in the sum of £104,475. She recommended also that Golders Associates be sub-contracted to carry out ground investigation works at a cost not to exceed £17,000 and the undertaking of a ground stability report which had been estimated would cost £25,000.
The Committee adopted the recommendations, subject to the completion of an appropriate legal agreement to be prepared by the Director of Legal Services.
Support for Sport - Hospitality
The Committee considered the following requests for assistance which had been received in relation to the provision of hospitality under the Support for Sport Scheme:
|58th Old Boys' Outdoor Bowling Club |Event hospitality in the form of a buffet |Provision of support up to a maximum of | | |for 100 people in Castleton Bowling Club on|£250 | | |19th October | | | | | | | | | | |Glentoran Football Club |Event hospitality in the form of a sit-down|Provision of support up to a maximum of | | |meal for 225 people in the City Hall on |£1,440 | | |28th July | | |Shaftesbury Bowling Club |Event hospitality in the form of a buffet |Provision of support up to a maximum of | | |for 70 people in Civil Service Bowling Club|£350 | | |on 5th July | |
The Head of Economic Initiatives informed the Members that the former Community and Recreation Committee, which had been responsible previously for the provision of hospitality under the Support for Sport scheme, at its meeting on 17th April, had agreed, due to the forthcoming closure of the City Hall, to provide funding to enable hospitality to be provided at external venues in connection with events being organised by Bloomfield Football Club and the Irish Cricket Union. She pointed out that, since the City Hall closure had been delayed, the two organisations had indicated that they now wished to use the City Hall for the functions associated with their sports events. This would result in additional expenditure of approximately £3,036.
After discussion, the Committee adopted the recommendations in relation to the applications submitted by the 58th Old Boys' Outdoor Bowling Club, Glentoran Football Club and Shaftesbury Bowling Club. In addition, the Committee agreed that Bloomfield Football Club and the Irish Cricket Union be offered additional support of £2,336 and £700 respectively to enable them to provide hospitality in the City Hall to those persons taking part in the sports events.
(The Chairman, Councillor Michael Browne, in the Chair.)
Smithsonian Festival in Washington
The Director reminded the Committee that, following decisions taken by the former Economic Development Sub-Committee and the Development Committee, the Council would be represented at the Rediscover Northern Ireland programme of events which would be held as part of the Smithsonian Festival in Washington later this month. Those decisions had authorised the Lord Mayor and the Chairman and the Deputy Chairman of the Development Committee to participate in the trip but had not been extended to cover nominees in the event of any of those persons being unable to attend. She informed the Members that the Deputy Chairman of the Development Committee was unable to participate in the trip to Washington and requested that the Committee authorise the Deputy Chairman to appoint a nominee to attend in his place.
The Committee granted the authority sought.
Chairman
