Policy and Resources Committee 18 August 2006
From Nigov
Policy and Resources Committee
Friday, 18th August, 2006
MEETING OF POLICY AND RESOURCES COMMITTEE
Members present: Councillor Rodway (Deputy Chairman) (in the Chair); and Councillors Attwood, D. Browne, M. Browne, Cobain, Crozier, Hartley, Jones, Lavery, McCann, McCausland, Moore, O'Reilly, Rodgers, Smyth and Wilson.
- In attendance:
Apologies
Apologies for inability to attend were reported from the Chairman (Councillor A. Maskey) and Councillor Newton.
Minutes
The minutes of the meeting of 23rd June were taken as read and signed as correct. It was reported that those minutes had been adopted by the Council at its meeting on 3rd July, subject to the rejection of the decision under the heading “St. Patrick’s Day Outdoor Event 2007”; the Council accordingly agreed to organise an outdoor event to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in March, 2007 and that a minimum budget of £110,000 be allocated for this purpose.
Restructuring of Security Unit
(Mr. G. Wright (Head of Facilities Management), attended in connection with this item.)
The Committee considered a report in relation to the restructuring of the Security Unit. During discussion in the matter, the Members expressed the view that a number of issues required to be addressed to enable an informed decision to be made in relation to the future provision of manned security at Council-owned premises. These included the undertaking of a full risk assessment, taking into account the views of the Police Service of Northern Ireland; internal security audit procedures; the types of security measures which were undertaken to protect similar public buildings; details on the amount of overtime worked and the cost thereof; the number of Agency staff utilised; the extent of the duties undertaken by the City Hall Control Room staff; the number of night-time incidents occurring at the City Hall; and the other associated buildings affected by the Review.
After further discussion, the Committee agreed to defer to a special meetingwhen? consideration of the report to enable the issues which had been raised by the Members to be addressed. It was agreed also that a briefing be held for each of the Party Groupings prior to the holding of the special meeting.
Financial Matters
Finance, Administration and Information Systems Sub-Committee
Resolved – That the minutes of the meeting of the Finance, Administration and Information Systems Sub-Committee held on 14th August be approved and adopted.
Loan Transactions
The Committee was informed that loan transactions for the quarter ended 30th June, 2006 had been as undernoted:
|Loans Raised | | | |
|Mortgages | |- | |Government Loans Fund | |- | |Lending Funds | |£591,472 | |Temporary Loans | | _ - | | |Total Loans Raised | £591,472 |
|Loans Repaid | | | |
|Mortgages | |- | |Government Loans Fund | |- | |Lending Funds | | - | |Temporary Loans | | - | | |Total Loans Repaid | - |
|Total amount of Loans outstanding | |£49,209,515 | |at 30 June 2006 | | | | | | | |Less Investments and Cash in Bank | | 29,648,475 | | |Net Debt |£19,561,040 |
Made up of:-
|Belfast City Council |-% | |- | |Transferred Services |100.00% | |£19,561,040 | | |100.00% | |£19,561,040 |
Noted.
Grants and Subscriptions
North West Mountain Rescue Service
The Director of Corporate Services reported that a request for financial assistance had been received from the North West Mountain Rescue Service, a voluntary organisation which provided a 999 mountain search and rescue service throughout Northern Ireland. He stated that legal opinion had been sought and the Council could if it so wished use Section 115 of the Local Government Act (Northern Ireland) 1972 to make financial contributions of this nature. He recommended that funding in the sum of £500 be awarded to the organisation.
The Committee adopted the recommendation and
Resolved – That the aforementioned expenditure be authorised 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 payment to be made.
Political Processes and Members’ Issues
Members Sub-Committee
Resolved – That the minutes of the meeting of the Members Sub‑Committee held on 14th August be approved and adopted.
Review of Councillor’s Remuneration in Northern Ireland
Arising out of discussion of the previous item, the Chief Executive advised the Committee that he had received recently a copy of the report of the Councillors’ Remuneration Working Group in relation to the Review of Councillors’ Remuneration in Northern Ireland. He indicated that the report was positive and recognised that Members were under-remunerated currently and the level of Special Responsibility Allowance was insufficient. A report detailing the findings of the Working Group would be submitted to the Committee in due course.when?
Noted.
Corporate Strategic Issues
Sustainable Development Action Plan
(Mr. A. Curran (?), Sustainable Development Officer, attended in connection with this item.)
The Committee adopted and approved the implementation of the Council’s Sustainable Development Action Plan 2006-2009, copies of which are available in the Members’ Library. (This should be requested under Freedom of Information)
Consideration of Consultative Documents
Proposal for a Draft Street Works (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) Order
The Director of Improvement submitted for the Committee’s consideration a report (This should be requested under Freedom of Information) outlining a proposed response to the Department of Regional Development’s Consultation Document entitled “Proposal for a Draft Street Works (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) Order”, the aim of which was to enable the Department to more efficiently manage the execution of street works which were largely the work of utility companies, thereby reducing disruption to road users. The response welcomed the modernisation of Street Works legislation which would become more important as the Review of Public Administration moved through the implementation stage and the responsibility for local roads came under the remit of the Council.
It was suggested that there was a need for the response to include also comments in relation to the need for the Roads Service and utility companies, which undertook street works, to co-ordinate to ensure the least possible disruption and the need also to impose a time limit on developers to bring streets up to an acceptable standard following the completion of any major developments.
Subject to the inclusion of the foregoing comments, the Committee approved the Draft Response.
Good Relations and Equality Issues
(Mrs. H. Francey (Good Relations Manager), attended in connection with these items.)
Funding Applications
The Committee was advised that applications for Good Relations grant-aid had been received from seven 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 hereunder:
|Organisation |Project |Recommendation | | | | | | | |£ | |Belfast Interface Project |Parades-related collection of | 6,960 | | |abstracts | | |Conway Youth Centre |Exploring culture through the means | 4,000 | | |of photography | | |Gleann ABC |Diversity - Difficult Dialogue | 1,260 | |Training for Women's Network |The SWIFT (Skills for Women in | 5,000 | | |Innovation Flexible Training) | | | |Employability Initiative | | |Concorde Community Centre |Promoting good relations and | 3,110 | | |cultural pride via facts and fashion| | | | | | |Belfast Door Project |Better Relations Policy | 2,500 | |Old Museum Arts Centre |Cultural Crossover | 5,110 |
The Committee adopted the recommendations in respect of the applications for Good Relations funding as set out in the aforementioned schedule.
Programme to Engage Young People in Good Relations
The Good Relations Manager sought approval to develop a programme aimed at facilitating young people in engaging with issues such as good relations. The programme would be delivered by the Good Relations Unit, together with the Council’s Young People’s Co-ordinator.
The proposal would attempt to:
engage the Council’s Youth Forum in conversations about good relations, A Shared Future, sectarianism and tolerance;
provide a space for discussions on how the Forum might wish to engage with these topics; and
work with the Forum to develop their Good Relations plans.
The Good Relations Manager indicated that discussions had been held already with the Children and Young People’s Co-ordinator, who had agreed that there was great potential in engaging the Youth Forum members with these issues. A residential had been proposed for November to enable discussion on these topics to take place in a neutral environment. The project would continue over a long-term period of engagement and would involve sustained work which would be conducted in a safe environment as part of a wider programme of work being undertaken by the Forum. The total cost of the project would be £4,500, 75% of which could be recouped from the Community Relations Unit within the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister. The Good Relations Panel, at its meeting on 4th August, had recommended that the Policy and Resources Committee provide up to £4,500 for the programme.
The Committee adopted the recommendation.
Research Commissioned by Good Relations Unit
The Committee was advised that, in order to inform and direct the future work of the Good Relations Unit, the following two items of work had been commissioned:
(i) research by Grainne Kelly, independent consultant, to assist in drawing up guidelines on cross-community engagement, in accordance with the Committee’s decision of 19th May, 2006. These guidelines would be incorporated into the current review of the criteria for the award of grant-aid; and
(ii) research by Dr. Neil Jarman, Institute for Conflict Research on migrants in Belfast examining issues such as numbers, country of origin, religion, language, employment, residential patterns and national and European trends in migration, to help ensure that the Council was fulfilling its commitments under the Race Equality Strategy.
The Good Relations Manager informed the Committee that each piece of research would cost a maximum of £10,000, 75% of which could be recouped from the Community Relations Unit within the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister. The total cost to the Council of both research commissions would therefore be a maximum of £5,000 and could be met from within the Good Relations Unit’s revenue budget. The Good Relations Steering Panel had considered the proposal at its meeting on 4th August and had recommended that the Committee authorise the expenditure associated therewith.
The Committee adopted the recommendation.
Human Resources Issues
Personnel Sub-Committee
In considering the minutes of the meeting of the Personnel Sub-Committee held on 10th August, a Member drew the Committee’s attention to the minute under the heading “Review of the Cost of Agency Staff 2005/2006”, agreeing that a report outlining the advantages and disadvantages of centralising the engaging of all agency staff within the Human Resources Section be submitted to a future meeting.when? He expressed the view that the Sub-Committee had agreed that the report was to provide details on the advantages and disadvantages of centralising all Human Resources staff throughout the Council within the Human Resources Section yet this did not appear to be reflected in the minute.
The Committee agreed that the Head of Human Resources be instructed to ensure that the report include full details in this regard and adopted the minutes.
Special Meeting – Efficiency Measures
Arising out of discussion of the previous matter, the Committee agreed that a special meeting be held during Octoberwhen? to consider an update on the introduction of efficiency measures throughout the Council.
Accommodation and Hospitality
Requests for the Use of Accommodation in the City Hall and the Provision of Civic Hospitality
(Councillor Rodgers declared an interest in this item in that he was a Member of the Board of Glentoran Football Club and remained outside of the room while the item was under discussion.)
The Committee was advised that the undernoted requests for the use of accommodation in the City Hall and the provision of civic hospitality had been received. 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 hereunder:
|Organisation/ Body |Event/Date - |Request |Comments |Recommendation | | |Number of Delegates/ | | | | | |Guests | | | | |All Ireland Cancer |International |Use of City Hall and |It is estimated that 250 |Use of City Hall and the | |Conference |Conference |the provision of |delegates will |provision of a pre-dinner Drinks | | | |hospitality in the form|be staying in accommodation |Reception in the form of | | |13th November, 2006 |of a |in Belfast. |wine/soft drinks | | |(evening) |pre-dinner Drinks | | | | | |Reception | |Approximate cost £900 | | |Approximately | | | | | |450 Attending | | |Approximate budget remaining | | | | | |£139,499 | |The Corrigan Club |National Conference |Use of City Hall and |It is estimated that 120 |Use of City Hall and the | |Medical Association | |the provision of |delegates will |provision of hospitality in | | |4th May, 2007 |hospitality in the form|be staying in accommodation |the form of a | | |(evening) |of a |in Belfast. |pre-dinner Drinks Reception in | | | |pre-dinner Drinks | |the form of wine/soft drinks | | |Approximately |Reception | | | | |120 Attending | | |Approximate cost £240 | | | | | | | | | | | |Approximate budget remaining | | | | | |£139,259 |
|Organisation/ Body |Event/Date - |Request |Comments |Recommendation | | |Number of Delegates/Guests | | | | |Belfast Institute of|International Conference |Use of City Hall and the|It is estimated that |Use of City Hall and the | |Further and Higher | |provision of hospitality|50 delegates will |provision of a pre-dinner| |Education |23rd May, 2007 (evening) |in the form of a |be staying in accommodation |Drinks Reception in the | | | |pre-dinner Drinks |in Belfast. |form of wine/soft drinks | | |Approximately |Reception | | | | |140 Attending | | |Approximate cost £300 | | | | | | | | | | | |Approximate budget | | | | | |remaining | | | | | |£138,959 | |Institute of |National Conference |Use of City Hall and the|It is estimated that 400 |Use of City Hall and the | |Chartered | |provision of hospitality|delegates will be staying in |provision of hospitality | |Accountants in |17th May, 2007 (evening) |in the form of a |accommodation in Belfast. |in | |Ireland | |pre-dinner Drinks | |the form of a | | |Approximately |Reception | |pre-dinner Drinks | | |400 Attending | | |Reception in the form of | | | | | |wine/soft drinks | | | | | | | | | | | |Approximate cost £800 | | | | | | | | | | | |Approximate budget | | | | | |remaining | | | | | |£138,159 | |Northern Ireland |Northern Ireland Federation |Use of City Hall and the|This event will celebrate the|Use of City Hall and the | |Federation of Clubs |of Clubs 25th Anniversary |provision of hospitality| |provision of a pre-dinner| | |Dinner and Dance |in the form of a |25th Anniversary of the |Drinks Reception in the | | | |pre-dinner Drinks |Northern Ireland Federation |form of wine/soft drinks | | |28th April, 2007 (evening) |Reception |of Clubs which has made a | | | | | |significant contribution to |Approximate cost £640 | | |Approximately | |the local community by | | | |320 Attending | |encouraging and promoting the|Approximate budget | | | | |prescribed legislation and |remaining | | | | |administrative structures |£137,519 | | | | |under which private clubs are| | | | | |requried to operate. | |
|Organisation/ Body |Event/Date - |Request |Comments |Recommendation | | |Number of Delegates/Guests | | | | |Glentoran Football |125th Anniversary Dinner |Use of City Hall and the|This event will celebrate the|Use of City Hall and the | |Club | |provision of hospitality| |provision of a pre-dinner| | |21st April, 2007 (evening) |in the form of a |125th Anniversary of the |Drinks Reception in the | | | |pre-dinner Drinks |formation of Glentoran |form of wine/soft drinks | | |Approximately |Reception |Football Club which has made | | | |400 Attending | |a significant contribution to|Approximate cost £800 | | | | |the local community through | | | | | |the promotion of soccer and |Approximate budget | | | | |the encouragement of young |remaining | | | | |people to become actively |£136,719 | | | | |involved in sport. | | |Royal Institution of|Royal Institution of |Use of City Hall and the|The Council has a |Use of City Hall and the | |Chartered Surveyors |Chartered Surveyors Student |provision of hospitality|relationship with the Royal |provision of hospitality | | |Awards Night |in the form of a |Institute of Chartered |in the form of a | | | |pre-dinner Drinks |Surveryors, which plays a |pre-dinner Drinks | | |9th March, 2007 (evening) |Reception |leading role in the life of |Reception in the form of | | | | |the City. The event will |wine/soft drinks | | |Approximately | |seek to promote best practice| | | |250 Attending | |and advise aims to advise |Approximate cost £500 | | | | |businesses, consumers, | | | | | |governments and global |Approximate budget | | | | |organisations. |remaining | | | | | |£136,219 | | | | |This event meets the | | | | | |Council's Corporate Strategic| | | | | |Objective of Providing Civic | | | | | |Leadership and Delivering | | | | | |Best Services and would | | | | | |contribute to the Council's | | | | | |Key Priority Issue of | | | | | |Improving service provision | | | | | |to children and young people.| | | | | | | |
|Organisation/ Body |Event/Date - |Request |Comments |Recommendation | | |Number of Delegates/Guests | | | | |Association for Real|Launch ' No Ordinary Job' |Use of City Hall |This event will see the |Use of City Hall | |Change (ARC) |Project | |launch of a project which | | | | | |will promote the employment | | | |9th November, 2006 (morning)| |opportunities for people with| | | | | |a learning disability. | | | | | | | | | |Approximately | |This event meets the | | | |200 Attending | |Council's Corporate Strategic| | | | | |Objective of Improving | | | | | |Quality of Life now and for | | | | | |Future Generations and | | | | | |Providing Civic Leadership. | | |The Ireland-United |Ireland-United States |Use of City Hall |This event seeks to encourage|Use of City Hall | |States. Council |Council Showcase Event | |closer business links between| | | | | |the United States and the | | | |12th October, 2006 | |island of Ireland. The | | | |(afternoon) | |organisation operates a | | | | | |variety of scholarship and | | | |Approximately | |internship programmes, stages| | | |150 Attending | |seminars and hosts frequent | | | | | |events in Ireland and America| | | | | |aimed at developing | | | | | |communications and dialogue | | | | | |between business and | | | | | |political leaders and will | | | | | |showcase the city of Belfast | | | | | | | | | | | |The event meets the Council's| | | | | |Corporate Strategic Objective| | | | | |of Providing Civic Leadership| | | | | |and would contribute to the | | | | | |Key Priority Issue of | | | | | |Creating a Strong Economy. | |
|Organisation/ Body |Event/Date - |Request |Comments |Recommendation | | |Number of Delegates/ | | | | | |Guests | | | | |Raidió Fáilte |Launch of Raidió |Use of City Hall |This event will launch Raidió Fáilte, |Use of City Hall | | |Fáilte | |the City's first Irish language | | | | | |speaking station. The station will seek| | | |15th September, 2006 | |to promote the use of the Irish | | | |(afternoon) | |Language and, in keeping with the | | | | | |Council's Corporate Strategic | | | |Approximately | |Objectives of exercising Civic | | | |100 Attending | |Leadership and Promoting Good | | | | | |Relations, it is considered appropriate| | | | | |for the Council to permit the building | | | | | |to be used for the launch of the city's| | | | | |first Irish language speaking station. | | |Sustainable |Faith Waste Programme |Use of City Hall |The Health and Environmental Services |Use of City Hall | |Northern Ireland | | |Committee, at its meeting on 7th | | | |3rd October, 2006 | |August, agreed that the Policy and | | | |(evening) | |Resources Committee be recommended to | | | | | |grant the use of the City Hall for the | | | |Approximately | |holding of a dinner to mark the | | | |80 Attending | |completion of Sustainable Northern | | | | | |Ireland's Faith Waste Programme. | | | | | | | | | | | |The initiative, which was supported by | | | | | |the Council and Bryson House through | | | | | |the Better Belfast Programme, sought to| | | | | |encourage faith-based communities to | | | | | |promote recycling and waste reduction | | | | | |through their places of worship and | | | | | |other such networks. | | | | | | | | | | | |This project meets the Council's | | | | | |Corporate Strategic Objective of | | | | | |Providing Civic Leadership and | | | | | |Improving Quality of Life, Now and for | | | | | |Future Generations. | |
Community Hospitality
The Head of Committee and Members' Services reported that the undernoted applications had been received in relation to the provision of community hospitality:
|Organisation/ Body |Event/Date - |Request |Comments |Recommendation | | |Number of Delegates/Guests | | | | |Foras Na Gaeilge |Celebration of the success |Provision of Community |This event seeks to recognise|Provision of a Finger | | |of the Irish Language in |Hospitality in the form |and celebrate the major |Buffet Reception | | |Belfast |of a Finger Buffet |contribution made over the | | | | | |past one hundred years by | | | |13th October, 2006 (evening)| |Cumann Chluain Ard (Irish | | | | | |Language Organising Body) in | | | | | |the promotion of the Irish | | | |Approximately 200 Attending | |Language in the City. | | | | | |Invitations will be extended | | | | | |to other linguistic | | | | | |communities with a view to | | | | | |building bridges of cultural | | | | | |and linguistic diversity. | | | | | | | | | | | |This event meets the criteria| | | | | |for Community Hospitality as | | | | | |the organisation contributes | | | | | |to the social fabric and | | | | | |diversity of the City. | | |Falls Women's Centre|Celebrating Twenty-five |Provision of Community |The Falls Women's Centre |Provision of a Finger | | |Years of Meeting the Needs |Hospitality in the form |provides high quality advice |Buffet Reception | | |of Women in the Community |of a Finger Buffet |and support to vulnerable | | | |7th June, 2007 (evening) | |members of the community to | | | |Approximately 100 Attending | |help them overcome | | | | | |difficulties arising from | | | | | |poverty and violence. | | | | | |This event meets the criteria| | | | | |for Community Hospitality as | | | | | |the organisation contributes | | | | | |to the social fabric and | | | | | |diversity of the City. | |
|Organisation/ Body |Event/Date - |Request |Comments |Recommendation | | |Number of Delegates/Guests | | | | |Sandy Row Community |10th Anniversary Celebration|Provision of Community |This event seeks to celebrate|Provision of a Finger | |Forum | |Hospitality in the form |the Forum's success over the |Buffet Reception | | |November,2006 |of a Finger Buffet |past ten years and to | | | |(evening) | |recognise the work of the | | | |Approximately 300 Attending | |management committee in | | | | | |delivering a number of its | | | | | |key targets for the | | | | | |regeneration of Sandy Row. | | | | | |The event meets the criteria | | | | | |for Community Hospitality as | | | | | |the organisation contributes | | | | | |to the social fabric and | | | | | |diversity of the City. | | |Community |North Belfast Awards |Provision of Community |Community Conventions aims to|Provision of a Finger | |Conventions |Ceremony |Hospitality in the form |develop, empower and |Buffet Reception | | |4th October, 2006 (evening) |of a Finger Buffet |transform communities by | | | |Approximately 80 Attending | |encouraging confidence within| | | | | |these communities. It also | | | | | |aims to improve relationships| | | | | |with disadvantaged | | | | | |communities, identifies areas| | | | | |for action and lobbies for | | | | | |policy change. | | | | | |This event meets the criteria| | | | | |for Community Hospitality as | | | | | |the organisation contributes | | | | | |to the social fabric and | | | | | |diversity of the City. | |
The Committee adopted the recommendations of the Head of Committee and Members' Services as set out in the foregoing schedule and agreed, given the small number of applications which had been received over the previous two years and to avoid duplication in operating two procedures, that a review of the criteria governing the use of the City Hall and the provision of Civic Hospitality be undertaken to establish whether the current policy could be amended to make provision for Community Hospitality without the need to operate a separate process.
City Hall - Major Works and Council Accommodation Update
The Committee agreed that a special meeting, to which all Members of the Council would be invited, be held at 10.00 a.m. on Friday, 1st September to consider the issue of the City Hall Major Works and Council Accommodation.
Use of City Hall
The Committee considered the undernoted report in relation to the use of the City Hall.
The Committee adopted the recommendation.
Request to Lay Wreath at the City Hall Cenotaph
The Committee was advised that a request had been received from the Apprentice Boys of Derry (Belfast and District Amalgamated Committee) for permission to use the City Hall Grounds and lay a wreath at the Cenotaph during their Annual Remembrance Parade on Saturday, 11th November, 2006. In addition, the organisation had requested that the Council provide a public address system for use during the service.
The Committee agreed to accede to the requests.
Big Wheel Update
The Committee agreed to defer consideration of a report in relation to an update on the Big Wheel to enable the Events Manager to be in attendance.when?
Miscellaneous
Eastern Health and Social Services Board
The Committee was advised that a request had been received from the Chairman of the Eastern Health and Social Services Board seeking permission to brief the Committee on health issues.
The Committee agreed that a briefing session, to which all Members of the Council would be invited, be held for this purpose.when?
Anniversary of the 1907 Dockers Strike
In accordance with Notice on the Agenda, Councillor Hartley raised the issue of the Anniversary of the 1907 Dockers Strike.
After discussion, it was
Moved by Councillor Hartley, Seconded by Councillor Attwood,
That the Council, through the installation of a stained glass window, remembers the dockworkers of Belfast who, led by “Big Jim Larkin”, went on strike on 6th May, 1907 as a means of securing the rights of working people and the right to organise through their trade union, the National Union of Dock Workers.
This Council remembers also the generosity of the working people of Belfast who, led by the Belfast Labour and Trades Union Council, gave generously to strike funds and who, through various forms of public demonstration, supported the dockworkers of Belfast who had sought the advancement of the working class of Belfast.
Amendment
Moved by Councillor McCausland, Seconded by Councillor Wilson.
That the Committee agrees to refer consideration of the matter to the Good Relations Steering Panel to enable it to be considered within the overall Council policy in relation to commemorations, memorabilia and artefacts.
On a vote by show of hands four Members voted for the amendment and six against and it was accordingly declared lost.
The original proposal standing in the name of Councillor Hartley and seconded by Councillor Attwood was thereupon put to the meeting, when six Members voted for and five against and it was accordingly declared carried.
Chairman
