Northern Ireland Community Relations Council - About Us - Council Minutes

26 June 2003

MINUTES OF THE NINETY-EIGHTH MEETING

OF THE COMMUNITY RELATIONS COUNCIL

HELD ON THURSDAY 26^TH JUNE 2003 AT 1.30 P.M.

IN THE BOARDROOM

1371/03 PRESENT: Action:

Mr J Cousins, Mr D McIlroy, Mr E McCartan (Chair), Ms M Miskelly, Ms M Muldoon, Mr N McCausland, Mr D O'Loan Mr C O'Halloran, Ms M Pollock, Mr M Wardlow, Ms C Wilson, Mr R Wilson.

1372/03 APOLOGIES:

Mr W Erwin, Mr C Neilands, Dr D Stevens.

1373/03 IN ATTENDANCE:

Dr D Morrow (CEO), Mr J Dennison[PD/EU], Ms J Ellis[AA/Pol Dev], Mr J Fitzsimons[PD/Finance/Admin & Personnel], Ms M Mackin [PD/Funding & Dev], Ms D McGlade [PD/Policy Dev], Mr R Mullan [PD/Information & Resources], Mr P O'Keeffe [PO/Pol Dev], Ms H Scott [Secretary], Ms C Walls [DSO/EU Prog].

1374/03 OBSERVERS:

Mr D Richie, Ms K Jardine (CRU)

1375/03 MINUTES:

The Minutes from the previous meeting (21 May 2003) having been circulated were taken as read. Minutes 1366/03, Item 2 refers: Ms Miskelly pointed out that she the nomination had been conditional upon further information and that she had since declined. Acceptance of minutes (subject to the above amendment) was proposed by Mr Wilson, seconded by Mr Cousins.

1376/03 MATTERS ARISING:

(1) Nomination for Cultural Diversity project:[Mins 1366/03, Item 2

refers]. Ms Miskelly has declined therefore a further nomination will be sought.

CEO

1377/03 CHAIRMAN'S BUSINESS:

1 Condolences: The Chairman extended condolences to Mr Denis Ritchie on behalf of Council on the death of this mother.

1377/03 Chairman's business continued: Action:

2 Meeting with Minister Des Browne: The Chair reported that the CEO's meeting on 12^th June had gone well and expressed regret that Mr Browne had now moved on in the recent Departmental changes.

Dr Morrow informed members that the NI portfolio would now be split with Mr John Spellar overseeing Community Relations and Equality and Ms Angela Smyth who would oversee the Victim and Reconciliation sector.

3 Staff Appointments: The Chairman confirmed the following staff appointments:

Patricia O'Neill – Co-Ordinator, North Belfast Project

Patricia Armstrong – Development Support Officer (EU Programme)

Ellana Tomasso –Manager (Acting-up) - Resource Centre

Jo Adamson – Administrator (Finance, Administration & Personnel)

4 Innsbruck colloquium: The Chairman said that due to the current work- load Dr Morrow had not been able to attend.

1378/03 PATHFINDER PROPOSAL:

[Paper CRC/98/06/03/04 refers]

The Chairman asked that this item (Item 6) be moved up the agenda to facilitate Mr Ritchie (CRU) who would have to leave the meeting early.

This was agreed.

Dr Morrow informed members that this proposal arose out of the need for a speedy response to local situations requiring immediate intervention. He stressed that the intention was that any assistance would be specific and likely to be “one off”. Dr Morrow said that the criteria (detailed in No.3) would have to be met and that a group(s) would have to have the capacity to deliver and that any project would (by it's

nature) be time limited.

Mr Ritchie outlined the Government's position and said that a small contingency sum had been set aside.

Following a debate, the following was agreed:

Ø If necessary the Chair and the CEO would have the freedom to approve grant where the speed-of-response was critical.

Ø Maximum consultation would be sought (as per bullet point No. 5 of criteria)

Dr Morrow pointed out that papers were circulated (approximately every six weeks) to members for Council meetings which provided an opportunity for formal approval. Dr Morrow assured members that where “one off” grants were paid prior to a Council meeting a full report would be made available.

Approval for the Pathfinder proposal was endorsed.

1379/03 1^st draft SHARED FUTURE:

[Paper CRC/98/06.03/01 refers]

There followed a general debate after which the following was agreed:

Ø The status of the Council should remain independent.

Ø A Memorandum of Understanding between Council and the Equality Commission should be sought.

Ø An executive summary should be made available in association with a press release.

Ø The paper should be made available as a discussion document but with additional paragraphs relating to good practice.

1380/03 draft OPERATIONAL PLAN:

Dr Morrow apologised for the fact that this paper was not ready. He explained that formatting the document had taken longer than anticipated. Dr Morrow said a draft would be circulated to member within the next ten days.

CEO

1381/03 PEACE II REPORT:

Dr Morrow reported that a copy of the Peace II report had just been received. He

said that the report outlined the many difficulties that had been experienced during

the administration of Peace II monies. Dr Morrow photocopies could be made

or obtained from HMSO (Stationery Office).

1382/03 SECTOR REPORTS:

Papers 05 to 08.1 refer - circulated for the member's information.

1 Funding and Development Programme: [Paper CRC/98/06/03/05

refers] Ms Mackin said that a brochure for the Dungannon office was being development and staff were looking out for tenants and how the available space could be hired-out to others for special events.

Mr O'Loan requested some information as to how the regional office was felt to be contributing to the overall effectiveness of the CRC.

Ms Mackin said that she would prepare an up-date for the September meeting.

Ms Mackin

2 European Programme: [Paper CRC/98/06/03/06 refers] Dr Morrow informed members that the European Commission had negotiated N2 (N = beginning date + 2 years) on a new basis. He said that he thought it was a huge compliment that CRC had been identified as the single body who could look at the whole Reconciliation programme.

1382/03 Sector reports continued: Action.

3 Communication and Resources: [Papers CRC/98/06/03/07, & 07.1 refer]

Media Grant (07.1 refers)

Besom Productions Ltd. – “You looking at me?”

Amount requested = £27,332.00

Amount approved = £27,332.00

4 Policy Development Programme: [Papers CRC/98/06/03/08 and 08.1

refer]

Mr O'Keeffe said that the paper tabled at the meeting replaced paper 08.1.

Mr Wilson pointed out that amendments were made in red and blue and asked members to read over the document and contact either himself or staff (Mr O'Keeffe) before the deadline date (end July).

Mr Wardlow suggested that silence (no comment) was taken as accent.

This was agreed.

1383/03 FINANCES:

(1) draft Audited Accounts

[Papers CRC/98/06/03/09.2 tabled at meeting refer]

Ø Financial Statements for year ending 31 March 2003 (circulated to members as above) were presented page by page.

Ø Messrs Finegan Gibson Chartered Accountants confirmed that Council's financial activities for the period had received a favourable audit and that in their opinion (Pg.7) the financial statements gave a “true and fair view of the state of the Company's affairs at 31 March 2003”.

Ø It was confirmed that the balance at the year-end was within the 2% carry-over limited (as specified by CRU in the Financial Memorandum).

Ø The Chairman asked for the formal recommendation that the draft Financial Accounts be accepted.

Accounts were unanimously approved.

The Chairman requested that a brief summary of the Financial Accounts be prepared for the next Council.

Mr Fitzsimons

(Mr McCausalnd and Ms Shaw left the meeting @ 3.24 p.m. approx)

1383/03 Finances continued: Action:

(2) Bid to CRU for budget enhancements:

Mr Fitzsimons reported that Council's bid to CRU for enhanced Programme costs to cover new posts had been increased from £153,000.00 to £200,000.00

(2.1) Mr Fitzsimons reported that CRU had allocated an amount of

£50,000.00 for “Pathfinder” projects (subject to fulfilment of criteria

Minute 1378/03 refers).

(2.2) Mr Fitzsimons reported that the Core Funding and Grant Scheme budgets remained unaltered.

(Ms Ellis and Mr O'Keeffe left the meeting at 3.35 p.m.)

(3) Budget and Grant review:

[Papers CRC/98/06/03/09 & 09.1 refer]

“Profile of expenditure” (Budget Review) as at 31.05.03 – paper 09 refers

Grant review 01-04-03 to 31-05-03 – paper 09.1 refers

384/03 AOB:

(1) Parkside Community Association:

[Paper tabled at meeting refers]

Dr Morrow proposed that this application be adopted as a “Pathfinder proposal” until April 2004 (when it might be able to access funding from another permanent scheme). He said that this project seemed to fulfil the all the criteria of the “Pathfinder proposal” agreed earlier.

Amount requested = £14,790.00

Amount approved = £14,790.00

(2) Presentation to Ms Myran Pollock on her departure from Council:

The Chairman told members that this was Ms Pollock's last meeting as she would be as leaving NI to be married. With a presentation, he thanked her, on behalf of Council Members and staff, for her valuable insights, input and commitment to Council business over the past three years.

1385/03 DATES OF NEXT MEETINGS:

Thursday 18^th September (Dungannon office) 3.30 p.m. start

(October meeting cancelled)

Wednesday 26^th November 2003 (Murray Street) 1.30 p.m. start.