Northern Ireland Community Relations Council - About Us - Council Minutes

21 May 2008

MINUTES OF THE ONE HUNDRED & TWENTY-EIGHTH MEETING OF THE COMMUNITY RELATIONS COUNCIL

HELD ON WEDNESDAY 21^st MAY 2008 @ 1.30 p.m.

IN CRC’S BOARDROOM @ LINEN GREEN CENTRE, MOYGASHEL, DUNCANNON

1878/08 PRESENT: Action:

Ms E Gallagher, Ms S Gordon, Ms M Hetherington, Mr T McCusker. (Chair),

Ms S McDermott, Ms M Muldoon, Mr E Oakes, Mr D Porter

1879/08 APOLOGIES:

Mr M Campbell, Mr J Deery, Mr S Farry, Ms H Francey, Mr T Kennedy, Ms R McCorley, Ms C Wilson,

1880/08 IN ATTENDANCE:

Dr D Morrow [CEO], Ms J Irwin {Deputy CEO], Mr R Mullan [P/D Communication & Resources], Mr J Fitzsimons {P/D DFAP], Mr P Jordan [Assist Dir/F&D], Ms H Scott [P/Secretary].

1881/08 OBSERVER:

Mr D Haire (CRU/OFMDFM)

1882/08 MINUTES:

The Minutes from the previous meeting (10 April 2008) having been circulated, were taken as read. Amendments were noted re “Review from out-going members” e.g. titles were uniformly removed.

1883/08 CHAIR’S BUSINESS:

(1) Schedule of Committee meetings: The Chair said he would be asking Programmes to draw up a schedule of their 6 monthly meetings so that members would know the times and could note their diaries accordingly.

(2) “A Place Called Reconciliation”: The Chair told members that Dr David Steven’s book was now available and that CRC had given a contribution towards its publication.

(3) CRC’s Annual CR Award: The Chair reported that the Policy Conference had gone very well and that Anne Carr had been presented the CRC’s annual CR award. He thought this had been widely well received.

(4) Residential: The Chair reminded members of the residential on the 26^th and 27^th June.

1883/08 Chairs Business continued: Action:

Council residential cont: The CEO suggested this was the once-a-year opportunity for members to get together and talk. He said that CRC’s strategic plan and policy framework would tabled for discussion on Friday as well as two key issues (i) CRC’s role in Victims work and (ii) inter-cultural work.

(5) New members: The Chair welcomed Ms McDermott, Mr Porter and Mr Oakes to the meeting (Ms McCorley had apologised)

(6) Induction: The CEO said that this had happened, including CIPFA training but that each of the Committees would do an induction.

1884/08 MATTERS ARISING:

(i) Premises [Mins 1867/08 refer]: The CEO reported that the removal company had moved the European team into 2^nd floor offices on the left hand side of the corridor (Co-operations Ireland’s old offices) after redecoration and refurbishment. He said that the Funding and Development team had moved into the refurbished offices vacated by EU Programme team on the 2^nd floor. The CEO said remaining 1^st floor staff remaining would hopefully start to move to the 2^nd floor ( right hand side of the corridor) commencing 2^nd June or when refurbishment was complete.

(ii) Good Relations Panel: The CEO said that details of this were in his report.

1885/08 PRESENTATION: RESEARCH INTO SHARED RESIDENTIAL SPACE [Stevie Nolan, Trademark]

This research was commissioned by the Conflict Transformation Reference Group comprising BCC, NIHE and CRC. The final report (August 2007) was tabled at the meeting.

Mr Nolan’s presentation covered the following areas:

Terms of Reference

Methodology

Case study areas:

Existing shared neighbourhoods

Interfaces with some shared amenities

Single identity with minority ethnic community

Purpose built neighbourhoods

Overarching themes:

Territoriality

Terminology

Good Relations

Community Safety

1885/08 Research into Shared Housing Space continued: Action:

Overarching themes continued:

Diversity

Transience

Motivation

Basis of need

Management of Share Housing Schemes

Consultation

The Chairman thanked Mr Nolan for the presentation. He suggested that the Council might need to have a “considered view” on housing and that it might be useful to have a review which could be taken to the Good Relations Forum.

Chair/CEO/Policy Development

1886/08 FINANCES: [Papers CRC/128/05/08/01(a) & 01(b) refer]

1(a) Financial/Budgetary update: Mr Fitzsimons advised members that

this was an “information paper” as CRC moved from the old to the new

Financial year.

Mr Fitzsimons said, with regard to this paper, that the external auditors would shortly be coming to CRC and he hoped to have draft Financial Statements for the June Council meeting. He said that the draft budget had been submitted to CRU and that recent detailed discussions with CRU had been useful. Mr Fitzsimons stated that a number of requests were under consideration but indications were that CRC would receive a letter of offer for the £3.5M requested.

Mr Haire (CRU) said that Peace III had had an impact on OFMDFM’s ability to respond to CRC’s applications for funding and how monies are apportioned. He said he was conscious that we were two months into the New Financial Year and he encouraged CRC to make a drawn down request in the interim.

1(b) Budget 2008/9 outline business cases.

Mr Fitzsimons told member that this paper made outline cases for a number of additional budget requests.

The Chair advised members that he had had nothing to do with this paper and that this Item 1 (Chair’s Remuneration) had been under review during the previous Chairman’s tenure. He said however that he thought it appropriate considering the amount of work the CRC Chair was required to do.

1886/08 Finances continued: Action:

Mr Haire said that members should be aware that CRC/OFMDFM meet on almost a monthly basis.

There were no questions.

1887/08 draft OPERATIONAL PLAN:

[Papers CRC/128/05.08/02 & 02.1 refer]

Ms Irwin told members that the Plan was based on the Strategic Plan in its second year and was still referred to as “draft” or “interim” Plan. Ms Irwin stated that as the outcome of “A Shared Future” had not been decided yet/was not yet known CRC had been advised to base the Plan on current (ASF) strategy.

Ms Irwin informed members that a progress update would be received on a quarterly basis.

Ms Irwin indicated that performance targets would be presented at the June meetings.

Ms Irwin said that any members interested in Operational matters should make themselves known to her.

Ms McDermott said that the Plan was clear and easy to understand and that she would be happy to assist in anyway she could.

The Chair suggested that CRC Board could not focus on the extent of the Plan which was a combination of strategic, sector and even individual plans. He said at the Council residential in June the Board would consider identifying a small number of key business priorities which could be kept under review on the quarterly basis.

The Chair said that periodically the Chairs of the Committees could report on their sectors.

(Mr Jordan and Mr Fitzsimons left the meeting @ approx 14.55 hrs)

Mr Haire (CRU) suggested that by the June Council meeting the Cohesion Sharing and Integration policy should have worked its way through the Assembly Executive and he thought it might be useful to look at it during the residential

The CEO pointed out that in view of possible changes/revision to the Programme for Government, CRC’s Plan had remained an interim one.

Ms Irwin told members that it had been designed this way because it is used for so many purposes. She said the new Council was mid way between the Strategic period and staff would welcome suggestions from them to move things on.

1887/08 Operational Plan continued: Action:

The Chair asked members if they approved the draft.

Approval was unanimous.

1888/08 CR WEEK:

Mr Mullan gave a verbal update: He said that the week had been an opportunity to showcase a range of organisations’ work from e.g. the community, voluntary and statutory sectors. He said that some District Council “clustered” to run conferences which had showed a degree of “joined-up thinking”. He said that youth work was the theme of the week (check this out) but that the business community and well as the Housing Executive ran events. Mr Mullan told members that there had been a record number of press articles.

The Chair suggested that preparing for next year should commence around September/October and the District Councils should be encouraged to get involved and organise local community relations events which could be publicised in local papers.

The Chair extended congratulations for CR week and also for the successful Policy Conference run in the Europa Hotel.

1889/08 POLICY/POSITION PAPERS:

[Papers CRC/128/05/08/03(i), 03(ii) & 03(iii) refer]

i Flags & Emblems

ii Interfaces

iii Overarching principles

The CEO told members that these paper were a very basic and outline of the main points which could serve as minimum background for the assistance of Policy officers. He said they were for members’ approval.

The CEO suggested members take the last paper first:

Overarching principles – this was revised to focus on CRC’s principles

and values.

Mr Haire (CRU) queried the term “good community relations” and asked if staff could think about this. (Item 1 of Overarching Principles)

Policy Development

Members approved this paper subject to revision and consideration of the term “good community relations”.

The CEO informed members that all policy papers were on the website.

1889/08 Policy/position papers continued: Action:

(Ms Hetherington and Mr Mullan left the meeting @ approx 15.30 hrs)

The three papers were agreed subject to the above amendments (e.g. to Overarching Principles paper)

The CEO told members that the Flags Protocol meeting convened last week by CRU had been useful and some progress had been made. He said there had been a discussion about the growing problem of unofficial memorials and that these issues could impact on flags agreements and the ‘sign on’ impact on territoriality.

It was agreed to (i) limit the protocol of flags (ii) raise the “memorialisation” issue with Ministers.

1890/08 CEO’s REPORT:

[Paper CRC/128/05/08/04 refers]

This report highlights the main areas of work.

Parades: The CEO reported that the interim report on the Strategic Review of Parading had been published. He said the Policy Development Programme would review this. The CEO reminded members that he had acted as advisor to the review with Michael Hamilton.

Victims: The CEO said that s new act confirming Commissioners had been passed by the Assembly but to date it was uncertain when royal assent would given. He said a possible judicial review challenging the appointments was still pending.

Cohesion, Sharing and Integration: The CEO indicated that this still remained a draft with Ministers and advisors. He hoped that there would be some progress to report at the June Council meeting.

Staffing: the CEO reported that Ms Mackin was on maternity leave. He said that Paul Jordan was acting up (as Programme Director) He told members that he could not recall a busier time and with two staff on maternity leave, another on sick leave, he said he wanted to record his appreciation for all those staff who had managed this.

Peace III - Mr Oakes asked when work would commence on the ground.

The CEO told members that there had been enormous pressure on local plans in Priority 1.1. He said CRC had received plans from SEUPB and commented on them. The CEO said that three plans had passed, Belfast City Council’s with considerable reservations as to size of budget.

1890/08 CEO’s report continued: Action:

The CEO said that five plans had not passed and have to go back and have their budgets re-examined. The CEO said that all revised plans should be in by 30^th June

Mr Haire (CRU) indicated that the Council dealt with SEUPB on a contractual basis (Priorities 1.2 & 2.2 which OFMDFM are accountant for). He felt that CRC staff had gone through an extremely difficult process which could effect its reputation. Mr Haire said where there were shortcomings it should be clear that there were not CRC’s. He said it was a matter of “getting money out of the door versus getting money out of the door for the right thing”.

1891/08 SECTOR REPORTS:

[Papers CRC/128/05/08/05 to 09 refer]

These reports outline the main areas of work.

Funding & Development Programme

(Paper CRC/128/05/08/05 refers)

European Programme

(Paper CRC/128/05/08/06 refers) – to be tabled at meeting

The CEO reported that the draft contract between SEUPB and CRC was

with the solicitors for advice.

Communication & Learning Resources

(Paper CRC/128/05/08/07 refers)

Community Bridges Programme

(Paper CRC/128/05/08/08 refers)

Policy Development Programme

(Paper CRC/128/05/08/09 refers)

The CEO enquired if there were any questions about other sectors?

None

1892/08 AOB:

1 Minister for Peace- Sylvia Gordon drew members’ attention to the meeting at Stormont on 19^th June about this issue.

2 One Small Step- The chair informed members that it had been decided to draw this chapter to an end. He suggested that the campaign did not sit easily with current political climate.

1892/08 AOB continued: ction:

The Chair thought that this group might remain as an advisory group which could integrate with some CRC’s work if appropriate. The chair said that a “sign off” booklet entitled “1000 Small Steps” would be available through Groundwork(?) and Robin Morton (Telegraph) might be editing.

3 Radio Ulster– Ms Muldoon said there was a programme entitled “Legacy” where people told of events in their lives. She suggested that if CRC y wanted to raise awareness it could enter into dialogue with BBC and pointed out that next year was the “real” anniversary of the troubles.

The Chair suggested CRC could try to meet with the controller

of BBC to consider this.