Northern Ireland Community Relations Council - About Us - Council Minutes

18 February 2004

Minutes of the

Policy Development Committee Meeting

18^th February 2004

Attendees: Robin Wilson (Chair for Meeting) Declan O'Loan, Neil Jarmin, Vivienne Pollock, Roise Ni Bhaoill, Ann Anderson Porter, Ward Erwin

Apologies: Edwin Graham, Damien McElroy, Eamon Deane, Nial Fitzduff

In Attendance: Fee Ching Leong (Guest Speaker) Duncan Morrow, Dympna McGlade, David Russell, Peter Thompson

Introductions

1. Minutes and matters arising from last meeting

Minutes of last meeting recorded as accurate.

Shared Future Conference took place in November. Attendance was good with around 500 people attending. A wide range of people and Political Parties were represented.

It was reported that an estimated 10,000 people took part in Shared Future Consultation. A full summary is available on the OFMDFM website.

Mary Bunting and Nigel Hamilton – To formulate Shared Future Action Plan.

The meeting agreed that the status quo was no longer an option.

2. Launch of Good Relations Framework

Dympna McGlade informed the meeting that after 6 Drafts the Good Relations Framework was finally completed. It will be launched during CR week, which runs from Friday 2^nd to 8^th April.

Equality Commission are making positive steps towards jointly launching the 'Good Relations Framework' with CRC and creating a Partnership, which will establish what our role will be in this area in the future.

Community Relations Week

There will be 5 main themes for the week -

Good Relations
'Shared Space'
Policing
Victims/Survivors
Minority Ethnic issues

Mr Erwin asked Dr Morrow whether there will be opportunity to reflect what is going on in other sectors. Dr Morrow replied saying that this is our chance to showcase all the good work that goes on around Community Relations whether it is Vol/Com/Public. Talk of CR week becoming an Annual event.

Dave Wall has agreed to speak at an event for an invited group of people.

Other meetings will look at:

Truth Finding Process - Brandon Hammer

Children and Sectarianism - Paul Connolly

Dr Morrow informed the meeting that Channel 4 will launch the film 'Sarah Moves On' in April. This was funded by CRC's EU Programme.

3. Newtownabbey Research

Fee Ching Leong gave the committee an overview of the research she conducted on behalf of the Council. The Committee noted that the meeting held with people interviewed for the research to discuss initial findings was a very positive one. They were very impressed with the report and felt that it could be used as a helpful tool for progress and wanted it published during CR week. Furthermore a DPP manager wanted to have it put on the agenda at a Newtownabbey DPP meeting.

After discussion the following actions were agreed –

A review of the report will be conducted to take out all personal views and comments
Dr Morrow will issue the report to the Chief Executive of Newtownabbey Borough Council
The report would not be published during CR week but that further consultation would take place with key stakeholders in Newtownabbey

4. Review of Public Administration

Mr Russell gave an overview of the RPA to the committee and outlined what form he felt the CRC's response should take. After lengthy discussion it was agreed that the following would be the recommendations of the CRC to the RPA.

Power sharing
Changing local boundaries
Fewer local authorities
Separating and integrating local services
The importance of civil leadership at local and district council level
There should be cross border co-operation in pursuit of joint up Government.

5. North Down Borough Council

Ms McGlade advised the meeting that North Down Borough Council have written to the CRC as a named consultee on an EQIA on its policy to bestow the RIR with the 'Freedom of the Borough'. A discussion around CRC's role at this meeting arose. It was agreed that CRC would be there with regards to the promotion of Good Relations.

Dr Morrow informed the committee that he was happy Council goes and felt that its role should be highlighted.

6. Policy Development Conference

To be held either April or May.

Michael Ignatieff is not available to speak at the conference. Mr Wilson suggested Kenan Malik, a journalist with the Guardian and renowned academic in the area of cultural diversity and race relations, as the Keynote speaker. The committee agree and decide to approach him formally.

The date for the conference will be agreed to suit Kenan and the venue will be booked once date agreed. Other suggestions for speakers:

Dominic Bryan – Flags & Emblems

Life and Times – CR

Work on Race Relations

Shared Future

Ms Ni Bhaoill – Housing; CR week

Issue – Segregation

7.CCG Presentation

The Creating Common Ground Consortia agreed to support Council to promote CR approaches and projects within the 40 Communities programme.

8. North Belfast Update

Difficulties in engaging loyalist communities

Nationalists steaming ahead

Ms O'Neill to concentrate on Loyalist areas to try to develop approaches to narrowing the gap.

9. AOB

Other areas for consideration at the next meeting are:

Review of Belfast Agreement
ASBOS
Update on Hate Crime legislation
NIHE initiatives re: mixed housing
Report from PD Programme residential

Next meeting Tuesday 23^rd March, CRC Dungannon Office - 2pm