Transcript

[BLANKAUDIO] [BLANKAUDIO] [BLANKAUDIO] [BLANKAUDIO] [BLANKAUDIO] [BLANKAUDIO] [BLANKAUDIO] [BLANKAUDIO] [BLANKAUDIO] [BLANKAUDIO]

Members, we're gonna make a start. You're all very welcome through this evening's council meeting. And what I hand over to the chief executive for the summons. Notice is hereby given that the monthly meeting of the council will be held in the council chamber on Monday the 7th of May 2024, for the transaction of the business set out on the agenda. The members of Balfa City Council hereby someone to attend the meeting. Okay, apologies. Apologies from Consular's Flynn, White Lord, and where, and I'm happy to note any others. [INAUDIBLE] [BLANKAUDIO] Consular, Hanvi and McMullen. Hanvi McMullen, that was just, he's got. Can't do a project only as well, so. Yeah, okay, I'm not seeing any others members. Item three, which is the declarations of interest. I'd remain members of the council of their obligation on their councilors' code of conduct that carry any financial or significant non-financial interest. They hold an anti-adum of business, which becomes the subject of debate this evening. And new circumstances and members should declare the interest and leave the meeting for the duration of the debate. Mr. Doctory. Thanks to all the brightest, the current interest of the social supermarket fund as my employer as part of the previous 23/24 scheme. Thank you. Okay, thanks for the room. Likewise, the 507 C326 social supermarket, my employer is a recipient of those grants. Can I serve a bitty? Sam, I've got it. Can I serve Smith? Thank you Lord Mardp for it, and I'll put you to the responsibility obligations. My wife works for Noga. Can I serve Kennan? Yeah, let's say I'm about the social supermarket, I'm a board member, one of the organizations that deliver your fund. Can I serve Megabel Volley? Yeah, thank you, I'd like to see him at the social supermarket. Can I serve a duffey? Sam, I have a mardp for her. Yeah, all of them in orders? I ask him, I'd prefer to plan for the full club, and I'd share a holder if I could thank him. Thank you, Jim, members. Mr. President, I see him as all of them on Rogers, Lord, my friend. No further indications on the declarations of interest? Moving on to the minutes of the council meeting, I move at the minutes of the proceedings of the monthly council meeting, and maybe if it will be taken as red and saying this correct. Is it seconder? Okay, so we're talking, is that a great members? Great. Okay, members, official announcements, just a couple of quick ones from my end. The first is the Concosity of Clemente Villeclib won their success with Irish Cuddlin at the U.S. Very significant, 45 year, we had brought the end with it. Iconic amnesia of Roman heel, Roman 45 yards were more celebrating for that goal. I think I'll live long in the memory for many people, including Big Smithy, who was crying. Is that exact moment in time was taken place? But it's really just that the past honor, congratulations to everyone involved. The club really was a fantastic day. And the other one from my end is just to congratulate the organizers of the Belfast Martin. Very successful event over in 18,000 participants taking part this year, which is a record number. And again, it's one of the really significant events that talks to all the positivity of existing Belfast. So many people go on out, giving up their own time to raise funds to affect many vital causes. So just to congratulate everyone involved in the Martin and Sam Wildon, everybody who took part. Couple of the indications was consort a fortune first. Yeah, and thanks Lord Mayor. And similarly in relation to the Martin, I wanted to express my congratulations and gratitude to some of the ladies involved in Breda J.A., how it colloquially self-titled as the Breda Bells, who took part in the Martin this year to raise money for a number of cancer charities and in memory of one of their fallen teammates, Mora. And we had a fantastic day in the new Breda Clubhouse on Sunday. So Lord Mayor, I would like to ask that both that group and then another group which I want to reference as well. Which is the 110th scouts who are based up in Windchurch, who similarly took part in the marathon. And they were raising money for the Northern Island Children's Hospice. And this is the second year that that group of scouts have taken part in the marathon. And I know that last year there were very vociferous that contacted all counselors and candidates at that time to come along to their coffee morning to make sure that everybody was there. So I'd like to ask Lord Mayor if we could send a letter of congratulations to both groups. And maybe if you'd consider having them in the parlor, and they're not that fussy, they're more than happy to come in at the same time. Thank you. Yeah, no problem, I sort of thought you would get them squeezed in between now and three and a half weeks time. And yes, I'm counting down those days, we'll be more than happy to do that. Tina. Thank you, Yadfer. I want to say a heartfelt congratulations to the Immaculate of Football Club. They became Intermedia Cup champions last week. It's been a long road for this historic club. They only secured their own home venue in 2006. And they've been in existence since 1944. Our communities completely burst and were prayed about the lads. And I want to thank the coaches, the players, the management team. I see them every week. They work so hard, weeknights, it's all voluntary, and we are so proud of them. They're the pride of the falls, and they really are an inspiration to the next generation. Thanks for that. So our subject, Tina, for all of us North Belfast representatives, we're coming and star missing out on it, but we'll leave it at that. Jordan, can I start one? Yeah. Thank you, Lord Mart, just like they are. Congratulations on a couple of football teams in Old Park, Baoi Sunswift's 2012 team won their Under-12 Cup. Baoi Sunswift's Under-A-Tins team also won their division cup, and Wes and young men won their division three late, having only lost one game. So a massive congratulations to the team, their players, the coaches on this treatment. And a final moment from Lord Mart, I'd like to congratulate the Belfast Boys' Model on winning the Derry Transit Award, which is for exceptional postural care. Vice-Pence Rogers McCracken, accompanied by head boys, Eishin McQuiet on the autumn polishing, received a prestigious award at the end of last month. So if you could write the lamp, congratulations, I'd be greatly appreciative. Thank you, Lord Mart. Absolutely, Councillor Bourn, happy to do so. Councillor McQuirey? Alderman McQuirey, apologies. Thank you, Lord Mart, and can I take this opportunity to welcome the completion of two projects in my consistency of Courtea and the Greater Shangle, an investment of 1.1 million pounds. The first project I want to refer to is the Greater Shangle Community Council. Be assured in the heart of the Shangle Lotus project was working from promises that fit for purpose. And thankfully through the Belfast investment fund, the Greater Shangle Community Council received over 800,000 pounds of investment. And that is a home of a number of well-connected community groups in the Shangle, also with the Royal British Legion, Old Park Bay of Hillebrandts, the Shangle of Merra, and it's based services for people. He needs help with benefits and housing. This has been the largest investment in recent times in this part of the Shangle, and has been warmly welcomed by the people in the community. The second project is based right at the top of the Vallegan Marden Road at Advantage Way, which is the home of a local team. They're in Swiss football club. This club caters for hundreds of children, both male and female, and their families from across the community. But then Swiss received just under a quarter of a million pounds from the local investment fund, which enabled it to poochy engine rooms, facilities, and carry out ground works to their pitches. Lord Mergers and Fennies, I'm not far off that our staff received credit, but these two projects took nearly seven years. I want to thank all the staff who stood by them from start to Fennies, and also helped to bring this investment to 1.1 million pounds in too much of an area that is in the greater Shangle. Thank you. Thank you Frank. Councillor MACKERFREW. Yeah, I just want to say in the end, it's the Belfast Marathon. I just want to congratulate everyone who took part, especially Eastside Partnership and Consular Community Greenway, and also Margaret Marshall, who's in her 90s and took part in the Walking Marathon, which is an amazing feat. And also the Northern Ireland Forest Coast Association as well, thanks. It actually was a bit of a risk to me if not to mention Matt Garrett, also taking part in the city hall, somebody said he was still running. But congratulations, they were very on Matt to take part in the marathon this year, for the first hand. What was it you said, Matt, a mid-lake princess? Councillor SNIFF. Thank you, LORD MAYOR. Sorry, I lost most of my voice, it's somewhere still in the budget road. Just the echo of what you said, I'd like to congratulate all football club, it's been a long time, it's been 45 years. But I also would like to pay tribute to the 15,000 fans that were at the game. I know there was a lot of doom made from certain journalists in the run up, I would describe them as fun sponges, but the people that attended that game, were absolutely first-class. I also want to pay my heartfelt respect to both the medical teams of Cliftonville on Linfield when Orange Casey broke his ankle. I think everybody in this chamber would agree, amongst the young man, a speedy recovery, and Lord my suspecty may have already done this. But I know that myself will encounter an answer. Email to just asking if it's possible before you finish your term, invite Cliftonville up to a reception, if that is possible. We have no contact with him today, and we'll also just double-tag to make sure that the high sheriff was available to attend that even on celebration. (Laughter) Yes, we've reached out, and hopefully we'll get at some point within the common days. Thank you, Bran. Can I start for a reason? Thank you, Lord Marin, I suppose, keeping on the theme of the evening, I'll be talking about football as well. The Northern Ireland School Boys won the Centenary Shield. In the past months they did, they were unbeaten in their games against England, Scotland, Wales, and the Republic of Ireland. Northern Ireland, when they were here, in Belfast with their home, Matt has used Blancheflour Stadium, so it was fantastic to see somewhere that the council has invested heavily in, is able to be used for such a fan. So it was open, maybe also as well, if we could maybe read a letter or some form of recognition for this going forward. The other item, I'd like to speak on just as the marathon, as well on Sunday past. Speak about a group of friends, who were recently for the Northern Ireland Pancreat Counter, in memory of Pamela Nelson, who passed away sadly last October. So those who run on the marathon were some Stuart and friends. Curtis Elliott, Matt Tomlinson, Josh Kelly, Tim Lomer, Chris Murray, Paul Kelly, Jack Mahon, and Lewis Cunningham said to relay teams, and then two individuals who run the whole marathon. They raised close to £4,000 for that charity, so I think that was a fantastic achievement, and worthy of note, and say I'm as well on them, and they're a group of friends of mine, so they are, so as well as I'd like to say, I'm of them on achieving such a thing, so thank you, Lord Marin. Thank you, Lord Marin. No problem at all, Councillor Ferris and Councillor Cults. Thank you, Chair. I just wanted to commend the staff and students at Queen's University, who have took part in this peaceful setting today on campus, in solidarity with the people of Gaza. And I think it's really important that this is happening, and the demands, this is a protest that's ongoing, as this meeting commences tonight. And I think it's sprung up in solidarity with the protest movements we've seen across campuses in the U.S. and indeed in Trinity College in Dublin, where activists are demanding that the university sever ties with Israel. And these are also emerging on the cusp of what looks set to be a brutal escalation of Israeli violence. Israel is threatened to go into Rafa, has ordered hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to evacuate, and the UN is warning of a potential bloodbath if this occurs. So I think we need to up the ante in terms of the protest movements, we need to get numbers out on the streets, because our governments in the West have been already complicit throughout this genocide. And Richie Senak said today that he was concerned about Israel's actions, and he was concerned about them going into Rafa. But he's not concerned enough to withdraw the millions of funds, of military funding that his government gives the Israel every single year, and his concern will not mean an eye order to the thousands of Palestinians who have suffered under this Israeli bombardment. And I just want to make a point as well that it is the same government in Westminster, that tells us there's no money to fund local services, there's no money to give teachers a pay raise, there's no money to give nurses a pay raise, that same government has no qualms whatsoever. There are millions of tax payers money to the Israeli defense force to carry this genocide. So the UN is one of the eminent bloodbath, and we have to do something to prevent another mass civilian casualty occurring in Gaza. So I just want to commend students at Queen's for their action today, keep up the protest, because we can't rely on our governments, we're going to win freedom for Palestine despite the action of Western governments, and it's going to come through the power of ordinary people, like we're seeing happening at Queen's University days. So well done to everyone for taking part in that action. Thank you, Councillor Collins, Councillor Murray. Yes, two announcements, just firstly to congratulate our Music Centre on what in the grassroots venue spirit of the scene award in London last week. They're all against some really well-established venues from right across the UK, the first Northern Island venue to win this award. The live music industry in Belfast is incredible, and this is largely down to the work that we are doing and encouraging and promoting new and emergent talent. And as you can ask, the City of Music, a title that we wouldn't have about the work of organisations like, oh, yeah, it's essential that we recognise and support the work of our music venues across the city. I also want to recognise our Park staff for all the work on Springfest at Malone House last weekend. It's always such a great event in this year. In particular, they put so much effort into showcasing local community associations in the work that they're doing in the local communities. So a huge thank you to Lisa, Paula, and the rest of the team. Thank you, Chris and Marie, Chris are all. Yeah, so I'd just like to add my congratulations to the Clifenville, and I know that my fellow, Lisa Shirek, also will probably never stop talking about it. In terms of having cops who have them in City Hall, I know you can't do it because Glenn Tornded at the last time we won the cup. And I can't remember how many times we've won it since 1979, but there we go. And so I just wanted to also pay tribute to my colleague, who is a councillor at Malone, who is due to stand on in the coming days as a councillor for Ormiston. And we're also going to be able to be here today. And I just wanted to put on records. My thanks for him as he has served for well over a decade with our party. And he's fell fast and has served for the last five years. Ormiston as a councillor. Certainly he has made us mark in that time and has particularly raised issues to do with disability. He has also recently managed to achieve his water refill stations, finally going ahead, which was one of his initial functions that he put through, and also saw the Belfast Bike Station at Sound Down Road, which he had reposed that location going ahead as well. But so I just like to wish Becker, Heidi, and Olive all the best with Ross over the next few years and what they will bring for them. But he did want to make one point and it's a very important point I think and it lies with a matter that I raised at SPNR about the local government ability to hold remote meetings, because one of the things that has sort of forced Ross to stand on is just the fact that we are no longer at this time able to have remote or hybrid meetings. And I think the impact on those with small families, with carers, those disabilities, those who have to be in business in terms of the restriction that that has brought is something that is of great concern. And I know the council had asked that we would write again to the minister asking for the changes and he's proposing to come in as soon as possible. But I think it's important if we're going to have an inclusive and representative council that people should be able to join remotely and they should be able to do that and be part of the democratic process. So I just wanted to thank Ross for his contribution in the party and to this council. And as I say, reiterate my desire to see us getting back to the hybrid meetings as soon as possible to improve our understanding. Thank you, Councillor. And just that the applicants and wish Ross very best enough for the future holds one. Members, there's no further policies. Councillor Volne, go ahead. Thanks, Lord Mar. Yeah, I also wanted to mention spring and fast. I took part last weekend with my own community group from Beaver. It was an absolutely fantastic event and we were there to showcase our community allotments and gardens and it was great to see so many people coming through. So I want to join my Councillor Murray and congratulations Paula, Lisa Lynn and all the team who put all the time and effort into organising that event. I also want to congratulate all of the staff at Beaver Park Primary School. As of the past few months they've received a plethora of awards. Mr. Doke was recognised for his contribution to education at the Blackboard Awards, which I know Lord Mar was at. And at the Family First Awards there was a number of awards picked up such as highly commanded support staff for Mrs. Johnson, highly commanded nursery assistant for Mrs. Hamilton, highly commanded preschool for their fantastic nursery unit, highly commanded schools year, best support staff for Mrs. Wilson, and two awards for Mrs. Jones, education winner and best principal. All of these awards are highly deserved. Beaver Park Primary was my first school 30 years ago, and also seven of my children have all gone through the school. So some might say I'm biased, but the school went through a period of decline, which seemed local parents sending their kids to other schools outside of the area. Since Mrs. Jones took over as principal she's been a breath of fresh air and there's certainly been a new sense of excitement around the school. I hope they continue to flourish for many, many years to come and Lord Mar had asked if you would just write to them and congratulate them on their many awards. None problem at all, Councillor Banding. Okay, members, moving on to A and six, which is the change in membership on committees. Thank you, Lord. Mariner, notification has been received from the Green Party indicating that it wishes to replace Councillor Smith for Councillor Flynn on the Climate and City Resilience Committee. And Councillor Flynn with the Councillor Smith on the City Growth and Regeneration Committee. I'm from Shenfian indicating that it wishes to replace Councillor McVanner with Councillor Duffey on the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee. The Councillors ask to note those changes. Note it. Okay, item seven, which is the minutes of strategic policy and resources. Members will note that the aid is contained in minutes of strategic policy and resources to make the 19th of April regarding the updated and temporary contracts and agency workers. Producer responsibility of legations, packaging and packaging risks, regulations 2024 and the City Centre Regeneration Scheme. And a third of may regard an independent review of summer community diversionary, festival fund, pay and grade and review update. And the incident that rose down in order for which confidential information was applied to members of the committee. It shouldn't be necessary for the council to clear the meeting of members of the press and public to debate on those items. However, the chief executive will advise that that's a decision to change. Minutes of the strategic policy and resources committee, Councillor Black. Thank you, I propose that the minutes of the proceedings of the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee of 19th April and 3rd of May 2024, on many matters in respect of which the council has delegated its powers to the committee be approved and adopted. A seconder for Lucy. Yeah, can I say really? And it's agreed. Oh, can I say the one? Thanks, third, Mayor. They only got away with it. It's B527, the draft Irish language policy. We in the Democratic Unionist Party believe that Northern Ireland, everyone Northern Ireland should feel comfortable expressing their national cultural and linguistic identity. This includes those who cherish Irish language. However, the way forward and this council's approach to future strategies and policies must be far and balanced. To each tradition, recognizing and reflecting the delicate balance of community relations in Northern Ireland and the associated makeup of representation at council. To be clear, all cultural and language provisions must be about facilitation rather than imprecision. Sadly, the content of this draft Irish language policy fails to make this test. Instead, we have a strategy that is full of ideologies and a lot of reality. No cost, no good relations impact assessment, no quality impact assessment politically or indeed from staff. No engagement with trade unions, no reference to the quality commission. Instead, this policy is a predetermined expansion of a pre-existing policy that was balanced. Why are officials and other parties content to implement narrow, far-reaching reforms which refers to these previously balanced agreements? Let's get into this, the cost. Where is it? Similar to the draft language strategy which incorporates five strands. No. Similar to the five strands of language in the city, there's no cost attached to this. The headline commitments enshrined in the draft strategy include the rollout of bilingual logo in Irish and English and corporate identity and the adoption of dual language approach to signage in all its facilities. The latter is extremely wide in scope. Signage, naming of buildings, signs out door facilities such as parks and allotments, interactive displays, information leaflets and other resources to name a few. Why are there no indicative costings attached to these proposals? Why are we going out to consultation on a project that has not yet been costed in any way? Secondly, this strategy stresses the need to ensure that no language is left behind. Nothing in the European Charter or minority languages requires Irish to be considered co-equal without English. In fact, the purpose of this policy goes far beyond that expected or required in Article 9, Part 3 of the EU Charter. Nothing contained within the EU Charter requires Irish to be considered co-equal with Irish or English. This draft policy would place requirements on council officers and staff that are neither reasonable, proportionate or practical, which was the test set out in new decades in your approach. Further, it preempts the development of best practice standards which we set out by an incoming Irish language commissioner. Perhaps council officers can show us exactly where in this charter this council is based under an obligation to ensure that Irish is on an equal footing with English with respect of the prominence of co-operative council branding or signage. Why is this council not waiting to hear the views of an incoming Irish language commissioner on the content of a prospective best practice standards before ushering in fundamental reforms to build past city council branding that may or may not be changed? No language left behind. What has been suggested with deep inequalities between the treatment of all regional and minority languages in this city? English is not co-equal to any minority language. At least of all, one minority language over others. This is not no language left behind. This is not in keeping with nor does it promote good relations. It is sectional and divisive. Roadmar this policy suggests that a section 75 screening has been undertaken. From sitting on people in communities committee, other parties see section 75 as nothing other than post-it note suggestion rather than guidance that should be considered. Given the lack of consideration to the costings and the overstretching of country resources to implement a policy that is far-reaching of what is expected, I propose that we do not go ahead with this divisive draft policy and that we wait until the Irish language commissioner is imposed. I understand that politically, there are many in this chamber who will prefer to push ahead with this divisive draft policy. So on that basis, if this vote is lost, I would ask that when the report comes back to committee after the public consultation is completed, we need to see detail that is currently absent, including a full and comprehensive costing. At good relations impact assessment, a full quality impact assessment, including for staff affected. And to avoid any confusion, as previously happened with dual language signage policy, we would ask that a written submission from the equality commission on their view of the contents of the draft strategy is also included. Okay. Seconder for the proposal, Councillor Ferrisen. Okay. There's a couple of indications in this one, so Councillor McQuarney, same as you know. Councillor Brooks, same as you. Yes, thanks very much, LORD MAYOR. I would like to also seek additional clarity on this from council officers on the city solicitor. To clarify exactly what provision they are acting on with respect to the proposal for bilingual branding and signage. Because of it is based on Article 10 of the European Charter, Article 10 confers jetties on authorities that are applicable subject to the number of residents who are users of regional or minority languages justifying the measures taken. How is that number calculated and are the factors used the same as relying on users having some ability? Of the 3,445,418 people in Belfast, in 2021, 15% of the city had some ability in Irish. But within my own DEA of Titanic, 7% have ability in Irish and 9% in Ulster Scots. So 9% have Oena Wards and 7% have Couple Fockeau, Australia. No, I'm not swearing for those who don't follow. I swear that bilingual signage would be imposed on Belfast city council facilities in non-priority areas where Irish speaking residents are almost non-existent without any evidence of demand or advance. Member to the point. Yes. I mean, if we're looking at statistics, the census dollar should remain. If we want to bring it into my idea in Armistin, like Sir Braniel showed it 3% of people had some understanding of Irish in comparison with 9% in Ulster Scots. I mean, and Braniel is an area crying out for investment from the council. It's more a legacy area. It was transferred over from Castle Ray Council. And the Belfast been crying out for community facilities for a long time, including a relocated play park on a mug for young people. There's currently absolutely nothing for young people or for the community in the Braniel. So would this draft strategy mean that this council are going to prioritize funding for Irish language signage around Saint-Lorz that aren't fit for purpose? When they need entire new centres, and we're going to spend all this money on on signage that a large percentage of our concessions right across Belfast have no knowledge or no understanding of. With an adverse effect on decent standard leisure facilities that already Paris expect. Thank you very much and spot on from Councillor McCormack. And I know that both him and Alderman Lawler have long been raising the case for the Braniel estate. And it was something that was raised at Irish Belfast working grip and rightly so. But I suppose the point that you're making could probably be reflected in every working class estate. For example, Councillor Verner for her area of Woodville. She shared with me this week that it was three years ago today that she brought forward a motion in relation to autism. But it's also been five years since she brought forward her aspirations for a sensory garden for Woodville. To ensure the children on the spectrum of those who had neurological conditions would have a safe space to play. And Court is another example where there are more people who have knowledge of Ulster Scots than Irish. She's still waiting. Just a couple of weeks ago Councillor Bunting brought forward a motion to request provision of two communication boards for two special needs goes in their local park. This has been over two years waiting and she is still waiting for that. The Minister for Education outlined last week that there's an additional 6,000 cent cases that are going to be needed across the education system within the next ten years. Because there are children who are desperate need of having cent provision, that is increasing rapidly. It's gone up by 21%. There is demand in this city to address a huge void in leisure and active facilities to assist with a better lifestyle. Yet this strategy and the language strategy they are two different policies stretch themselves far too wide in the ideology of being able to deliver. So where is the cost for this draft policy coming from? Is it coming from the same pocket of money that this council should be using to deliver on sensory play areas and communication boards or is it a totally different part? And finally, Lord, may I want to make a point? Pre-2012, this council conducted an extensive staff and city survey on the change to the flag policy and the evidence base for suggesting staff are uncomfortable with a flag that they cannot see. Why has such survey not been carried out with staff prior to public consultation and why are we not delivering on things that matter for all the residents across all of the DEA's? Thank you, Councillor Brookes, Councillor McL like one? No, thank you very much. Sorry, I'm just a bit shocked. Firstly, it's great to see the UP reading so much into European legislation. I understand it's probably a new strategy for them. But listen, this council can walk and shoot on at the same time. Therefore, it can spend money on leisure, which we have. We spend 105 million pounds of operating on leisure centers across the city. What we are asking for here is simply a consultation process to bring the very people that the previous speakers have brought in. So staff need to be consulted. Therefore, it's done through a consultation process. When it was brought up about the flag, before the decision was taken the flag in 2012, the consultation process which informed the decision. What is happening here is what is normally going to happen is that there is a 12-week consultation and this is what's happening in this case as well. It's going to be a normal 12-week consultation. There is absolutely no decision being made. In fact, in this case, all we talked about is consultation in regards to Mary Peters track. In previous, we talked about consultation in regards to the pitches strategy. We don't have any values attributed to them because what we have to engage is the scope of the pitches strategy provision, the scope of the provision that would be in the Mary Peters track. And then, once all of that is done and we have the consultation, we know how much it's going to cost. Then the decision is made the council. So I don't know why people are shouting that the amount caused before consultation because fundamentally the consultation process will inform our policy. We have a draft policy here. We may hear back from residents. It seems that the EU people already have an extensive consultation response to this progressive policy. So I welcome their feedback on that as well. We have tried, I think, this is taken years and years to come through. So, listen, this, for me, is a progressive policy and it's going through the proper procedures and structures, as always. No consultation that this council puts out has an attributed cost right away because the fundamental nature of consultation is that it actually may end up changing the end policy. Therefore, there may be a cost implication change. So this is nothing new. It shouldn't stun anyone, that this is the way it's being done. And if it does stun people, it would actually ask them to go and look back at every consultation process. This council has ever been enacted in because this is the normal process. If you have a problem with that, try to change it. But don't try and pick and choose what parts of consultation or what parts of policy that you want to then pick apart because you don't like it. And that is the fundamental reality here. The DUP don't like this policy. Therefore, they're going to stay near every, at every juncture. And certainly what we would be doing is what is now going to be laden up. We will go through with the 12 week consultation process. We will take the views of the public and any other interests or bodies. And we will go with the very progressive policy for this council. Thank you. Councillor Megalen. Councillor interjecting. I am going to go ahead and I am going to get the Irish language belongs to everybody. And I think it's important that some people seem to have problems with the fact that this is across community language. If you look at our history over the last hundreds of years, it's been people from all backgrounds within our city who have promoted and supported the Irish language. Most notably, those from a Presbyterian background, took and really went safe to the language whenever it was in dire straits in the 19th century. So the Irish language is for everybody. But I listened to some of the words that were raised. And let's be honest, this policy has been going on for a number of years in terms of iterations of where it would go. And it's been through a number of working groups. It's been through a number of workshops. It's been through the language working group. It's been through a whole range of issues to try and get us a position that is in. So this is not rushed. Can I also say that the words we use, facilitation, not imposition? Well, the reality is that this policy, actually, I would say, encourages that exact point because we've already seen with our signs and Irish street signs that where a majority of people do not want the signs in a vote, they haven't gone ahead. They've gone to the back of the queue. And that is the de facto position of where we're at in terms of that. And there was also a number of areas which we read out in terms of the level of Irish language support. And the reality is that thanks to this consultation, the areas where there is over 15% of Irish speakers will be the areas where the signs will be concentrated. And so the areas which are under 5% which are likes of Ormiston or Shankar or various other parts of Belfast will not be having signs imposed on them in any way. And I actually think this is a much better way for us to look at it based on the actual census evidence in terms of the number of people who speak or understand the language. So I think that the other point is that this is very much not predetermined. This is a consultation. This is not a policy that we're implementing today. So there's no costs in the stage. Now, I would have liked, and I made it clear that I would have liked to have a little bit more clarity in terms of some of those issues before it went by to consultations so that people were aware of how that would work. But the absolute reality is that whenever this comes back with whatever views they are, I know that our party will be happy and I can't remember, it didn't look at all the points that you put down. But if you're talking about looking at full costumes, full quality impact survey, and there was another one which I didn't catch, we'll be more than happy for that to be looked at. We don't have any problems with that because I think it is important that we work in an inclusive way. And obviously costing is going to be one of the most important things that we need to address. If we don't have money, we'll not be able to do it. And that's the reality. But we need to say in this consultation what people actually want. What is their view and how this should move forward? What is this as a priority for those people? And the reality is that we will then get an idea of where we're going. I can tell you now that ours is not a predetermined view, ours is a view where we will be listened to what the people of Belfast say, and we will act on that basis. And if they think it's a priority for some of these things to go ahead, that's fine. But there will obviously be a need to look at some of the particular measures in terms of the impact it may well have in terms of equality issues. So, as I said, if there is a view going forward that you want to look at those three particular issues of costing and the quality impact on the other one, we'll be more than happy to support that issue. But that's quite clear. Nobody's taken any money from anything at this stage. All we're doing is seeing what the appetite is for this particular policy is in the future. And it has been sitting there for years and years, and it needs to be given out to the people of Belfast, let them have their view. Well, can I start to fight you? Thank you, Lord Mayor, and look at this point, and that we're once again in this particular argument. And I recall previous iterations of this particular discussion around particularly Irish language rights in this city. Previous clinicians who have stood up and said how frustrated they felt about the fact that every time we have to have a discussion in relation to the Irish language, there's a feeling that Irish language activists in this city have to wait. That they're told that they have to wait on a further piece of work, a further bit of effort that has to be put in somewhere on the line. And the reality is we've got to a point now where we have a draft policy, we have an opportunity to go out to consultation to people. And I don't think those who have a graph, the language, are pretty much willing to wait much longer. And it has been outlined to the DEP group on a number of occasions from all different parties, I think at this stage, that we have always got out to consultation without a cost in attached to particular policy proposals, because policies may change based on the consultation response. And so it is very hard to attach a costing to a public consultation around the headline ideas or thoughts around a particular policy proposal when those may actually change based on the consultation response. And there have been a number of consultations certainly in my time in counsel that we've gone out for, and no costing has been attached whatsoever. So we've all reiterated this to the DEP at this stage, and I know that Councillor Wong and others from the Alliance Party raised concerns in relation to the costing previously, and accepted on principle the point that we don't go out to consultation unless their cost is attached. That instead we're going out in relation to the substance of the policy itself, rather than the actual financial implications around it. And disappointed that we have seen language that suggests that other minority languages and cultures are being left out in this city despite the fact that we are moving forward in terms of an Irish language policy and support for the Irish language community. Because I stood in this chamber and proposed money this year to go to the Ulster Scots cultural celebration and heritage within the city. And I've been very clear in saying that we need to be sure that we do everything we can to support and promote cultural diversity within this city. And it's not the case that the city council has left other people behind. Engagement and work has taken place, funding has been allocated, and political parties have made compromises in order to get that funding over the line. And I'm very open, and our group, the SDRP as a party, is very open to continuing to do that. But we will not be content with seeing this delayed at this stage. We will not be supporting the DUP in their further reccan amendment again tonight to try and stop this from going out to consultation. There's time for the citizens of the city to get their opportunity to have their say in relation to this. And we will get an opportunity to see what exactly they say. I was disappointed in the most part tonight because this felt like once again another example of the DUP group being led by the single Councillor from the TUV in relation to their policy around the Irish language. However, I was delighted to hear at the very least that there's been some maturity of policy which is that the DUP are now awaiting an informed view in relation to the Irish language from the Irish language commissioner. So there's at least been some movement and I welcome that and congratulate it. But I would urge my colleagues across the floor of the Democratic Unionist Party to not continue to put up a fight against this that is based on listening to the loudest voices. Engage proactively see that there are people across the city who have a girl for the language who come from all backgrounds and numb and who want to see us as an institution respect that properly. The further the nastiness that is directed towards the Irish language continues, the more and more you will see people taking a point. No, I won't. The more and more you will see people taking up the Irish language in response to that. And I believe fundamentally that has happened over the last number of years because people have engaged with the language and decided what on earth is there to oppose about this. It is also much part of our cultural history and the tapestry of this place. Thank you. Can I sort of point you, can I say really? Thank you, Arva. Yeah, that's important to hear some of the language used again in relation to the Irish language, but this is not the new. Arva, this is nearly every month, certainly for the last number of years that I've been here. And it's everything around street naming, the policies, the anything they do with Irish whatsoever. And if you were an outsider looking in and there was one political party who was continuously opposed to another nationality, certainly would see it as racist. And that's why most people would see it because they oppose everything but just because it's Irish is not acceptable. And it is going to be perceived by people for what it is. And every opportunity the DUP has tried to slow down and stop the progress in the language in the city. The Irish language is the indigenous language of this city. The name of this city is Irish. The name of the shankle is Irish. The name of many, many streets are Irish. So there's no getting away from the Irish language in this city. We don't get away from the grown number of people, young people, who are going through their education in Irish. And that the number of them children are grown so fast that the screws don't have enough places for them. So it is disappointing for the DUP once again to try and stop or slow down the progress. But for me in terms of using different alternatives or excuses of why it shouldn't be funded and talking with community centers and different things that the MABI are funded and a lot of them are. And this is another historical thing from a previous unionist sort of dominated council. There are 27 community centers, council, community centers in this city. To add to them are unionist areas, only seven are national areas. And that's a historical thing that has been applied by unions. Now we're talking about a party, we're talking about a short future. And we're going to invest in the facilities, we need to be building areas that don't involve community facilities before we look at anything else. But like all the previous opposations that were seen in the past, to all the different strategies and the different Irish language proposals, they won't be successful. A more will be where we need to be, there needs to be an Irish language policy, there needs to be a progressive approach to the language in the city. And while all the parties may think that they're planning to be elected, they're actually not because there's a way to society with our own voter base who just don't like this approach. And the appeal is to recognize that there's a way or body of people out there who do see Irish in a positive way. And their actual approach is part of them people away from them. Thank you, Councillor. Thank you. Thanks, Chair. And here we'll go again. It was good to hear from the SDLP as well. And advocates for all their Scots on all their British identity earlier on, I think we've seen that. And evidence last month when there was an objection about the Fenigee community street and festival because there was a flute bond plan with an earshot of it and that was the great offense. So that doesn't quite wash. Point of order. No thanks. Point of order. What's your point? I heard a chance to talk today on Talkback about what it means to have an Irish identity. And speaking specifically to people like myself, speaking to people who died in the world of Irish, and what it means to have an Irish identity. And what came out in the conversation, which was social, which was decent, which was well-mannered, which was respectful, was that Ulster as a province is a melting pot of three men, and holidays and traditions of English, of Irish, and Ulster British identity. And one of the things that we always have when we talk about this is bilingual or by identity. It's just bring an Irish up to a level of English. And you ignore and you disregard and you disrespect Ulster British traditions. We've heard already that Belfast is an Irish town. Belfast is a Scots press material in town. It's names are rooted in the Ulster Scots language. When church, knock, short, strong, strong means beach, knock means hill. There's words that transport into the Ulster Scots. That's what we've got. So you can take them as you want. It's a melting pot of three, identities. It's a melting pot of three, identities, that's my point. But what you're trying to do is an assimilation. So you're going to take an Ulster Scots time, and you're going to take Ulster Scots place names that are mixed with the shanko. I accept that, but I'm mixed with Belfast, I accept that. And there's others that transfer over. But what you want to do is you want the assimilation, another culture, and another heritage. And you've no respect, and you can't have the conversation. And we can't raise concerns, because we're told quite often that you're fed up here on our concerns. What a big talk in the people and saying, what are your concerns? Instead of saying, we're going to do this no matter what. We're going to push this through, but you're not going to have a say in it. I have an Ulster British identity, which was founded in this city for over hundreds of years. Hundreds of years. And you're trying to assimilate it, and you're trying to take it away. And when there's kickback, you don't like it. Well, you're going to have to accept it, because there's always going to be kickback while you force it on to other people. It has to be a trifold approach in the city. It's like, we want to vote. If you just stick to the Irish side of the city, you're going to go round in circles. But if you promote all the component parts, if you're respected British identity, if you respect their concerns, if you're a polar and they're identity and heritage, then you'll get somewhere, but you're just a juggernaut pushing another tradition and another heritage out of the way. So as way you keep going on, and the C and V in it is your going on, we're going to keep having this conversation. We're going to kick it back. We're going to keep fighting in the chamber. And there's always going to be that resistance to it, because you're pushing it, where it's not wanted. You're doing away with the traditions and the heritage and the cultures that are already in this city. And even when we talk about the belt that's coming forward, and you're going to put a rebranding process. So you're going to go into maybe Agnes Street dump, and you're going to rebrand it now. And you're going to get the orange man up there. Maybe he worked in the dump or whatever it may be. And you're going to give him the Irish identity T-shirts and dual branded logos. Is that where we're going, Maris? Is that not in the simulation of another culture and another heritage when you're being forced to embrace something that's alien to you? Keep bringing it forward. We'll keep having the resistance to it. Is there a tard here in it? Is there not going to get even tarder here in it? Thank you. Can I ask the lance? Thank you, Lord Mayor. I'm good. I'll recommend myself by saying our new song Shan Folkly on D.E.P. August TV. That's a new song, but the old words really coming from the D.E.P. and T.E.V. And it is frustrating and particularly previous speakers I would listen to very intently, but they would have had a point if we were talking about myo-lingual signage, but we're not. We're talking about bilingual signage. We're talking about parity and equality. We're not talking about scrubbing any language from the city or forcing or tearing away as some of the terms that have been used here today. What we're doing is talking about reflecting the traditions. And actually, previous speakers have noticed this. I'm quite happy to accept and actually celebrate the fact that the northern part of this island, island or Ulster or Dalriada, it depends really how far you want to go back. We've different names for all of these things. That we've always had a close connectivity, particularly with Scotland. I've had the joy of being up in Lyric recently and I've looked at Scotland. It's not far away. We've always had that tradition and we've always borrowed words and we've always shared words and we've always bounced back and forth in all facets of life or whatever. But there has been a concerted political stigmatization of one tradition and one cultural and linguistic tradition in this city. And that really is what's tapping into the Nubvish. I'm quite happy to follow the path of cities like Derry, for example, where they had three languages on their signage, English, Irish and Ulster Scots. Derry, of course, wasn't traditionally an Ulster Scots-speaking city, but it was a market town and it brought in Orleans or a Lalon speakers from the hinterlands of Donegal, Sligo, Raskaman and other parts of the world as well. So they took an inclusive and embracing approach to the three different traditions, that of the Anglo-Saxon, that of the lowland Scots, then the Scots-Galek and Irish linguistic tradition as well, because we do share a huge American common as well. And I do listen sometimes to this debate with great confusion as to how we are trotting the same ground, Irish, August, Irish, again and again, over the same couple of points. We sometimes near here new arguments, and I agree with the previous speaker about interesting to see that European law has now been brought into it. We've had quite a lot of conversations about European law in the last decade. Lord Mary, don't plan to regurgitate them, but I would point to the likes of comics. And there are reports on the UK government's obligation for regional and minority languages. This is a human rights organisation that makes recommendations on how nation states are adhering to their international human rights obligations. And it would make reference particularly to the number of campaigning and human rights groups and Irish language groups in the city who have engaged in a very sincere patient, sometimes two patients in some cases, and lengthy process, and making the slow and delicate arguments, building up the evidence base, using international jurisprudence, looking to other parts of Europe where we have issues in relation to the expression of bi- or tri-lingual signage in public authorities. And they have built a compelling case. It's been 18 years since St Andrew's agreement to promise an Irish language act. It is 18 years as an incredibly long period of time for any piece of legislation. And frankly, I think it is worthwhile and useful that the council is taking these steps forward, and as previous speakers, to recognise the linguistic, albeit sometimes anglicised heritage that our city has, Beilfarshta, being Belfast, Mayon, Ming, Malone, Strawn, Milishming, Sweetstream, all of the different areas, because they give a connection to the development of this history, and it's a historical term. They bring a connection to the environmental and ecological history of our city, and they bring fundamentally a cultural connection to the people who came before us and built the city that we have inherited from, and that we are supposed to look after. So, as we have done with this building itself and the reflection of windows to recognise stories that were horrifically under-recognised, but the role of women in the city, the role of trade unions in this city, and various other laudable communities and traditions, we should be doing this as well, and I urge the council to move forward at peace. Grandma, good to meet you. Good to meet you. Good to meet you. Good to meet you. Good to meet you. Good to meet you. Good to meet you. Good to meet you. Good to meet you. Good to meet you. Good to meet you. Good to meet you. As a gale who has been following this process in terms of the Irish language and high-profile city council represented for much longer than I've been here, and as the previous speaker alluded to you for much longer than we should have had to wait. This process is anything but rushed, but I'm delighted to see it get to this stage, and I would just like to reiterate the point that this policy, firstly, is going out for consultation, nothing is being forced on anybody, and that it is absolutely not about taking anything away, that it is about adding to what this council represents, that it is about symbolizing the silverish, the richness of heritage that we have here as the city, that the language adds to this city, and as somebody who has been very lucky to have been roadmarish, who has taught Irish to people from all sorts of backgrounds, from right across this town and further afield, I always say that when you learn about the background of the city and you learn the language and the association it has with it, that it's like turning on the colour on the TV if you've been watching it in black and white. It's not taking anything away, it is adding to it, and for people who are maybe uncomfortable with it, and this policy does allow for that, but there are different stages to it, there is the option, as I did mention in committee, for single, for model angle, the IE English only, logos, for example, for staff, but I would also like to draw members of attention to the points 4, 3, 6, which talk about the EQIA, which will number 6, the draft Irish language policy currently being subject to section 75, that the financial implications IE the costs will be put together once we know what the final policy will be following the consultation process and that staff and others will be consulted as a matter of course, which is the right thing to do. The whole point of this consultation process, as I raised in committee, is to be pragmatic about it. It's how we move forward in the most efficient way, that we make sure that we aren't costing something or making decisions on something that is inaccurate, that isn't going to be the final finished product. So our grandma get a short, how many harvests asked to go show about the entire thing, I'm delighted to see this consultation process moving forward, while Henga Moore, Lohandenya Tapilesh, I would highly recommend that we move forward with the consultation process, and I look forward to seeing what the outcome is, hopefully in 12 weeks, grandma, you can't jump. Yeah, thank you, Lohandenya, just to be really clear, her officers support the legal integrity of the decision, making process of this organisation. Policy is a matter of political choice, that is exactly what is occurring here. From the point of view of the policy decision making itself, the equality considerations will be integral to that process, and as I understand it will be combined with the consultation process to be undertaken. Adversa, there was no further indications for speakers on this one, and there was an proposal in front of us proposed by Councillor Bontin, seconded by Councillor Ferguson. I'll get the chief executive just to clarify what that proposal was. Yes, Lord Mayor, proposed by Councillor Bontin, seconded by Councillor Ferguson, that the decision of the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee of the 19th of April, under the heading Irish Language Policy be rejected, and according to the Council does not proceed with the draft policy until the Irish Language Commissioner is in place. Okay. Members, if no, there's not going to be agreement on that, so we'll go to vote. Madam, I have recorded a vote, please. [No audio] Lord Mayor? No. Against? Deputy Lord Mayor? Against. I sure. [No audio] Hi, Sheriff. Four. [No audio] Alderman Copeland. Four. [No audio] Alderman Lauler. Four. Alderman Cooper. Four. Alderman Collet. Four. Alderman Rogers. Four. Councillor Angles. Yes. Councillor Beall. Against. Councillor Black. Against. Councillor Bower. Against. Councillor Bradley. Councillor Ruth Brooks. Four. Councillor Tarot Brooks. Against. Councillor Bonting. Four. Councillor Kahneman. Against. Councillor Carson. Against. Councillor Kublian. Against. Councillor Collins. Against. Councillor Ficher. Against. Councillor Dougherty. Against. Councillor Michael Tomlai. Against. Councillor Padryk Tomlai. Against. Councillor Roushmarra Tomlai. Against. Councillor Doran. Four. Councillor David Jogas. Four. Councillor Dauffy. Against. Against. Councillor Ferguson. Four. Councillor Flynn. Against. Councillor Gallant. Against. Councillor Humvee. Aye. Councillor Kelly. Aye. Councillor Long. Aye. And aye. Against. Councillor Lanz. Aye. Councillor McGhee. Aye. Councillor Mackay. Aye. Councillor Maskey. Aye. Aye. Against. Councillor Filman. Aye. Against. Councillor Jardin. Aye. Against. Councillor McKill. Aye. Councillor McKill. Aye. Councillor McCormick. Aye. Councillor McOsker. Aye. Councillor McDonald-Bryg. Aye. Against. Councillor McDowell. Aye. Councillor McKill. Aye. Councillor McKill. Aye. Councillor McKill. Aye. Councillor McQuill. Aye. Councillor McMillan. Aye. Councillor McMillan. Aye. Councillor McMillan. Aye. Councillor McMillan. Aye. Councillor McMillan. Aye. Councillor McQuill. Aye. Councillor McMillan. Aye. Councillor McMillan. Councillor McMillan. Councillor McMillan. Councillor McMillan. Councillor McMillan. Councillor McMillan. Councillor McMillan. Councillor McMillan. Councillor Murray. Aye. Thank you. [BLANKAUDIO] [BLANKAUDIO] [BLANKAUDIO] [BLANKAUDIO] [BLANKAUDIO] [BLANKAUDIO] Lord, my other footed for 17 against 36 according to the amount of his lost. Moving on, Councillor Abbity. [BLANKAUDIO] Thank you, Lord Mar. I just wish to speak on B492 in relation to the response received from the Department for Communities. After this council agreed to write to the minister, as in that he worked originally to deliver the poverty strategy. I know that the response didn't come directly from the minister himself, but the deputy director of the Central Policy Division. And that to me is yet another indication of where poverty sets in terms of priority with the minister indeed, the executive as a whole. We were told back when the institutions were dying that work had been done and that the strategy would be a day one priority. We're not being told that yes, it is a key priority. Of the executive, we are seeing zero action. I started the steps of storming just last month with many groups who have been fading for an anti-poverty strategy for many, many years now. Groups such as Save the Children, Fuel Poverty NI, and people, such as those who have been in the front lane, tackling the hardship that so many faced right now. What was frustrating that day certainly was that there was an opportunity to progress with an anti-poverty strategy and attempt to pull people out of the crisis. They find themselves in a community. Once again, the con was kicked down the road even further. And that's not acceptable. And it's not acceptable that one in five children continue to live in poverty in our communities. And it's not acceptable that an increasing amount of households are unable to afford basic goods, while food bank referrals continue to spiral. We need to see action from this executive. I welcome the fact that this council will once again rate to the minister. Hopefully, we'll get a response. And also, rate to the first and deadly first minister urging a response. And to clarify what their plan is, if there is indeed a plan, I'm request that the strategy be implemented as quickly as possible. People here deserve better. And as a council, I believe we need to continue to press executive to bring solutions that will work to end the scandal of food banks and hunger in our communities once and for all. Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Lord. You, Councillor Daugherty, Councillor McQuarley, see your issue? No, definitely. Councillor Lour, see your issue? No. Councillor Long, see your issue? Okay, Grant, Councillor McQuarley. Thank you, Lord, Mayor. It has already been touched on by my colleague, Councillor McDowell. It is a bit rich to hear the STL pay claim they're great love. In the case of just a minute, some relation to the quality of Lord Ma'ar B494. So, it is a bit rich to hear the STL pay claim they're love and fairness for us. In fact, they did try to have funding removed from a group and from a key. An article in the Belfast hour draft described as the second time I've been the Miss Representatives Committee. Here we are, where I ask to remove funding from any event in Finney. Lord Ma'ar, can you hear it for us? It has been two minutes and any Councillor through to any external document that I ask to remove funding. If not, I demand you retract the comments and apologise. Councillor McQuarley, continue. Thank you, Lord Ma'ar. The article described it as a scene from Father Ted, but a fate more accurately. Sorry, Lord Ma'ar. I've asked with the Councillor a question. Can you point to a minute where I have proposed to remove funding from any event in Finney? In the last, say, six months or so. We'll give it a nice bit of flexibility. If not, apologise. Councillor Rans, if you feel you've been misrepresented, I will bring you back in at the end of Councillor McQuarley's comments. And at that point, you can clarify where it is you feel you've been misrepresented, or you've been misrepresented. And then, yes, for the point, the quality of apologies. Yes, Councillor McQuarley, continue, please. Thank you, Lord Ma'ar. Third time, Lucky. But it more accurately reflected a scene from Give My Head piece rather than Father Ted. As the SDLP profusely lobbied the committee to show footage of a very, maybe on a phone techno in Nokia 3310. But make no mistake about it. This isn't any laughing matter. And it's the same as the SDPL stooped to such steps to muddy the name of a community organisation who have done nothing but worked tirelessly to enhance the room. The organisation thrust into the headlines. On what the headlines may I add have now lost other parts of funding as a result. And it's likely to represent that as we have an obligation to stand up for organisations we need us most, namely in working class communities. It must be SDLP, look down their noses as they smear, slander these community organisations. If the EU people work to encourage, equip and empower such community organisations to affect positive change within their own communities. They have encouraged SDLP to reflect on their actions over the last few weeks. They want to be a part of a Belfast that's going to provide solutions for working class communities. Or they go on to continue to derive everyone they disagree with, making their caricatures a vocal on day. Though this might not be top of their to-do list as their problems are well documented in the last two weeks. Locally and regionally, they need not worry about national headaches as they have no representation in Westminster. But they are a party in disarray and a party that may soon disappear. Thank you Lord Mayor. Thank you Lord Mayor. Seeing as the Councillor can't point to the document or any proposal for myself about withdrawing funding, I would like to remind them there is no indemnity for anyone speaking in this chamber that the Councillors are responsible for. Point of order, no need for mentioned. That Councillors are responsible entirely for their own conversation. And any suggestion, whether it is this sad little attempt to use a political party, when there has only been one representative of that party to speak at the Councillor to speak about an issue, there is plenty of jurisprudence and court rulings that supersedes that and says that it is easily identified. There is no need to name a name. That merely are standing orders for a right or reply. But it is a suggestion if an individual is clearly identified. So no names being mentioned is a pretty poor excuse. So if the Councillor can't point to proposal and is now recently reminded that he has no remedy, perhaps I will invite him a final time to apologise and withdraw those comments. Just for clarity, members, the decision taking at the last few council meeting was that the committee's decision, the grant the authority that you are looking for to propose from the Cultural Festival, is referred back to the policy and resources committee for further reconsideration. When the case is on the back end, Councillor Riber, clarity, LORD MAYOR, that the proposal was that for noise control is being introduced to the Festival and at the committee? Say yes, sorry. That the only proposal made regarding the Festival and Finney at the last SPNR was that noise control and noise monitoring program being introduced. That would be in the minutes as well. Councillors interjecting. Just for clarity, Councillor Lanz, there wasn't a proposal in regards to the provision of a report from the noise control in regards to this. Thank you for inviting me, LORD MAYOR. The chair wouldn't take that proposal, so there was no proposal made at all, LORD MAYOR, except for it to proceed with the event. Is that correct? According to the minutes, which further makes it hard to see where the previous speakers, namely, I actually forget at the moment. That's correct. Point to proposal. The point you are making is correct, so we want to move on. So next person I have done was Alderman Luller. Thank you, LORD MAYOR. Under B530, I want to welcome the committee's decision to allocate resources for this Council to mark the anniversary of the commencement of Operation Overlord, more commonly known as the D-Day landings, which occurred on the 6th of June 1944, and was the beginning of the Allied liberation of Europe from Nazi tyranny. We will take part within the debt that can never be repaid, and without their victory over fascism, we would not be exercising democracy as we are this evening. Importantly, tomorrow marks the 79th anniversary of victory in Europe, the final outcome of those Normandy landings. There are only a handful of British D-Day veterans remaining, and I will conclude with a quote from veteran John Roberts, who had his name added to the Normandy Memorial Wall, alongside the fellow veterans Stanford earlier this year. It's humbling to see the nation come together to remember D-Day and who she failed during the Normandy landings. I will never forget that day, and I'm proud to know that the British people won't forget either. I hope that the commemorations in June will help a whole new generation understand the sacrifices made on over half. Thank you, all in one another. Councillor interjecting. That's right. Are we also taking the next set of minutes, or are they separate, the other espionage ones? Yeah, all together. I go mad on to both. Okay. Yes, I heard Councillor McDowell earlier on mention the importance of reflecting the Ulster British traditions and as somebody who is proud to be British and Irish and a few other things. I also would like to say the fact that I would like to welcome the fact that we will be celebrating the anniversary of our commemorating the anniversary of the D-Day landings. It's important that we remember this important time when the number of soldiers from primarily the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada led the battle in Normandy. It is a very important time to remember those who gave their all for the United Kingdom and this world. Secondly, I just wanted to highlight and also supporting my Ulster British side of my policy as that of course we supported the use of the city hall for the launch of Orange Fest as something that is an important step to recognize a section of our community. Finally, on both 535 the independent review of the Summer Community Diversionary Fund, I'd like to say that for the first time in a number of years that I was able to support a proposal from the DUP in terms of bringing forward this funding which will obviously is linked to the potential that we have with issues around the summertime. And I think it is something that is to be welcomed during the discussion over the last number of months. We put forward a number of proposals including the need for independent evaluation, the fact that applications pretend to be the threshold should not be funded and also specifically raised the issue that it was important that it doesn't have to be a festival but can be something else which is celebrated within local communities. And so those issues have all been incorporated into the new programme for this year. And as I say we are happy to support this funding as well. And I think it shows that this kind so far from being anything that only looks at one section of our community. And certainly from our point of view is something that wants to represent all sections of our community and wants to support events for all sections of our community. And I think that is important to point that out. Thank you, Councillor BIDDY. Thank you, Arthur. Yep, Councillor Long, we also supported the launch of the orange fest. We also supported the bull fire diversionary and the D. day lantern and the point is we do be inclusive. We don't just pick and choose in terms of people's culture in the city. We recognize there is all our cultures out there. And it's important it's a two-way street. Because it's not a two-way street. Then, trust me, you'll probably come out the loser because there's more people than they say there isn't that's it. But the point, Arthur, was around the incident at Roselawn. Because I think this was a very sinister attempt by some individuals in the city to cause annoyance. Roselawn, particularly the crematorium, is a place of sanctuary. It's a place of respect. It's a place that belongs to this council. And for a number of months, then, to go into that crematorium. And that display that we've seen, cleared it in the media, was absolutely disgraceful. It's right that every party condemned their actions. It's important we get the investigation completed as quite as possible. We need to know how this happened, what had happened, who knew about it. We need to know what the CCTV shows. We need to know obviously what information the place has and what our response does as well. It's important we bring us to a conclusion immediately and we get all the answers that we've asked for. Thank you. Can I have somebody else in order, same issue? Your Mayor, in regards to the incident that took place at Roselawn's crematorium on Roselawn's cemetery. As a chair of the working group, I totally and utterly condemn it. I don't care which side of the religious divide people come from. It is absolutely wrong. I must not be allowed to happen again. And I'm not pointing a finger at our other social staff who work out there because it's not an easy job. Whenever you've got paramilitaries involved, the other thing is, I was disappointed. None of the working group I'm led to believe were notified that this has happened. And you ask yourself, is there any point of having a cemetery and crematorium working group if they're just going to be ignored? But I would hope that the officers responsible for nature in the future, that working group members are told exactly what it's possible. Roger, take a point. Sure. I don't think any members were aware. I look certain members of the SPNR weren't aware. We were made aware of the name before from the media, when media requests came in. So new members were aware. I understand the senior management weren't aware. And that's why we need to get to the bottom, yes? Because you find out why that happened. Obviously, people were eventually told officers, and I have a hash regard for all officers. But again, I think there has to be a better way of communicating with people to show that they're not going to be embarrassed, whether it's the media or other ways. And it's an important issue. And we know it happened before, and I have no time for this behavior. No time for it whatsoever. But I hope it won't happen in the future. But one just doesn't know. Thank you, Lord Mayor. Thank you, Jim. Just a great Lord Mayor, that the escalation procedure is something here that will be very much focused on in terms of how we're looking at this. It is correct, but the kinds of things he says that senior management weren't aware of this until we were aware that the media were asking questions. But the story I think today, before the story, I actually broke. Members, there's no further indications on SPNR, and that's agreed. Great. Moving on to the minutes of people and communities. Committee members will note that the items contained in the minutes of the people and communities committee have been named to the approval regarding difficulty access streets, updated as a matter of force confidential information to supply the members of the committee. It shouldn't be necessary for the council to appear and meet if members are pressed in public for the bit, but not even however the chief executive will advise the council of that situation changes in the minutes of the people and communities committee kind of to their memory. I move that the minutes of the proceedings of the people and communities committee of the 9th of April 2024 be approved and adopted. Seconder. Councillor only yet. Councillor Kennan. Thank you. Sorry for your stress in relation to the C324s, the difficulty to access streets updates. So, the committee agreed then that the panel scheme to challenge that inappropriate parking in streets with impacts and bin collections is to be launched this week. So, hopefully that is right of their tonight because it is a challenging issue in many areas, particularly in the Springfield Road area where I represent. And I just want to take this opportunity to thank the officers who have got it to this stage because I know there was a lot of engagement with PSNI and DFI, and it's something that has been discussed at length at the committee. So, it is an 18 month pilot and I look forward to the evaluation. I do hope it's successful and it does encourage the proper parking of vehicles so it can't be ruled out there and do the other challenging areas. Councillor interjecting. Thank you, Chair. Councillor Ruck. Thank you, Chair. At C339, the static park wardens update. And it's just to thank officers for the work around this. We appreciate it. It took a bit of visionary thinking. It demonstrated real innovation. It's cost effective. The operational approach is working with communities. It's listening to them. It's reflecting the different needs of our parks. In reference to Donville, it really has made this still in Garden Park what the community deserves. It's to be vibrant, safe and diverse. It's great to see this pilot making such a difference, even in Woodvale also, and to be expanded to the fall. So we hope sort of after September that it can be rolled out until we have those parks firmly established as safe spaces. Thank you. Thank you. Councillor Rifrix. Yes, thank you very much, LORD MAYOR. Members of the People and Communities Committee, we are aware that I brought an urgent motion seeking for Council's support to approve a request to write to the dear minister to seek urgent consideration of bringing forward the dilapidation bill, and I did that because in my short term here in Council, I've had to deal with more issues around dilapidated buildings that have been causing issues. The weekend before I brought this motion, Storm Kathleen had caused a building that, on the top floor of the crack windows, had blew out smashing all over the main huge road. It is a very busy thoroughfare. And simply, Council staff swept up and cleared the area, and it now remains in the same condition that it has done for the past number of years. It is now home for pigeons and seagulls. Six months previous, the adjoining building, it's well and straight, it's well known, it's on the corner beside Councillor Mcdonalds, which I'm sure many of you have been to. There was an electrical fire in this building, and for five days traffic was reduced down to one lane to allow people to get in to make the fire safe, and then to also demolish the building as well. Since then, the internal structures are now on full view. It looks absolutely awful. It has a boarding up around it and some fence incidentally on a new public round scheme, and that's it, job done. We have another dilapidated building. It's not just the dilapidated buildings in my area, it's also the plots of land that have been left to grow into a wilderness. I've been working with council officers for the past year on the corner of Temple More Avenue and then at Narge Road. There's two corners that, as you're coming into East Belfast, both are looking in a very sorry state. One is a developer who unfortunately, through the cost of living and all of the associated construction costs, has finally got through the planning stage and is unable to advance the project. But the other corner, we cannot find out who owns this piece of land through council officers. It can only be described as being an Amazon jungle. It has litter throughout it, and it also has the difficulty of whenever we have past issues in the area that we can't get into it as well. Ownership, unsure vision, none. And it was in that sort of spot that I raised the motion. And I suppose while we're on a visual tour of East Belfast, just to stone through from this corner, is a shop front that has a thick frontage of a british, and it's been there for 12 years. 12 years of a retail space in the heart of East Belfast that has had no vision and no community value whatsoever. Where does this end? Member, take a point. Yep. Thanks very much, Councilor Ricks, for giving away. I'm sure she would agree with me that there must be a desire to address the eyeshore of derelict shops at the knocklights of my DA, which have also been landed on a state of disrepair for some time. And so recall that during the year of the Talia, the shops were wrapped in pink, and you can actually still, the evidence of that can still be seen. So on a main arterial route, East Belfast, soon to be joined by another derelict building following the Danskewein closure across the road. And this eyeshore surely must be addressed as part of these works. Thank you, Alderman Luller, and I agree with all of those points. And I still remember being a young, sparky Ruth, bouncing around in pink lycra at the time. Albeit I was probably in a better ship as well. In 2007, this council brought forward a substantial piece of work, and it was to survey the 4,000 streets of Belfast. And as part of that work, they found 250 buildings that weren't in a safe condition. And it was in that understanding that that database had already been collected, that I was keen that we started to advance again and look at some of the problematic areas. And look, I've listed some in Titanic, James has listed some enormously, but I know this is right across the whole of Belfast. So I'm really pleased that we were able to secure that the main service, or going to be looked at. What I would ask is how many buildings are still derelict? Who owns the land? How many planning applications have been put forward? Because we're very aware of planning applications suddenly going in for these derelict pieces of land as a sort of promise that something's going to happen, only for the planning to lapse. And then suddenly we go through that process again. Why are people lamp banking? We've a housing crisis and we spell fast. It's a daily issue. There's so many plots of land where I think it would be lovely to have some retail spaces and some social housing above. So birds are going to ask me to bring your comments to the fields? Yep. I just want to welcome that this area is going to be looked at in my own area of East Belfast. But I think for everybody across the chamber we can agree this is a bit of work that really needs to be done in all our communities. Thank you. Can I sort of watch this same issue? Yes. Thank you, Lord Mayor. I was glad there was a bit of unanimity on this because, as we've been saying earlier on, sometimes we've been contentious issues with people in communities committee. But this is one where we got a degree of all-party support. And I was grateful the Councillor books accepted my amendment in relation to this. This is important for a number of reasons, but not least because of one of the things that we in the SCIP keep coming back to. This has an impact in terms of our rates income and the amount of money that we were able to generate as a council and the ability for us to try and take some of them around rates off domestic repairs in particular, off residents of the city if we were able to regenerate, particularly commercial premises and places around the main arterial routes in the city centre. I'm viking to see in the SCIP, he's viking to see a package of measures brought forward that gives councils, and particularly about the city council, more power and authority to go after those land owners who have squatted on pieces of land for far too long, who have left Brownfield site empty, who, as Councillor Books have mentioned, people who have got planning permissions and, well, we all know one example in the city centre that everybody can reference back to. But there are many others, unfortunately as well. And I've said this often, we have seen so many instances throughout the years of carrots being offered to try and encourage people to pursue development. But ultimately, the carrot is only as much use as big as the stick is as well. And we have to offer some degree of incentive from that perspective too, and place penalties on people who are holding our city back. And in some instances during it, quite deliberately so, I do not believe that it is an accident that some people are waiting around for a slightly sooner day before they sell on a piece of land or before they choose to develop on it. Equally so, there are those people who are bringing forward good and positive proposals, and I know that many of the listeners here in Titanic, Councillors would be very happy to see that the Planning Committee passed the application for the development on London Road, a major housing development that's desperately needed in the area. So we had proposed an amendment, and I'm glad that Councillor Books accepted it. We want to see the stick out of to the approach. We want to see penalties placed upon people who are holding our city back. And the quicker that we can do that, the better. On your same issue.

• Yeah, look, I just want to thank Councillor Books for bringing this issue forward. I think it's something I'm 100% on board with. I know the Greens have been banging on with this train for some time as well. I'm nothing massively more to add. I think that yourselves and Councillor Fletcher have covered it a lot. But the one thing I do note is that on tomorrow night, city growth regeneration agenda, we have had a rather disappointing response from the Minister for Communities in relation to the devolution of regeneration powers to councils. And I just want to reiterate the fact that this council has continually held back by the failure to devolve further powers down to it. We've been hamstrung by either inaction or I don't know what's going on in storm in some days, but we really need to empower this council to take action across the city. And that does mean the devolution of physical regeneration powers amongst other things. So I just would like members to think about that and make sure they're doing the work behind the scenes within their parties up on the hill, because if we're serious, but councils work in, as they have done, we can make them work a hell of a lot better by giving them the right powers and resources to deliver for the city. We'll continue to even held back by stormant. Thank you, Your Honor, Councillor Kelly. Thank you, LORD MAYOR. And it was the inner city communities I wanted to touch on with this. And thank you, Councillor Brix, for bringing this to you, Kimberly. And it's good to see we will be serving the arterial routes. We have communities like lots of us represent that are played with our election, absolutely played. Places like Sanjiro, the Lord Shankal, the Lord out in our road, Chroma Act Street were all busy shopping areas, and to look at them now you'd hardly recognize half of them. These areas have been swallowed up by developers who have no interest in developing. They leave building so dilapidated that they did then knock down, and then they're left for patches to land, like Councillor Brix has said. Or thrive in communities that once stood. In my DEA in Sanjiro, it's an absolute shadow of its former shelf. Shop after shop has been closed, boarded up, and left around. It's very very disheartening for communities to see this. And whilst we do have the new station opening at the bottom of Sanjiro and the waivers cross, we'll hopefully bring in regeneration. My constituents in Sanjiro are telling me they feel like the slums. It's going to be beside that new hub. So to hear that on a day and daily basis is really frustrating for me. And when I watch it rise in like the phoenix at the bottom of Sanjiro and the rest of the place left, it's horrible. Also, a few weeks ago, a few of us were in Manchester and Leeds with the Council officers on our chief. And we basically got to see how they regenerated their city centres and they increased the city centre-11. But what struck me on that visit was something that the senior officers said over there. And they said that they regenerated their city centre alongside their communities. And that really struck a chord with me because I think sometimes we're actually forgetting that. And it is part of our Belfast agenda not to do that and to regenerate our neighbourhoods. So it really did strike a chord as the highway can put so much investment and worry so much about the city centre, but forget about who's around it. And those people around the city centre are the people who built Belfast back in the day. So I think it's really, really important just to forget that or not to forget that. Thank you. Thank you. Councillor Kelly. No one further on that particular issue members. So next in the case, I'm just Councillor CUNY. Thank you, LORD MAYOR. It's on C34, which was mentioned earlier around the difficult access streets. I too would like to add my thanks to the officers for looking at this. I like the dilapidation issue. It's one of those frustrating things which the Council has responsibility, both figuratively and literally for picking up the pieces afterwards, but doesn't actually have the power to do anything about it. So the fact we are going to be working in collaboration with DFI and PS9 who do have the power to deal with some of these issues is very helpful. Hopefully the pilot will result in a positive outcome for the community. It's no one botanic that I represent, but it's hugely frustrating for residents living in areas where houses are very tightly packed together and narrow streets because it results in those areas becoming an absolute mess. I mean, nobody should have to live in. The type of conditions which people are experiencing. And it is down to varying narrow streets and people parking them considerably. And it means that the refugees and the recycling lures can't get down and the waste just builds up and up. Obviously the Council can do so much and potentially needs to do more, but we do need to have a collaborative approach with our partners and the other statutory agencies that do have power to take a dose or to inform those that you get those who aren't parking appropriately to enable the communities to see the service they expect from this Council. So it's really positive. Hopefully we'll see results from it. And I think it's welcome to finally be out. I've got to the point where those statutory partners are coming on board and are going to work with us. And hopefully the proof of the problem will be in the residents of these areas. We'll start to see a positive change which will make our communities much more enjoyable to live in and much more pleasant for people coming to areas to visit as well. Thank you. Thank you. Can some members move further in the case? Some people in the communities. Minutes agree? Okay, moving on to minutes of the City Group from Regeneration Committee. Members will note that the A&M's contained in the minutes of the City Group from Regeneration Committee at the time of April regarding the Big and the Vaven program as a matter of which confidential information is supplied to members of the committee. It shouldn't be necessary for the Council to clear and meet new members, press, and public for the bit. Now they don't have to take exactly what it is, that situation changes. Minutes of the City Group from Regeneration Committee. Councillor Nick Frans. Oh, my God, I move that the minutes of the proceedings of the City Group from Regeneration Committee of the 10th of April 2024 be approved. And adopted. Seconder for them. Councillor Duffy. Councillor Defuite. Yes, thank you, LORD MAYOR. And another perennial issue for me, the issue of night buses. So it's under DE302 and the proposal for the closure of Notice's Emotions. I understand there was a discussion about this at committee. I would be keen to see us reiterate our call to the new minister now that we have an executive in place for the funding of a night bus service within Belfast for Metro buses. We have all heard the impact that this will have for hospitality and arts and culture sector. And not just in terms of supporting businesses, but also providing a degree of safety to workers and making sure that they're able to get home safely as well. This will make a huge impact. I think the economic multiplier is going to be extensive. And I know that, for instance, members of the City Centre working group and others will have been lobbied heavily by the likes of the business improvement districts and the Belfast Chamber. But just how much of an impact this will make in terms of their members being able to keep the doors open longer and being able to provide a sustainable offering, not just to citizens of this city but to tourists as well. So I think it's important that we reiterate our desire to see a fully functional night bus service within the city. And we ask the Minister for Infrastructure to commit the funding to make that happen. That's a new proposal, Councillor Defuite. Now you would be understanding what it is to retain the two motions that are referenced around night buses, and that we write again to now that there's a new minister in place to ask them to commit the funding to transit in relation to it. Seconder for that proposal. Councillor McKewen. Is that a degree, members? Councillor interjecting. Yep. Okay. Is the minutes agreed? Yep. In ten, this is the minutes of the licensing committee. Councillor McKewen. Thank you, LORD MAYOR. I move that the minutes of the proceedings of the licensing committee of the 17th of April 2024, emitting matters in its perspective which the council has delegated its powers to the committee be approved and adopted. Seconder, Councillor Dorn, yes. Minutes agreed. Minutes of the Planning Committee, members on note that the items contained in the minutes of the Planning Committee, then anything from large concern in the proposed extension in the Sprucy Park, comprised of new retail units, one number of hotel, one number of restaurants, and one cafe. All it is a matter of waste, confidential information is spread to members of the committee. It shouldn't be necessary for the council to hear meeting the members of the present public for the bit and item, however, to see if exactly what it is in that situation changes. Minutes of the Planning Committee, Councillor Garret. Thank you. I move the minutes of proceedings of the Planning Committee of the 16th of April 2024. Emmett and matters in respect of which the council is delegated its powers to the committee be approved and adopted. Seconded by Councillor Moske. Minutes agreed. Minutes of the Planning Committee, Councillor Rushmore-Dolly. Good morning. Good morning. I move that the minutes of the proceedings of the Climate and City Resilience Committee of the 11th of April 2024 be approved and adopted. Councillor Wells, yes. Councillor Layton. I understand this was discussed at committee as well. It was the motion that I brought around citizens' assemblies for New Ireland. I'm grateful for the fact that the committee decided to again reiterate our call to the new t-shirt in relation to this. I think it is momentous the fact that the City Council has called for this. It demonstrates the political change within this city that we are willing to be engaged in this conversation and I would hope that the new t-shirt and the new government would take us up on that call and recognize that citizens in this city and across the north want to be involved in a conversation about constitutional change. Thank you. Can I start with you? Minutes agreed. Great. OK. Moving on to in 13 minutes of standards on business committee, Councillor Mcdonald-Brent. I move the minutes of the proceedings of the standards of business committee of the 30th of April 2024, omitting matters in respect to what the Council's dollar gave its powers to the committee to be approved and adopted. And seconded by Alderman McCulloch, yes. Minutes agreed. Great. OK. And even on the 18 and 14 members, which is the motion on agriculture fans for pollution and I call on Councillor Smith to propose the motion. Thank you, LORD MAYOR. Apologies again. I may be slightly 30 here. Anyway, some of you may be wondering why I'm bringing a motion around agriculture pollution to a large urban council such as Belfast. Let me set it where we're coming from on this. The recent rivers trust the state of our rivers report, which looked at 450 river stretches across Northern Ireland, found it not percent achieved good overall status, with nearly 70% failing to make the standard for good ecological status. The report also found that our waterways are plagued by a mixture of sewage, nitrogen, chemical, and plastic pollution. But the most common causes of pollution are related to agriculture, which impact the 263 rivers. Six major rivers trained in the law, which is your own new. It's responsible for over half the drinking water supplied to this city. Make that highly vulnerable to what's happening on land. And as we've seen over the past couple of years, the law is now in crisis and suffering from blue and green algae blooms linked to the frost amount of pollution pouring in it. The chronic situation that law may as a microcosm of the way to challenge is facing freshwater management in Northern Ireland and Britain, highlight the urgent need for stronger environmental policies, action, but also enforcement. This is why I put the motion here before you this evening. In October 2022, the previous year, a minister, Admin Pooch, used to feigns around cross-compliance subsidies to 15%. Remember, four-hour persistent agricultural offenders could lose up to 100% of their subsidies. Subsidies were called cross-compliance because they were always dependent on good environmental practice. And persistent agricultural offenders should not be rewarded by high subsidies. But other industries are not given this favorable status. I want to ask, has this made the reduction of financial penalties for repeated breaches of pollution? Now I made it more attractive for some within the Agri food industry to the spoons of their waste and your waterways, and further dominance are already free or biodiversity. A single, slurry or dairy spill can have a devastating impact on local waterways, where de-oxygenates a river to such an extent it could take decades for face populations to recover and for legal systems to also recover naturally. This type of pollution requires and needs a zero tolerance approach. If some within the Agri food industry don't have the capacity to handle and dispose of toxic waste properly, then the Northern Irish public should not be left to cover the cost. The perpetrator should. This type of pollution can also wipe out insect populations, which has a serious impact on our ecosystems. Ecosystems work by our feedwebs. Destroying histum species can be devastating. We've seen in the past year where it has been noticed that a massive decline of the loch may fly, treated with pollution and the impact that this has happened. These crucial insects support facial and wildlife stocks that are available to the loch system, as well as frogs and other predatory insects. There are lots of these keystone species alongside long-term deterioration of water quality indicates deep trouble, not only in the loch's entire ecology, but our entire water waste system. They accept that the issue with our waterways and loch may is much more complex and multilayered, and that other factors such as a mixture of sewage, chemical, plastic, pollution, and invasive species, as I've stated previously, are also involved. And a hardy-treater urban wastewater and also our overall lawn monies. But I believe that the real statement of previous much more stringent fangs sends a clear signal to deliberate persistent polluters within the agri-food industry. And I hope that this council supports a request to the current dairy minister, Andre Meuer. Thank you. Thank you, Councillor Smith. Seconded by Councillor Renee. Can you bring this back now, on you? And no one reserve my right to put me to here. No problem. Can I start my back through? Whilst this is a complex and nuanced matter, we will be supporting the broad principles of this motion. The minister has made tackling per-water quality of priority since he took up his office in February. To address the quality of our water, we need a three-pronged approach, engagement, investment, and enforcement. Farmers and recidists obviously have responsibility to manage land to protect our waters from pollution across compliance penalty regime. Currently, fines for breaches are initially issued at 1% to 3% or 5% of the subsidy for the behavior. Multiple breaches result in increased fines, and previously under EU rules, repeated breaches were treated as intentional once they went beyond 15%. Sorry. Fines for intentional behavior will be issued at 15% to 100% of the subsidy. However, as Councillor Smith has said, the former dearer minister introduced a cap at 15% of the subsidy received for intentional breaches. This was done regretfully without scretingism. The assembly was not sitting. Minister Muir is working a piece to produce an environmental improvement plan, an action plan for Lockney in the Third Cycle River Basin Management Plan. These policy papers will outline the direction of travel of terms of improving our water quality. He has also instructed his officials to undertake an environmental governance review to look at how we can better protect our environment. Whilst we want to see appropriate penalties where necessary, it is important that we work with our farmers on best practice. I spoke to the minister today, and he is absolutely happy to meet with the delegation from the council if we wish to write to him an ask. Thank you, Councillor MACKITER. Alderman Mccolke. Thank you, LORD MAYOR. I rise on behalf of our party in opposition to this motion. The DEP acknowledges that as a society, and as reappears, we need to play a small value on water and take personal responsibility for the potential impact of our action. We often hear that prevention is better than a cure, and it is ripe that reducing pollutants and, in our waterways, will help address the maintenance spent on removing them through water treatment. Knowing the disputes, the fact, LORD MAYOR, that there is still some way to go in terms of ensuring that agriculture mitigates risk to water quality. However, the causes of the current problems, as it has been alluded to, you can much further ban this sector. The motion makes new mention, however, and fails to acknowledge this. The Northern Ireland Audit Office report is clear that ongoing legates from water pipes and sewers is contributing to pollution in our rivers and lakes. The CEO of Northern Ireland Water, totally infrastructure committee in recent weeks, that Northern Ireland has more overflows per head of population and per kilometer of pipe than the rest of the United Kingdom. From an environmental, socially, economic, and health perspective, that is a dominant statement which most be grappled with. The Audit Office report is also critical of outdated oversight arrangements. The ongoing lack of all announced inspections may be in serious quest and marks over the independence and credibility of sampling. It is extremely frustrating that eight years after the start of major reform between the Northern Ireland Environment Agency and ANI Water, revised waste water compliance, assessment arrangements have still not been implemented. Some members wish the focus on the extent of sanctions levied on foreign businesses, a judge to have contributed to water pollution incidents, but at least there are penalties. The same level or that same level of accountability should be apparent in ANI Water, yet there is a perception, rightly or wrongly, that there is a double standard. Concerns around the corrosive impact of stop/start funding and budgets that simply aren't big enough are entirely justified, but they cannot be used as convenient smoke screens for improving standards and oversight and respect the current services. Much has also been said about the extent of ANIA inspections on farms. However, let's not forget that ANI Water is the largest landowner in Northern Ireland. Are the public really seeing those assets being used effectively in particular, given the huge sums of money paid the ANI Water from the public purse? And it's crucial, therefore, that the Infrastructure Minister urgently takes forward the comptroller and auditor general's recommendation to develop and implement a joint, long-term strategy around the operation of combined sewer overflows, which can pose serious water pollution problems to conclude the agricultural sector, namely farmers, who care deeply for our environment, have stepped up. It is up to others to do likewise. Thank you, LORD MAYOR. Thank you, all the wonderful members. There's no further indications on this one. Councillor Smith, you don't? Very, very briefly, LORD MAYOR. I'd just like to welcome the Alliance party at the Minister, where we went on the not-made recovery plan. But I am concerned that there is no sat-time name on it here. I think time is key in itself, the essence. I'm hoping that this Council does send a delegation to meet Minister Muir 100%. I am not surprised that the DUP stands here. I think it's disappointing. I'd just like to quote the Council of McCulloch, 450 rivers tested, 263 of them, issues around agriculture. I accept their issues around sewer overflows, and I water massive under-funding. I just also like to point out that massive under-funding has come down through decades of the DUP doing one of the main parties in part in Northern Ireland. So if you want to have a conversation around that, I can hear more than welcome. And I do hope that people will come and support this motion because I believe that our waste, or that our fresh water is in crisis here. And that if not me, particularly, is allowed to wither away and die, then communities around Northern Ireland will feel it wrong, particularly our working-class communities. Thank you. Thank you. Councillor Smith, members, there is the sentinist one. So, I'll go to your vote. A court of vote. [BLANK_AUDIO] [BLANKAUDIO] [BLANKAUDIO] [BLANKAUDIO] [BLANKAUDIO] [BLANKAUDIO] [BLANKAUDIO] [BLANKAUDIO] [BLANKAUDIO] [BLANKAUDIO] [BLANKAUDIO] [BLANKAUDIO] [BLANK_AUDIO] [BLANK_AUDIO] [BLANK_AUDIO] [BLANK_AUDIO] [BLANK_AUDIO] [BLANK_AUDIO] [BLANKAUDIO] [BLANKAUDIO] [BLANKAUDIO] [BLANKAUDIO] [BLANKAUDIO] [BLANKAUDIO] [BLANKAUDIO] [BLANKAUDIO] [BLANKAUDIO] [BLANKAUDIO] [BLANKAUDIO]