Health and Environmental Services Departmental Plan 2014-15

1 Health and Environmental Services Departmental Plan 2014-15

Contents

Section Title Page

1.0 Background 03

2.0 Key actions for 2014-15 07

3.0 Key performance indicators for 2014-15 11

4.0 Committee membership 13

2 Health and Environmental Services Departmental Plan 2014-15

1.0 Background

1.1 The Corporate Plan embodies what the Council intends to achieve from 2012-15. It is ambitious yet realistic and demonstrates how Members are committed to improving quality of life for everyone who lives in, works in and visits . It is based upon an assessment of need in the city, the views of residents on what the Council’s priorities should be and a commitment to strong political and executive leadership at both a city wide and a neighbourhood level.

1.2 While the Corporate Plan focuses on issues which cut across Council departments, it also reflects the importance of the quality of the vital services that we provide on a daily basis.

1.3 A single image, representing how our Corporate Plan is managed within the organisation, through our Value Creating Mapping (VCM) process, is set out in figure 1 below. This map identifies our key priorities for the period 2012-15:  Leadership;  Environment;  Economy;  People & Communities; and  Improving our Services.

[INSERT DEPARTMENT NAME HERE] Fig 1: Corporate Value Creation Map

3 Health and Environmental Services Departmental Plan 2014-15

1.4 This Departmental Plan describes how the Health & Environmental Services Department’s actions and targets for 2014-15 complement the Corporate Plan. This Plan sets the strategic direction for the department and will ensure focused and effective leadership and management of the department by the Committees and senior managers. It provides explicit links between core departmental activity and corporate strategy.

1.5 Since the introduction of the Local Government Bill in September 2013, the department has already undertaken a significant programme of work to prepare for the changes associated with Local Government Reform. The key actions to be driven by this Department working with Members are described in greater detail in Section 2. Over the next year the department will be leading on a number of key strands of work including;

 taking a corporate lead on preparing the organisation for service convergence resulting from the extension of the Belfast Boundary;  Take a lead role in preparing the council for the new duty of community planning to enable it to have commenced the community planning process by April 2015; including the associated development of our approach to area working; and;  the transfer of a number of functions from central government, including responsibility for off street car parking and a number of housing functions.

1.6 The Department will also be working to ensure that the large number of customer facing services that it is responsible for, such as waste collection, street cleansing, recycling, community safety and regulatory services, are introduced to the new areas coming into the expanded Belfast while at the same time ensuring that existing citizens and business continue to receive a high quality service.

1.7 The vision for the Health & Environmental Services Department is ‘to help create a clean, safe, cohesive, healthy and sustainable city’. The Department adheres to the council’s values which state that we will:

 focus on the needs of customers, have a ‘can-do’ attitude, be problem solvers;  provide value for money and improve services;  work together;  respect each other, be fair, promote equality and good relations;  act sustainably;  ensure the highest standards of health and safety; and  value our employees.

1.8 The Department places particular emphasis on customer focus and has added the following values:

‘In all our dealings with the public, our Elected Members, our partners and each other, we will strive to provide high quality and efficient services and will:  treat people fairly, equitably and with respect and courtesy;  be helpful and constructive and will act in a professional manner;  put public safety and health first and encourage care for the environment;

4 Health and Environmental Services Departmental Plan 2014-15

 provide expert and objective advice and when statutory powers need to be used do so fairly but with firmness and in accordance with the principles of better regulation;  provide a joined up approach across services and with other agencies and partners to create a clean, safe, more cohesive and healthy city which is vibrant and sustainable; and  focus our resources on activities which make a difference to people’s quality of life and achieve our purpose.’

1.9 Under the Council’s Scheme of Delegation, the Director of Health and Environmental Services has delegated authority to undertake the activities as outlined in Section 2. Progress update reports are normally submitted to the Health & Environmental Services Committee twice yearly.

1.10 The Strategic Policy & Resources Committee agreed the following estimates for the department and all the actions committed to in this Plan have been planned and resourced based on this estimate. 2013-14 figures are included for comparison. Net Expenditure (£) 2013-14 2014-15 Environmental Health 6,324,905 6,373,851 Emergency Planning 90,380 57,068 Regulation of Commercial Sector 1,909,454 1,963,071 Env Protection and Public Health 1,872,526 1,868,114 Community Safety and Schemes 955,491 1,049,768 PCSP 282,904 243,159 Health Development 166,050 165,450 EHS and Other Services 1,048,100 1,027,221

Waste Management 14,860,067 14,953,652 Waste Disposal 8,047,962 7,837,085 Waste Contracts 2,563,235 2,730,894 Recycling Centres 2,649,797 2,760,157 Public Conveniences 222,830 222,120 Waste Awareness and Outreach 618,036 663,645 Waste Management Business Support 569,124 540,417 Waste Policy 189,083 199,334

Building Control 1,586,006 1,333,099 Cleansing 16,083,089 15,987,333 Cleansing and Waste Collection Ops 14,642,409 14,573,596

5 Health and Environmental Services Departmental Plan 2014-15

Quality Assessment and Business Support 1,440,680 1,413,737

Directorate Support 826,492 849,310

TOTAL 39,680,559 39,497,245

The estimates shown above relate to the Health and Environmental Services Department prior to the transfer of the Good Relations Unit from the Chief Executives Department. Members will be aware that the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee approved the transfer of the Good Relations Unit to the Health and Environmental Services Department and at its meeting in January 2014 the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee approved a budget of £426,852 for the Good Relations Unit (as compared to £418,854 for 2013/14). A revised 2014/15 Health and Environmental Services estimate, incorporating the Good Relations estimate, is shown below for information.

Net Expenditure (£) 2013-14 2014-15

Total Heath and Environmental Services 39,680,559 39,497,245

Good Relations £418,854 £426,852

TOTAL £40,099,413 £39,924,097

6 Health and Environmental Services Departmental Plan 2014-15

2.0 Key actions for 2014/ 15

(* Indicates whether the action is part of the Local Government Reform (LGR) programme or the Investment Programme (IP)

2014-15 Action IP* or LGR

City Leadership

1 Take a lead role in preparing the council for the new duty of community LGR planning to enable it to have commenced the community planning process by April 2015; including the associated development of our approach to area working. 2 Lead the Student Housing Joint Team (with DSD, DoE, SIB and NIHE) to IP develop ways to promote, encourage and fund purpose-built managed student accommodation in the city to contribute to the concept of a learning city. 3 Provide leadership in tackling issues of inequality and social cohesion through IP our leading contribution to the Belfast Strategic Partnership for Tackling Health Inequalities. 4 Provide leadership in the promotion of Equality and Good Relations through IP our leading contribution to the Belfast Good Relations Partnership 5 Ensure safer and more secure residents and communities by supporting and IP driving the citywide Belfast Policing and Community Safety Partnership. 6 Develop a new Disability Strategy in addition to implementing the Council’s duties under Section 75 of the Act 1998 and the Disability Discrimination (NI) Order 2006. 7 Ensure equality of opportunity in the delivery of our services by implementing the Council’s Equality Scheme and its Equality and Diversity action plans. Environment

8 Implement the city’s Zero Waste Action Plan with the aim of improving the recycling rate by diverting more waste from landfill each year and by increasing the range of materials residents can dispose of in their blue bins. 9 Develop a strategy for the future collection and recycling of glass.

10 Review our commercial waste service to maximise the potential of meeting recycling targets and improving the overall performance of the Commercial Waste Service. 11 Review the Council’s Sustainable Development Action Plan and support the council to undertake OFMdFM’s new Sustainable Development Duty 12 Lead the implementation of the European-funded Renew project to support a sustainable resource-based economy. 13 Ensure the city’s streets are clean; effectively tackle issues of litter, graffiti, fly-posting and dog control while leading campaigns to change behaviours. 14 Collect the city’s bins and provide our residents with more opportunities for recycling. 15 Dispose of the city’s waste in the best way by sending less to direct landfill including leading the council in the decision-making process on procurement of Energy from Waste facilities. 16 Continue to explore options for the development of a new resource IP centre/Eco-Hub to ensure balanced service delivery. 17 Make sure that new buildings are safe and energy efficient (building

7 Health and Environmental Services Departmental Plan 2014-15

2014-15 Action IP* or LGR regulations) Economy

18 Support the Investment Programme’s priorities in creating job and placement IP opportunities in support of the Council’s target for employment provision. People and Communities

19 Build on the success of the pilot area Intervention programme in Lower IP Falls/Divis to identify and develop opportunities to inform future approaches area and thematic working to ensure more effective public service delivery for local communities across Belfast. 20 Taking forward opportunities to trial shared performance and impact metrics IP with partner organisations as proposed by the IBM Smarter Cities Challenge 21 Support the regeneration of our neighbourhoods with a proactive programme to IP remove or upgrade derelict or ruinous properties throughout the city. 22 Develop a future corporate strategy and accompanying action plans for IP addressing issues associated with the city’s interfaces; and complete our Peace III initiatives (Phase 2 of the Peace & Reconciliation Plan). 23 Complete delivery of the Peace III funded Youth Engagement Programme IP and develop a sustainability model for future working 24 Ensure safer and more secure residents and communities at the area level by IP supporting and driving the four District Policing and Community Safety Partnerships. 25 Coordinate and support the delivery of an integrated council programme to IP improve health and wellbeing and reduce disadvantage in local areas by: - Supporting the work of Belfast Strategic Partnership for Tackling Health Inequalities: - Focusing on emotional resilience, poor diet, smoking, and alcohol misuse; and contributing to the Active Belfast and Growing Communities strategies; - Advocating the use of wellbeing measures in planning to maximise health gain from capital and social investment. 26 Develop an integrated approach to dealing with elements of poverty , including IP a mechanism to bring together key players from across the city as identified at the civic forum on poverty 27 Support the Council’s Older People’s All Party Reference Group and oversee IP the work towards Implementing an Age Friendly City action plan. 28 Manage a city events programme that seeks to promote Good Relations and IP to commemorate the Decade of Centenaries. 29 Develop and deliver integrated initiatives established in our Good Relations IP plan and through the Together Building United Communities 30 Take a corporate lead on the development of ’s Peace IV IP action plan. 31 Move into the delivery stage of Phase 4 of the alley-gating programme that IP includes recommendations established through the Area Working Groups, (including gates agreed for north Belfast), the PCSPs and the Health & Environmental Services committee 32 Respond to emergencies and, working as a key partner of Belfast Resilience, lead and coordinate local integrated emergency planning across the council and the city.

8 Health and Environmental Services Departmental Plan 2014-15

2014-15 Action IP* or LGR

33 Continue to support the Councillor Forum for Emergency Planning; the work emerging from the Belfast Flood Alleviation Significant Issues Report; the PEDU recommendations; and the development of the Rivers Agency Flood Risk Management Plan. 34 Making sure that places of entertainment are safe for customers (licensing).

35 Protect the health of residents and customers by ensuring compliance with environmental health laws including food safety, air quality, noise control, pest control consumer protection, tobacco control and workplace health and safety. Improve your services

36 As part of the transition and transformation plans for post 2015 develop a joint LGR change management plan to transform service delivery for waste management and collections to meet recycling targets. 37 LGR Corporate Service Convergence - Prepare the organisation for the LGR LGR boundary extension by designing and delivering a budget and transition plan for services and resources merging across the new council area on 1st April 2015. This will include the effective transfer of assets and liabilities from Lisburn City Council and Castlereagh Borough Council. 38 LGR Departmental Service Convergence - Prepare the department for the LGR LGR boundary extension by designing and delivering a budget and transition plan for services and resources merging across the new council area on 1st April 2015. 39 Take a corporate lead on developing and implementing the transition and LGR transformation plans for transferring housing functions from central government Houses of Multiple Occupancy (HMOs) and unfitness. 40 Take a corporate lead on developing and implementing the transition and LGR transformation plan for transferring the off-street car parking function and associated enforcement powers from Government. 41 Take a corporate lead on developing and implementing the transition plans for LGR the Policing and Community Safety Partnerships and Good Relations Partnerships for service convergence resulting from the extension of the Belfast boundary. 42 Prepare the Departmental revenue estimates for 2015-16 in relation to the LGR transfer of functions. 43 Work with and support other departments to prepare for the transfer of other LGR functions from Government including the transfer of regeneration and Planning. 44 Develop a new Equality scheme in advance of the new council as part of LGR preparations for Local Government Reform. 45 Contribute to the Corporate Efficiency programme through the Departmental estimating process and identifying opportunities for efficiency. 46 Support and contribute to the corporate fleet review, including the implementation of GPS and Cleansing routes optimisation. 47 Implement the recommendations of the review of Call Handling.

48 Implement the recommendations of the review of Dog and Pest Control Sections

9 Health and Environmental Services Departmental Plan 2014-15

2014-15 Action IP* or LGR

49 Continue to support and identify regional opportunities for collaboration through the Improvement, Collaboration and Efficiency (ICE) programme. 50 Provide value for money services to residents while maintaining high customer standards across all of the statutory functions delivered by Building Control, Cleansing, Environmental Health, Waste Management services and Good Relations. 51 Work to ensure that quality services standards are maintained across the city and offered to the residents of the new neighbourhoods coming into the much larger council area under Local Government Reform. Planning and performance

52 Support the performance management infrastructure to monitor and report progress in either service provision or project delivery. 53 To support the corporate Investment Programme to ensure projects are IP delivered on target in terms of time, cost and budget.

10 Health and Environmental Services Departmental Plan 2014-15

3.0 Key performance indicators for 2014-15

3.1 Environment

Annual Target Annual Target Performance Indicator 2013-14 2014-15 Street Cleanliness Index 73 73

Household recycling rate [40%] 45%

Waste tonnes to landfill 67,528 66,193

Fixed penalty notices issued for dog fouling 160 160

Fixed penalty notices issued for dog straying 575 575

Fixed penalty notices issued for littering 1,800 1,800

3.2 People, Communities and Neighbourhoods

Annual Target Annual Target Performance Indicator 2013-14 2014-15 Dangerous structures responded to within one day 100% 100%

% of compliant entertainment licensed businesses 100% 90%

No of operations for on-street drinking 192 192

% Planning applications responded to within 15 days 85% 85%

Money allocated to DPCSP small grants £165,000 (TBC)1

Money allocated to groups through the Good Relations New PI £300,000 fund % of broadly compliant food businesses 90% 90%

3.3 Improving our services

Annual Target Annual Target Performance Indicator 2013-14 2014-15 Bins collected on time 99% 99%

Bulky household waste collected on time 99% 99%

Domestic building plans turned around within 15 days 85% 85%

% of licensing applications brought to next Committee 100% 100%

% Net revenue vs budget +1 to -2% +1 to -2%

1 This figure to be confirmed by the DPCSP in mid-March 2014

11 Health and Environmental Services Departmental Plan 2014-15

% Forecast net revenue expenditure vs actual +0.5% to -2% +0.5% to -2%

Compliance for PO raised before invoice 90% 90% (TBC)

Compliance for GRN against supplier invoice 70% 75%

Number of complaints received 0 0

% Complaints that met response target 100% 100%

3.4 Human Resources

Annual Target Annual Target Performance Indicator 2013-14 2014-15 Average number of working days lost due to absence 11 11

% staff across the department with a current PDP 90% 90%

3.5 Governance & Risk

Annual Target Annual Target Performance Indicator 2013-14 2014-15 % H&S recommendations fully implemented - Department 80% 80%

3.6 Policy, Planning & Performance

Annual Target Annual Target Performance Indicator 2013-14 2014-15 % PIs on target 70% 70%

Other corporate*

% Volume of Colour Print* 30% 30% (TBC)

% Volume of Duplex Print –Dept Total* 40% (TBC)

85% 85% (TBC) % PIs updated*

* denotes corporate targets only and will not be included in committee updates.

12 Health and Environmental Services Departmental Plan 2014-15

4.0 Committee Membership

Health and Environmental Services Committee

Chair:  Councillor Steven Corr

Deputy Chair:  Councillor Colin Keenan

Committee Members:  Alderman Frank McCoubrey

 Alderman Bob Stoker

 Councillor Janice Austin

 Councillor Mary Ellen Campbell

 Councillor Catherine Curran

 Councillor Mary Clarke

 Councillor Matt Garrett

 Councillor John Hussey

 Councillor Mervyn Jones

 Councillor Bernie Kelly

 Councillor Brian Kingston

 Councillor John Kyle

 Councillor JJ Magee

 Councillor Patrick McCarthy

 Councillor Gareth McKee

 Councillor Laura McNamee

 The High Sheriff of Belfast Councillor Lydia Patterson

 Councillor Naomi Thompson

13 Health and Environmental Services Departmental Plan 2014-15

Licensing Committee

Chair:  Alderman Tom Ekin

Deputy Chair:  Councillor Mary Ellen Campbell

Committee Members:  Alderman David Browne

 Alderman Frank McCoubrey

 Alderman Ruth Patterson

 Alderman

 The Deputy Lord Mayor Alderman Christopher Stalford

 Councillor Tim Attwood

 Councillor Mary Clarke

 Councillor Tierna Cunningham

 Councillor Emma Groves

 Councillor John Hussey

 Councillor Billy Hutchinson

 Councillor Mervyn Jones

 Councillor Colin Keenan

 Councillor JJ Magee

 Councillor Nichola Mallon

 Councillor Niall Ó Donnghaile

 Councillor Lee Reynolds

 Councillor Guy Spence

14 Health and Environmental Services Departmental Plan 2014-15

Town Planning Committee

Chair:  Councillor Claire Hanna

Deputy Chair:  Alderman May Campbell

Committee Members:  Councillor Billy Hutchinson

 Councillor Janice Austin

 Councillor Ciaran Beattie

 Councillor Mary Ellen Campbell

 Councillor Arder Carson

 Councillor Tierna Cunningham

 Councillor Catherine Curran

 Councillor Matt Garrett

 Councillor Tom Haire

 Councillor Máire Hendron

 Councillor Patrick McCarthy

 Alderman Frank McCoubrey

 Councillor Kate Mullan

 Councillor Adam Newton

 The High Sheriff of Belfast Councillor Lydia Patterson

 Alderman Ruth Patterson

 Alderman Jim Rodgers

 Councillor Andrew Webb

15