dup's belfast manifesto

LET’S MAKE

BELFASTGREATAGAIN

visionlower taxgrowingworking

familysafer

new hearteducationhealthier

cleanercultural

relationships

Belfast Local GovernmentManifesto 2014

DUP Belfast A5 AW5 1/5/14 14:05

Our vision for Belfast

Already construction cranes are on the Belfastskyline again. Our city has succeeded in attractingmore foreign direct investment than anywhere elsein the United Kingdom except London. The largestdevelopment of a new University complex in all ofEurope is about to commence in Cathedral Quarter.The knowledge economy is growing faster in Belfastthan anywhere else in Europe.

However, jobs, development and regeneration areonly part of what we need. Too often Belfast hasbeen the place where people come to work, shopor be entertained but not where they choose to live.Belfast needs to grow again back to the bustlingmetropolis it once was.A city that is ill at ease withitself or is divided are not firm foundations forBelfast’s rebirth. The last few years have shown usall the consequences of unnecessary and unwantedaggression to Britishness in the city.

Belfast is the capital city of Northern Ireland.Northern Ireland is one of the four constituent partsof the United Kingdom. Proper recognition of thatis legitimate and threatens no one. The refusal toaccept this basic fact has been deeply harmful forour city. If we cannot share things as basic as roadsthen we are condemning future generations tomore division and holding our city back.

With the expansion of its powers your Councilcan do more than ever for our city and its people.Where the Council does not hold the powers itmust be the advocate and driver for change.

Belfast was once an educational, social and economic powerhouse. Our city was a major playerin the global market before the term was commonly used. It was a city which provided jobsfor its people, the opportunity to progress and hope for the future. Global recessions and shifts,slowness to change and decades of terrorist violence undermined that powerful legacy.

The DUP believe Belfast can be great again by utilising all thetalents of its people. We want a striving capital city as part ofa thriving region contributing to a successful United Kingdom.

The DUP believes Belfast can be great again.

This is our plan to help make our vision a reality >>>

LET’S MAKE

BELFASTGREATAGAIN

DUP Belfast A5 AW5 1/5/14 14:05

2 | Belfast, a growing city

The drop in house prices and the growing costs of runninga car is making property prices in the city more competitivethan for a generation. In the last term the DUP securednew Council research into the issues of de-population andattitudes towards living in the city.

In Council, the DUP will:

• Make re-population of our city a corporate aim with ourcity marketing campaign expanding to encourage peopleto live in our city.

• Establishing a welcome service for new residents basedon the Canadian volunteer programme.

• The creation of a new Regional Authority in partnershipwith surrounding Councils to take forward major capitalinvestments for the good of all.

• Utilise the new Community Planning powers, and whereappropriate the new power of general well-being, to pushforward inter-agency and community partnerships toregenerate our communities.

• Back a new funding model for Visit Belfast to expand itspromotional work across the world to attract moretourists and conferences.

For Belfast, the DUP will be advocates for:

• The prioritisation of affordable housing schemes in thecity.

• The mainstreaming and expansion of the ‘Building toRegenerate’pilot programme that is already proving asuccess in areas like Lower Oldpark.

Successful cities are growing cities. For too long the story of Belfast’s population has been one ofdecline. In recent years that trend has begun to be reversed but still lags far behind other parts ofNorthern Ireland. The DUP wants to see people moving back to our capital. More people in ourcity would mean more money to be spent in local businesses, help maintain or expand local servicessuch as schools and reduce pollution from commuter traffic.

1 | Belfast, a lower tax city

For the last five years inflation and wage freezes havehurt everyone’s incomes. The money simply does notstretch as far as it used too. The good news is that theshoots of recovery and growth can be seen again in ourcity but it will be a number of years before we will noticeit in our purses, wallets or bank accounts. This is why theCouncil needs to ask you for less.

Belfast is expanding and our new residents are used tolower rates bills. The more we control spending andincrease alternative income in the next Council term theeasier their transition will be. In this Council term we havestarted on this path but we need to continue.

The Council needs to help you feelthe benefits of renewed growth first.To help you:

• The DUP will support freezing the district rate in 2015-16.The DUP wants to make it a hat trick of rates freezes forBelfast.

• The DUP will, for the remainder of the Council term, keeptotal rate increases below the corresponding rate ofinflation. This will be a real terms cut, a smaller share ofyour money will go to the council.

• The DUP’s formula for controlling your rates is:(Build Rates Base plus Boost Rates Income plusEfficiency Savings) Minus Growth in costs =Rates Promise Kept.


• Support a roll out of the proactive and successful policy inidentifying new properties and rate avoiders to maximiserevenues. This policy was vital in the Council delivering itszero rate. The DUP will have that programme rolled out tothe new areas being brought into Belfast.

• Promote commercial opportunities to increase councilincome such as developing city centre car parking sitesand selling our services to other Councils.

• Use the Council’s multi-million pound Belfast InvestmentFund to support capital projects that will expand the ratesincome of the city, regenerate areas of deprivation andhave an equitable distribution across the city.

• Continue our efficiency programme that has delivered£20m in internal savings.

• Show you where your money goes. New transparencymeasures on Council spending publishing allexpenditure above £500 and any expenditure on creditand purchase cards.

Belfast has been a high rates city for too long. It acts as a barrier to growth in a city and makes ourcity more expensive to live in or build a business. When the economic downturn came the harm itwas doing became clear to all and cost Belfast jobs.

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4 | Belfast, a family city


• Develop a family friendly city policy.

• Support a 3 year freeze on summer scheme chargesand examine the opportunity of expanding the numberof places.

• Create family designated spaces in Council car parks.

• Promote advice services that help the most vulnerablein our city and to deal with Welfare Reform.


• The expansion of the integrated services approach forchildren and young people.

The Council has already led the way on making Belfast an age friendly city.The DUP wants to build on this achievement and lead the world in writing thefirst family friendly city policy and delivering it.

3 | Belfast, a working city

In Council the DUP will:

• Support Social clauses in major construction contracts.

• Expand the apprenticeship programme in Council.

• Examine the creation of a Small Business service for the city.

• Take the lead in creating a Belfast Works Scheme.Thisintermediate Labour Market will be targeted at the long-termunemployed and young people. It is based on successfulmodels from other UK cities such as Glasgow.

• Develop our International Relations Programme to buildrelationships with six world cities and maximise the levels offunding gained from the European Union.

• Support the roll-out of the digital broadband programmeproviding businesses with super-fast broadband and citizensbetter access to the internet.

• Support the development of the Innovation centre at Springvale.


• A new partnership approach to car parking along our arterialroutes using the likes of church car parks during weekdays.

• Collaboration between anchor institutions in major capitalschemes on social clauses to create jobs and training andensure apprentices fully complete their training.

The social programme which produces the best economic, health and social outcomes for an adultis a job. The job market is improving but our high rates of long-term and youth unemployment isa legacy of the downturn that must be addressed. It is the market which creates jobs but politicscan create a positive or negative environment for businesses

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6 | Belfast, a new heart for our city


• Support new regeneration plan for the city centre with afocus on connectivity to surrounding communities.

• A regeneration fund to convert city centre B grade officespace into living space.

• Develop new car parking space and bicycle racks onCouncil city centre sites.

• Support the new digital hub in Cathedral Quarter.


• The development of the Royal Exchange site.

• Shared public housing schemes in the city centre.

• The establishment of Business Improvement Districts.

The city centre is the shop window of our city. Without a thriving heart ourcity will have lost part of its soul. The Council finances and services it deliversacross the city are inextricably linked to the success of the city centre. Thus anew dynamic heart to our city is what we and Northern Ireland needs.

5 | Belfast, a safer city

In Council and Policing Community SafetyPartnerships the DUP will:

• Use all legal powers to tackle so called ‘head shops’andthe supply of dangerous ‘legal highs’.

• Support the next phase of the alley-gates programmewith an area focused approach.

• Back programmes focused on protecting older andvulnerable people and tackling hate crime.


• Mandatory minimum sentences for crimes against olderpeople.

• The utilisation of full powers by public bodies to tackleanti-social behaviour.

• Oppose Belfast being used as a dumping ground forhigh risk sex offenders.

• The city being at the forefront of rolling out LED streetlighting.

• Improving police recruitment and relationships fromworking class communities.

• A better flood prevention infrastructure plan to protectmore homes and an individual property protectionscheme for areas prone to flooding.

• A programme to address interfaces with all decisions inthe hands of those that they protect.

The DUP wishes to tackle the issues of anti-social behaviour, crime and drugsthat harm people’s lives and drag our city back.

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8 | Belfast, a healthier city


• Invest £105 million in leisure facilities. This will financethe replacement of existing centres and building newfacilities much needed across the city especially in theareas being added to Belfast.

• Support the establishment of a Leisure Trust. This modelof delivery will have access to additional funding sourcesand develop new engagement programmes. This willensure more people use our centres and benefit from thenew capital investment.

• Introduce flu vaccinations for all council staff.This shouldproduce a cost saving and provide a positive role model toother employers.

• Support the delivery of suicide awareness programmes.

• Developing the relationship with and work of the BelfastStrategic Partnership for Health Inequalities.

Sadly the health of our citizens is not as good as it should be and within the city healthinequalities are stark. A few miles can affect someone’s life expectancy by as much as a decade.If we are serious about tackling the inequalities in our city, health must be a key priority.

7 | Belfast, an education city


• Better promote the Council’s Belfast Bursaries Schemeto help people stay in education or gain a trade.

• Continue to support the new University of Ulsterdevelopment.

• Support the development of a new and agreedexhibition space inside the City Hall and theimplementation of the Council’s Decade of Centenariesprogramme.

• Work with all third level education bodies on theirlinkages with local communities.

• Promote coding events to boost interest in softwaredevelopment.


• Educational Action Zones targeted at areas ofeducational underachievement.

The shifts in the global economy have made a good education, whether academic orvocational, even more important. The Council’s role is limited but it must do what it canto improve the education and life chances of its people. The new University of Ulster inBelfast has the opportunity to redefine the city and its relationship with education.

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10 | Belfast, a cultural city


• Support the events programme in securing majorinternational cultural events for Belfast.This will buildon our track record of success with the MTV awards andthe Giro.

• The DUP will support the positive expression ofBritishness and recognition for our Armed Forces as wellas support the positive developments of Orangefest, theBonfires Programme and band culture.


• Development of the cultural corridor from Clifton Streetto the Crumlin Road.

• The development of a Modern Art Gallery for Belfast.

• The DUP will support and encourage local dialogue andagreements on the display of flags from street furnitureand oppose paramilitary flags.

• New structures to deal with parades and protests basedon human rights principles.

The growth in the cultural life of our city has been one of the best examples of how our cityhas moved forward. Our ability to attract and deliver world class events and major televisionand film projects have built our city’s and Northern Ireland’s reputation across the world. TheMTV awards and Giro event prove what Belfast can do in partnership with the Assembly.

9 | Belfast, a cleaner and greener city

In Council, the DUP will support:

• The introduction of the Belfast Bike Hire Scheme similarto the Boris Bikes in London.

• New assets to improve the clearing of dog mess withCouncil parks the priority.

• Action teams targeting areas with highest levels of dogmess.

• Online real time energy monitoring of all Councilfacilities to encourage energy conservation and lead byexample.

• Developing the North Foreshore as a green energy hub.


• The roll-out of the rapid transit scheme across thedifferent parts of the city from the west and east of thecity into the north and south.

• The creation of a new public transport hub for the City.

The first impression of a city is how clean its streets look and the air a person breathes.The DUP want that first impression to be as positive as possible.

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Relationships in our City

• The DUP will not shy from the use of the new vetopowers to thwart any continuation of a policy of culturalaggression.

• The DUP wants to restore the Union flag to the City Hall365 days a year.

• The DUP will support the integration of the newcommunities that have been established or aredeveloping in our city.

The DUP will be a willing partner in making our city great again but it will never accepta secondary or subservient position. Sadly community relationships in the city havebeen adversely affected by the aggressive policy of anti-Britishness and this damagemust be repaired if our city is to be a shared city.

If we cannot begin to share something as basic as a road then we will be dragged backinto a dark past that those who lived through never want to see again and those whodid not, never want to have to suffer.

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LET’S MAKE

BELFASTGREATAGAIN


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