Statement of Progress 2019 – 2021

The report

The Statement of Progress 2019-2021 reviews progress against priorities identified in 2017 in the Belfast Agenda document, the city’s community plan.

Within the report, 51 indicators track progress relating to the economy, competitiveness, skills development, climate, education, safety, inclusivity, health and wellbeing and other priority areas.

Read the full Statement of Progress 2019 - 2021 report

Progress since 2019

In the two years since publishing the first Statement of Summary 2017 - 2019 report partners have made progress in several important areas described below.

Jobs, skills and education

• Provided 7,000 digital devices to pupils in Belfast to support home learning during the Covid-19 pandemic
• Launched a citywide GCSE revision programme to provide support to 365 young people per academic year
• Implemented a citywide Youth Support Programme to help 180 young people each year who are at risk of dropping out of the education system
• Maintained our membership of the UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities and received an award recognising our good practice in promoting quality education and lifelong learning opportunities
• Delivered a wide range of employment academies and interventions to connect residents with new or better employment opportunities
• Established Belfast’s first ever Labour Market Partnership to help improve employability outcomes and connect employers with employees
• Developed a bespoke City Charter for Belfast – The Belfast Business Promise – to support the city’s inclusive growth ambitions
• Delivered five emergency recovery schemes, distributing £22.5m to 2,906 Belfast businesses during the pandemic
• Provided over £175m to Belfast businesses, helping to secure £1.048 billion investment and helping to create 8,349 jobs
• Supported 2,255 individuals to take positive steps towards starting a business or social enterprise with 1,029 individuals going on to start a business or social enterprise, creating 683 jobs
• Continued to progress a £850 million Belfast Region City Deal for investment in important city infrastructure, digital innovation and tourism assets which will create up to 20,000 new jobs

Living here

• Established a Belfast Response Hub to support vulnerable people during the pandemic which delivered 110,000 food parcels - 9,300 medicines; 1,300 resilience packs; and handled 15,000 helpline calls
• Provided support to over 300 vulnerable households across the city through the Belfast Warm and Well Programme
• Established a multi-agency partnership programme to support Belfast’s most vulnerable and disengaged people
• Invested £75m in 40 capital projects in neighbourhoods across the city
• Invested £82.4m in six new world-class leisure facilities across the city
• Built 537 new social homes across the city (1391 since publishing the Belfast Agenda)
• Developed plans for a new £8m neighbourhood regeneration fund to drive recovery and transformation in local areas and communities
• Established a multi-agency support hub pilot project in south Belfast, designed to support vulnerable people experiencing a range of problems, which may lead to offending, affect personal safety or mental health
• Progressing the Belfast Peace IV Programme

City development

• Delivered a £4.39m revitalisation programme to support businesses, communities, and residents to make better use of public space during the pandemic
• Established a housing led Regeneration group to contribute to the target of welcoming an additional 66,000 residents and address housing stress in Belfast
• Developed Belfast’s Local Development Plan
• Secured endorsement of “A Bolder Vision” City Centre Connectivity Strategy
• Progressed plans for a major city centre tourist attraction, the ‘Destination Hub’
• Worked with partners to manage the impact of the Primark fire on the city centre
• Transformed and rejuvenated seven of Belfast’s unique historical entries and lanes, protecting our built environment and heritage
• Established a Renewed Ambition programme to ensure Belfast is better positioned to attract investment and deliver inclusive growth commitments
• Established the Innovation City Belfast partnership to drive forward our plans to make Belfast a global destination of choice for innovation and investment

Resilience and sustainability

• Developed a city leadership model and structures to help a range of partners focus on the resilience and climate challenges facing Belfast
• Established a climate crisis working group involving councillors in Belfast City Council and a Climate Commission to enhance civic and city leadership in tackling the climate crisis
• Developed the Belfast Resilience Strategy and the Belfast Net Zero Carbon Roadmap to help shape city plans and green investment
• Started delivery of the ‘One Million Trees Programme’ with 40,000 trees planted in year one and £500,000 funding secured
• Completed an assessment of air quality and identified measures needed to make air quality improvements across the city
• Enhanced access for communities and families to open green spaces to improve mental and physical wellbeing and enable social interaction
• Worked with partners through the Core Cities Climate Investment Platform and through the Place Based Climate Action Network to look at climate financial solutions and establish how we move to net zero emissions as a city
• Developed proposals with input from partners to create a Climate Fund within Belfast City Council

More information

For more information or to request a copy of the Statement of Progress report, email communityplanning@belfastcity.gov.uk