Looking forward: performance improvement objectives 2025-2026
Our performance improvement objectives, are clearly aligned with the Belfast Agenda 2024-2028 and Corporate Plan 2025-2028. Reflecting on our 2024-2025 performance and feedback from residents and stakeholders, we will continue to progress five out of the six performance objectives identified in the previous year, with refined associated actions. To meet the evolving needs of the city we have broadened the scope of our Compassionate city objective:
- 2024-2025
- We will support our residents through the cost-of-living crisis.
- 2025-2026
- We will support our most vulnerable people to make Belfast a more caring, safe and inclusive city.
We are, therefore, committed to these improvement objectives during 2025-2026:
Our services
We will improve our local areas and provide opportunities to support our residents to become healthier and engaged.
Our people and communities
We will improve our local areas and provide opportunities to support our residents to become healthier and engaged.
Our place
We will create a more vibrant, attractive, and connected city (including the city centre).
Our planet
We will champion climate action; protect the environment and improve the sustainability of Belfast.
Our economy
We will stimulate inclusive growth and innovation, help businesses to start-up and grow and create opportunities for more and better jobs and employment.Compassionate city
We will support our most vulnerable people to make Belfast a more caring, safe and inclusive city.
We have assessed each of these objectives and consider that they all meet these statutory aspects of improvement:
- strategic effectiveness
- service quality, availability, and fairness
- sustainability
- efficiency
- innovation
Improvement objective 1: Our services
In addition to the specific improvement activities set out, we will implement our regular programme of service redesign and adjustments to ways of working through the implementation of risk and audit actions to continually adapt and improve our services.
Belfast Agenda outcome for our services
Belfast is a vibrant, attractive, connected and environmentally sustainable city.
Corporate Plan themes and priorities for our services
- Delivering effective and efficient services.
- Foundations for success - Creating a fit for purpose organisation
Improvement objective for our services
We will continue to adapt and improve our services to better meet the needs of our residents and stakeholders. Why is this important?
Why is this important for our services?
- Feedback from residents focused on improving the delivery of services
- Identified as a priority by elected members
- Aligned to the Corporate Plan
What will we do to achieve improvement objective 1: Our services?
- Deliver the Customer Focus Programme to build organisational capacity to enhance our services and customer experience.
- Continue to deliver the Planning Service Improvement Plan.
- Deliver a street cleansing programme to create a cleaner and greener city.
- Operate daily bin collections of household and commercial waste through the deployment of adequate and efficient resources.
- Deliver phase two of the kerbside glass expansion programme to enhance customer service and improve recycling rates.
- Initiate the development of an overarching Asset Management Strategy to set out how the council-owned and managed land and property assets will be used to support service delivery and the delivery of objectives in the Corporate Plan and the Belfast Agenda.
How will we measure success for improvement objective 1: Our services?
| Measures of success | Cross-cutting themes and objectives | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Resolving 65 per cent of corporate complaints within time frame | Our people and communities | ||
| Introducing improvement actions for 80 per cent of corporate complaints | Our people and communities | ||
| Deliver Customer Service Training qualification to a cohort of staff | Our people and communities | ||
| Achieving the 30-week target for average processing time for major planning applications (statutory indicator) | Our place | ||
| Achieving the 15-week target for average processing time for local planning applications (statutory indicator) | Our place | ||
| Processing 70 per cent of enforcement cases within 39 weeks (statutory indicator) | Our place | ||
| Achieving less than 12 week-average processing time for householder applications and advertisement consent applications | Our place | ||
| Achieving less than six-week average processing time of tree works applications and Tree Preservation Orders (TPOs) | Our place | Our planet | |
| Completing 75 per cent of service requests for open spaces and street scene within five working days | Our place | ||
| Completing 92 per cent of service requests for missed bins within five working days | Our people and communities | Our place | Our planet |
| Providing 23,000 additional households with kerbside glass collections | Our planet | ||
| Collecting an additional 650 tonnes of glass | Our planet | ||
| Completing the Asset Management Strategy | Our people and communities | Our planet | |
What is our wider policy impact for improvement objective 1: Our services?
- Regional: Waste Legislation NI (various), Waste Management Plan NI, Local Government Finance Act 2011, Planning Act (Northern Ireland) 2011, Strategic Planning Policy Statement (SPPS).
- Local: Belfast City Council Resilience Strategy, Local Development Plan (LDP) 2035, Belfast Open Spaces Strategy (BOSS), Belfast City Council Financial Regulations 2015, Putting You First: Transforming Customer Experience, Belfast City Council Complaints, Comments and Compliments policy
Improvement objective 2: Our people and communities
In addition to the specifics set out, we will improve our local areas and improve health and wellbeing for our residents, by delivering programmes of work and activities contained within the Belfast Agenda 2024-2028, the draft Corporate Plan 2025-2028, committee plans and supporting departmental and business plans.
Belfast Agenda outcome for our people and communities
Belfast will be a city where everyone experiences good health and wellbeing.
Corporate Plan themes and priorities for our people and communities
- Making life better for all our residents
- Health inequalities and community and neighbourhood regeneration
Improvement objective for our people and communities
We will improve our local areas and provide opportunities to support our residents to become healthier and engaged.
Why is this important for our people and our communities?
- Recent health data shows that life expectancy overall has stopped increasing and there is a growing need to tackle obesity and increase the levels of physical activity across Belfast.
- Based on resident feedback.
- Aligned to Belfast Agenda and Corporate Plan priorities.
What will we do to achieve improvement objective 2: Our people and communities?
- Enhance our playgrounds, to ensure that we continue to provide high quality facilities and equipment across the city.
- Increase the number of people using our leisure centres, to participate in sport and physical activity.
- Deliver animation and outreach activities in community, play and leisure development programmes.
- Deliver and facilitate a range of events and community programmes within our parks and open spaces.
- Deliver improvements to parks and open spaces to improve people’s health and wellbeing through multimillion pound transformational schemes.
- Progress the development of capital projects aligned to the Physical Activity and Sports Development Strategy and Pitches Strategy to enhance the quality and accessibility of sports and physical activity provision in Belfast.
- Progress the development and delivery of the council’s Physical Programme to enable needs led investment across the city.
How will we measure success for improvement objective 2: Our people and communities?
| Measures of success | Cross-cutting themes and objectives | |
|---|---|---|
| Investing £580k and delivering the annual playground improvement programme | Our place | Our planet |
| Increasing number of people using our leisure centres to 3.35million | Our services | |
| Increasing number of community, play and leisure outreach programmes delivered to 200 | Our services | |
| Increasing number of outdoor leisure bookings (pitches, bowling greens) to 160,000 | Our services | |
| Increasing number of people attending events in our parks to 180,000 | Our services | |
| Progressing major improvements to three parks (Ballysillan Playing Fields, Waterworks, Alexandra Park) | Our services | Our place |
| Progressing major improvements to one open space (Cathedral Gardens) | Our services | Our place |
| Commencing development work on three selected sites (aligned to the Leisure Programme, Physical Activity and Sports Development Strategy and Pitches Strategy | Our services | Our place |
| Completing 10 projects under the Physical Programme | Our services | Our place |
| Developing 100 projects under the Physical Programme | Our services | Our place |
| Supporting 20 organisations £10.28million NRF programme | Our services | Our place |
| Completing one project under NRF | Our services | Our place |
What is our wider policy impact for improvement objective 2: Our people and our communities?
- Regional: Programme for Government (PfG) 2024-2027 'Our Plan: Doing What Matters Most', Active Living the Sport and Physical Activity Strategy for NI (2022), Marking Life Better – Strategic Framework for public health, Whole Systems Approach to Obesity Prevention, Regional Development Strategy (2035), SPPS.
- Local: The Department of Health’s Annual Health Inequalities report, The World Health Organisation’s Belfast Healthy Cities Strategy, LDP, BOSS, Get Active Belfast – A framework for physical activity – Active Belfast Partnership.
Improvement objective 3: Our place
In addition to the improvement action, we will create a more attractive, vibrant, and connected city by delivering programmes of work and activities contained within the Belfast Agenda 2024-2028, the draft Corporate Plan 2025-2028, committee plans and supporting departmental and business plans.
Belfast Agenda outcome for our place
Belfast will be a vibrant, attractive, connected and environmentally sustainable city.
Corporate Plan themes and priorities for our place
- Creating a liveable and connected, vibrant and competitive city.
- Connectivity, active and sustainable travel.
- City regeneration and investment.
Improvement objective for our place
We will create a more vibrant, attractive, and connected city (including the city centre).
Why is this important for our place?
- Based on resident feedback.
- Identified as a priority by elected members.
- Aligned to Belfast Agenda and Corporate Plan priorities.
What will we do to achieve improvement objective 3: Our place?
- Continue to deliver the Vacant to Vibrant Programme 2025-2026 to address city-wide vacancy rates.
- Progress the Greenways and Access to the Hills Programme to improve the connectivity of the city.
- Support and progress the delivery of neighbourhood tourism physical projects, improving the city’s local tourism facilities and infrastructure.
- Progress infrastructure works at the North Foreshore to support the development of the site.
- Progress the Master Development Agreement for the 250-acre Giant’s Park site in accordance with the schedule of works.
How will we measure success for improvement objective 3: Our place?
| Measures of success | Cross-cutting themes and objectives | |
|---|---|---|
| Occupying 20 previously vacant citywide properties as a result of the Vacant to Vibrant intervention | Our people and communities | |
| Awarding £470,000 through Vacant to Vibrant funding to citywide traders | Our people and communities | |
| Progressing two greenways and pathways to improve connectivity in Belfast, for example Sydenham Greenway, Colin Greenway and Black Mountain Pathway | Our people and communities | Our planet |
| Progressing three physical neighbourhood tourism projects - Act Initiative, Titanic People Exhibition Centre and Michael Davitt's Community Heritage Centre | Our people and communities | |
| Progressing match funding for three projects from external partners for neighbourhood tourism physical projects | Our people and communities | |
| Undertaking works with the developer to progress the development phase of the 250-acre Giant’s Park site | Our people and communities | |
| Progressing delivery of landfill gas extraction system at the North Foreshore | Our people and communities | |
| Progressing delivery of additional NIE capacity at the North Foreshore. | Our people and communities | |
What is our wider policy impact for improvement objective 3: Our place?
- Regional: Eastern Transport Plan 2035 (under development); Regional Development Strategy 2035, PfG.
- Local: Belfast City Centre Regeneration and Investment Strategy (BCCRIS); A Bolder Vision for Belfast; Belfast Resilience Strategy, LDP.
Improvement objective 4: Our planet
In addition to the specific improvement actions set out, we will champion climate action; protect the environment and improve the sustainability of Belfast by delivering our normal programme of work contained within the Belfast Agenda 2024-2028, draft Corporate Plan 2025-2028, committee plans and supporting departmental and business plans.
Belfast Agenda outcome for our planet
Belfast is a vibrant, attractive, connected and environmentally sustainable city.
Corporate Plan themes and priorities for our planet
Our services, Our people and communities, Our place, and Our planet
Improvement objective for our planet
We will champion climate action; protect the environment and improve the sustainability of Belfast.
Why is this important for our planet?
- Climate change is a global concern. Since we declared a climate emergency in 2019 and launched our Resilience Strategy in 2020, we have been taking action to transition the city to an inclusive, zero-emissions and climate-resilient economy in a generation.
- The council has statutory responsibility.
- Identified as a concern by residents and stakeholders.
- Aligned to Belfast Agenda and Corporate Plan priorities.
What will we do to achieve improvement objective 4: Our planet?
- Progress the planet section of the Belfast Agenda, which aims to create a sustainable, nature positive city (including investable local energy projects, an UPSURGE demonstrator site and a neighbourhood retrofit pilot).
- Commence delivery of the council’s Corporate Climate Action Plan to increase the climate resilience of the council’s assets and services and progress towards the council's net zero emissions, (over 20 priorities including a Sustainable Food Policy, energy audits of the council's buildings and retrofitting of the council buildings.
- Deliver an effective waste management service across the city.
- Deliver year three of the Belfast Tree Strategy and action plan to help manage and improve the tree scape across the city, including the establishment of the woodland management programme.
How will we measure success for improvement objective 4: Our planet?
| Measures of success | Cross-cutting themes and objectives | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Progressing three Belfast Agenda climate projects (investable local energy projects, UPSURGE demonstrator site, neighbourhood retrofit pilot | Our people and communities | Our place | |
| Completing one Belfast Agenda climate project (Horizon Europe UP2030) | Our people and communities | Our place | |
| Completing 19 short-term council corporate Climate Action Plan priorities | Our services | ||
| Achieving 38.5 per cent of council municipal waste is sent for recycling | Our services | Our people and communities | Our place |
| Reducing the tonnage of biodegradable council collected waste that is landfilled to 7,000 tonnes (statutory indicator) | Our services | Our people and communities | Our place |
| Maintaining percentage of household waste collected that is sent for recycling at 42 per cent (or prepared for re-use) (statutory indicator) | Our services | Our people and communities | Our place |
| Achieving 160,000 tonnage of council-collected municipal waste arisings (statutory indicator) | Our services | Our people and communities | Our place |
| Planting 500 linear metres of new hedging | Our people and communities | Our place | |
What is our wider policy impact for improvement objective 4: Our planet?
- Regional: The Climate Change Act (Northern Ireland) 2022, Northern Ireland Climate Change Adaptation Programme 2019-2024, Energy Strategy –The Path to Net Zero Energy, Draft Green Growth Strategy, PfG, Second Cycle NI Flood Risk Management Plan 2021-2027, Strategic Planning Policy Statement.
- Local: Belfast Resilience Strategy, A Net Zero Carbon Roadmap for Belfast, A Bolder Vision for Belfast, Belfast Local Development Plan (LDP), Belfast Open Spaces Strategy, Belfast Air Quality Action Plan, Belfast Green and Blue Infrastructure Plan, Belfast (Draft) Economic Strategy, Belfast (Draft) Adaptation Strategy, Belfast Local Area Energy Plan.
Improvement objective 5: Our economy
In addition to the specifics set out, we will stimulate inclusive growth and innovation, help businesses to start-up and grow and create opportunities for more and better jobs and employment by delivering our normal programme of work contained within the Belfast Agenda 2024-2028, draft Corporate Plan 2025-2028, Committee plans and supporting departmental and business plans.
Belfast Agenda outcome for our economy
Belfast is a place where everyone benefits from a thriving and prosperous economy.
Corporate Plan themes and priorities for our economy
- Creating inclusive and sustainable growth, learning and opportunity.
Improvement objective for our economy
We will stimulate inclusive growth and innovation, help businesses to start-up and grow and create opportunities for more and better jobs and employment.
Why is this important for our economy?
- Based on resident feedback
- Identified by elected members as a priority
- Aligned to Belfast Agenda and Corporate Plan priorities
What will we do to achieve improvement objective: 5 Our economy?
- Work with the Enterprise Support Service to deliver ‘Go Succeed’ to increase the number of new business starts.
- Deliver employment and upskilling academies in priority sectors in line with industry demand.
- Deliver the Smart Belfast urban innovation programme to enhance Belfast’s capacity for digital innovation.
- Deliver an enhanced Learning City Festival to promote and encourage lifelong learning for people of all ages across Belfast.
- Extend the delivery of Belfast Business Promise (BBP) initiative to support the provision of good jobs and a sustainable local economy.
- Support our suppliers by helping business cashflow through the prompt payment of invoices.
How will we measure success for improvement objective 5: Our economy?
| Measures of success | Cross-cutting themes and objectives | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Completing 325 business plans to promote business start-up and job promotion (statutory indicator) | Our people and communities | ||
| Supporting 75 per cent of participants to move into a positive outcome from an employment or upskilling academy | Our people and communities | ||
| Supporting 425 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to engage in digital innovation | Our people and communities | Our place | |
| Awarding £600,000 funding to organisations to engage in digital innovation | Our people and communities | Our place | |
| Delivering 130 events through the Belfast Learning City Festival | Our people and communities | Our place | Compassionate city |
| Supporting 10 businesses (existing BBP members) to improve their recognition level (reaching Member or Ambassador status) | Our people and communities | Compassionate city | |
| Producing four good practice case studies to highlight the BBP journey and inclusive growth in practice | Our people and communities | Compassionate city | |
| Paying 90 per cent of invoices within 30 calendar days | Our services | ||
| Paying 80 per cent of invoices within 10 working days | Our services | ||
What is our wider policy impact for improvement objective 5: Our economy?
- Regional: A 10X Economy - Northern Ireland’s Decade of Innovation; Innovation Strategy for NI 2014-2025, Draft Circular Economy Strategy for Northern Ireland, Dublin Belfast Economic Corridor Action Plan, PfG.
- Local: Belfast Economic Strategy 2022-2030, Belfast Inclusive Growth Strategy, Belfast Region City Deal, SMART Belfast - Belfast Urban Innovation Framework 2022-2026, Belfast City Council Social Value Procurement Policy.
Improvement objective 6: Compassionate city
In addition to the specific actions set out, we will support our residents through the cost-of-living crisis by delivering of our normal programme of work contained within the Belfast Agenda 2024-2028, the draft Corporate Plan 2025-2028, committee plans and supporting departmental and business plans.
Belfast Agenda outcome for compassionate city
Belfast is a place where everyone fulfils their potential.
Corporate Plan themes and priorities for compassionate city
- Making Belfast a welcoming, caring, and inclusive city – leaving no-one behind.
- Inclusive Growth and Anti-poverty.
Improvement objective for compassionate city
We will support our most vulnerable people to make Belfast a more caring, safe and inclusive city.
Why is this important for compassionate city?
- Based on resident and stakeholder feedback
- Identified as a priority by elected members
- Part of our statutory duty
- Aligned to Belfast Agenda and Corporate Plan priorities
- Evolution of policy environment (Strategic Framework to End Violence against Women and Girls (EVAWG)
What will we do to achieve improvement objective 6: Compassionate city?
- Deliver local community actions plans as part of the PEACEPLUS programme, to fund community activities and infrastructure project that help build peace and reconciliation in Belfast.
- Establish an Anti-Poverty Network in Belfast to support and facilitate a co-ordinated approach to tackling poverty across the city.
- Extend delivery of the Hardship Programme to ensure that support is available for those most impacted by poverty and the cost-of-living crisis.
- Deliver a programme to help end violence against women and girls (EVAWG).
- Progress delivery of up to five capital projects across the city as part of the PEACEPLUS Local Action Plan to promote inclusive and shared spaces across Belfast.
How will we measure success for improvement objective 6: Compassionate city
| Measures of success | Cross-cutting theme and objectives | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Delivering 10 local community action plans (including relevant peace-monitoring information) | Our people and communities | Our place | |
| Establishing the Anti-poverty Network | Our people and communities | ||
| Delivering £1.1million of Hardship Programme funding | Our people and communities | ||
| Awarding and delivering £255k as part of an open call small grants programme as part of the EVAWG programme | Our people and communities | ||
| Administering £1.2million of Regional Change Funding to eight EVAWG expert organisations | Our people and communities | ||
| Engaging a minimum 8,000 children and young people as part of the EVAWG programme | Our people and communities | ||
| Progressing up to five capital projects under PEACEPLUS Local Action Plan (Sanctuary Theatre, Distillery Street Redevelopment Project, Annadale Open Space, Reconnected Belfast and LGBTQIA+ Hub) | Our people and communities | Our place | Our planet |
What is our wider policy impact for improvement objective 6: Compassionate city?
- Regional: The Executive’s Child Poverty Strategy, NI Audit Office Child Poverty in Northern Ireland Report, The Trussell Trust State of Hunger Report, DfC Poverty, and Income Inequality (PII) Report, Strategic Framework to End Violence against Women and Girls (EVAWG), NI Act 1998 (Section 75), Race Relations Order 1997, PfG.
- Local: Belfast Inclusive Growth Strategy, Belfast City Council Social Value Procurement Policy, Equality Scheme, Good Relations Strategy, PEACEPLUS Programme.
