Annual Delivery Plan 2024 - 2025

Council is committed to ensuring that Belfast has a thriving and prosperous economy that is a hub for businesses and provides diverse employment opportunities for our population. We will work to create more and better jobs that are sustainable and rewarding, focusing on the key priority technologies that will drive the economy of the future, such as digital, ICT and creative industries, financial services and FinTech; life and health sciences and MedTech; and advanced manufacturing and engineering.

We will also work with stakeholders to encourage more new business start-ups and explore ways to support businesses to grow and become more sustainable. This will include helping businesses to develop new products, markets and services and supporting innovation at all levels to deliver the promise of Belfast’s economic potential and maintain its position it as a driver for prosperity and growth across the region.

To support our economy in 2024-25 we will:

Productivity and innovation

Actions

1. Develop targeted, innovative solutions to improve labour market participation, with a specific focus on those furthest from the labour market.
2. Work with partners to identify and deliver employment and upskilling academies in priority sectors in line with industry demand**
3. Progress opportunities to use social value and developer contributions to support skills development and employment activities.
4. Deliver the ‘Go-Social’ programme which provides support to those planning to set up a social enterprise or co-operative.
5. Support delivery of the first phase of Belfast Regional City Deal (BRCD) including by integrating and alignment with partner investment and with economic development, business support and skills programmes.
6. Develop ‘Belfast Prospectus’ demonstrating the critical role of Belfast and the Belfast Region in delivering inclusive growth, creating good jobs, supporting innovation, and driving productivity. Utilise agreed proposition with partners to support and encourage continuing international, business and government investment in the region.

Support digital innovation** by:

7. Deliver the £900,000 Augment the City immersive technology challenge programme with Belfast Stories.
8. Develop and submit proposals for a BRCD digital pillar proposal to deliver a £2 million local council-led Small Business Research Initiative programme.
9. Deliver the Belfast City Hall  immersive visitor experience in an R&D collaboration with BT.
10. Complete the delivery of the £650,000 Horizon 2020 Hubs of Innovation programme with the Belfast Maritime Trust
11. Deliver the UK Innovation Regions international innovation programme with South Korea including plans for an inward visit by the Mayor of Sejong in 2025.
12. Support the Innovation City Belfast partnership and the Belfast Innovation Commissioner to develop a joint programme of work supporting investment in innovation.
13. Deliver the £3.8 million Belfast Innovation Regions programme and finalise a plan for a sustainable regional 5G ecosystem.
14. Support Belfast Region City Deal partners to develop project proposals for the Digital pillar focused on maximising the early local economic impact of the university research centres of excellence.
15. Recruit the Digital Commissioner and develop and commence the Innovation City Belfast delivery plan
16. Progress the delivery of Belfast Investment Fund projects together with the community groups providing spaces to deliver innovative training programmes and qualifications, and to boost employment pathways, for example Sandy Row Arts & Digital Hub and Coffee Culture’ barista style training café.

Inclusive, Sustainable Growth and Opportunity

Actions

1. Work with the Enterprise Support Service to deliver ‘Go Succeed’ to increase the number of new business starts**
2. Deliver Northern Ireland Enterprise Support Service (NIESS) to increase the number of new business starts and to support business growth and secure financial support for NIESS extension beyond March 2025.
3. Provide targeted support for social enterprises and co-operatives to encourage growth and sustainability.
4. Review the Dublin-Belfast Economic Corridor strategy to agree priority areas of focus and support the delivery of targeted economic development interventions.
5. Support and effectively manage our city markets to encourage vibrancy and animation of the city.
6. Extend commitment from businesses to the Belfast Business Promise (BBP) to increase the number of businesses committed to implementing inclusive business practices**
7. Continue planned delivery of Belfast Business Promise and undertake review to explore viability beyond pilot phase
8. Continue to work with Community Finance Ireland CFI to improve the financial management skills of new and growing social enterprises.
9. Support the operation of the Innovation Factory, in line with agreed Annual Service Plan obligations
10. Procure goods and services in accordance with our Social Value Procurement Policy (SVPP) to maximise the economic, social, and environmental impact of our expenditure**
11. Progress the delivery of Neighbourhood Regeneration Fund projects which support social enterprise groups to improve and create new facilities including USEL- Green Growth, Circular Economy project and Cliftonville Community Enterprise.

We will know we are successful if:

*Statutory performance indicators

**Performance Improvement Plan actions and performance indicators