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COMMITTEE FOR REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
WEDNESDAY 12 JANUARY 2011
ROOM 21 , PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS

Present:
Fred Cobain MLA (Chairperson)
Michelle McIlveen MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Billy Armstrong MLA
Cathal Boylan MLA
Allan Bresland MLA
Billy Leonard MLA
Anna Lo MLA
Fra McCann MLA
Conall McDevitt MLA
George Robinson MLA

In Attendance:
Roisin Kelly (Assembly Clerk)
Trevor Allen (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Andrew Larmour (Clerical Supervisor)
Alison Ferguson (Clerical Officer)

Apologies:
Ian McCrea MLA

The meeting commenced at 10.09am in open session.

Members noted papers which were tabled for consideration later in the meeting.

1. Apologies

Apologies are detailed above.

2. Draft Minutes of meetings held on 15 December 2010 and 6 January 2011

Agreed : The minutes were agreed for publication on the Assembly’s website.

3. Matters Arising
  • Members noted correspondence from the Department for Regional Development in response to the Committee’s comments on the December monitoring round return .
  • Members noted correspondence from the Department for Regional Development informing the Committee of progress in relation to “the Coleraine (Transfer of Harbour Undertaking) Order (Northern Ireland) .

Mr Leonard declared an interest in this matter as a member of Coleraine Borough Council.

  • Agreed: Members noted correspondence from a member of the public in relation to the A5 dual carriageway and agreed to forward the correspondence to the Department for comment .
  • Agreed: Members noted correspondence from the Department for Regional Development in response to an issue raised, by a member of the public, about the Department’s review of financial assistance for properties not served by a water main. The Committee agreed to forward the correspondence to the member of the public concerned .
  • Members noted correspondence from the Department for Regional Development in relation to Roads Service gritting policy.
  • Agreed: Members noted correspondence from the Minister for Regional Development in relation to legislative proposals on water governance and agreed to defer consideration of this correspondence to the meeting of 19 January 2011 .
  • Agreed: Members noted 2 items of correspondence from the Department for Regional Development in relation to the issue of gritting footpaths and agreed to schedule briefings on this issue from the Department and from the Northern Ireland Local Government Association (NILGA) on 26 January 2011.
  • The Committee noted correspondence from the Department for Regional Development in relation to forthcoming legislation.
  • Agreed: The Committee noted correspondence from the Department for Regional Development in relation to a number of memoranda of understanding that have been laid before the Assembly, under Article 11 of the Water and Sewerage Services (Northern Ireland) Order 2006, and agreed to defer consideration of this correspondence to the meeting of 19 January 2011.

10.12am Ms Lo joined the meeting.

  • Agreed: Members noted correspondence from the Minister for Regional Development in relation to an additional amendment and the scheduling of the remaining stages of the Transport Bill and agreed to defer consideration of this correspondence to the meeting of 19 January 2011 .
  • The Committee noted correspondence from the Department for Regional Development in relation to gritting arrangements for rural schools.
  • The Committee noted correspondence from the Department for Regional Development in response to the Health Committee’s call for evidence on the Autism Bill.
  • The Committee noted an invitation from the Department for Regional Development to attend its event to mark the success in achieving funding from the “Plugged in places” electric vehicle charging infrastructure initiative.
  • Agreed: The Committee noted correspondence from the Department for Regional Development in relation to the Department for Social Development’s consultation on business improvement districts and the licensing of pavement cafés.
  • Agreed: The Committee agreed to request a Departmental briefing, during February 2011, on its approach to consultation on the Review of the Regional Development Strategy.
4. Departmental briefing on the Department for Regional Development’s planned spending allocations and savings delivery plans for 2011-2015

10.14am Mr Boylan joined the meeting.
10.15am Mr Robinson joined the meeting.
10.25am Ms McIlveen joined the meeting.

The Committee received a briefing from Departmental officials, Dr Malcolm McKibbin, Mrs Doreen Brown and Mr Roger Downey, and from Mr Geoff Allister of Roads Service, on the Department for Regional Development’s planned spending allocations and savings delivery plans for 2011-2015.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to receive a further briefing on this issue at its meeting of 19 January 2011.

12.07pm Mr Armstrong left the meeting.
12.07pm The Chairperson adjourned the meeting.
12.21pm The meeting resumed in public session.

5. Departmental briefing on the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and Price Control 2010-13 elements of the Department for Regional Development’s December Monitoring round return

12.27pm Mr Armstrong returned to the meeting.

The Committee received briefing from Departmental officials, Mr Roger Downey and Mr Stewart Barnes, on the above issue.

6. Quarterly update on land identified for abandonment and disposal

Agreed: Members noted the Department’s quarterly update on lands identified for abandonment and disposal, and agreed to write to the Department requesting that the Committee be informed of the nature and outcome of the objections received in relation to a number of the proposed abandonments.

7. Subordinate Legislation

Members noted the following Departmental proposals to make subordinate legislation:

  • The Eskragh Road (U1104), Granville, Dungannon (Stopping-Up) Order (Northern Ireland) 2011;
  • The Parking Places (Disabled Persons’ Vehicles) (Amendment No.3) Order (Northern Ireland) 2011;
  • The Parking Places on Roads (Castlecaulfield) Order (Northern Ireland) 2011;
  • The Rathmore Way, Newtownabbey (Abandonment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2011;
  • The A25 Newtown Road, Camlough (Abandonment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2011;
  • The Colin Road, Belfast (Abandonment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2011;
  • The Waiting Restrictions (Newry) (No.2) Order (Northern Ireland) 2011;
  • The Taxis (Enniskillen) Order (Northern Ireland) 2011;
  • The Waiting Restrictions (Enniskillen) Order (Northern Ireland) 2011;
  • The Carryduff Road, Temple (Abandonment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2011;
  • The Drumnabreeze Road and Lough Road, Gamblestown, Donaghcloney (Abandonment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2011;
  • The Trunk Road T10 (Shannaragh Realignment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2011; and
  • The Loading Bays (Amendment No.3) Order (Northern Ireland) 2011.

Members noted that the SL1 memos from the Department on the above proposals made no reference to their having been the subject of a public inquiry, with the exception of the Trunk Road T10 (Shannaragh Realignment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2011 which may require a public inquiry on the objections received. Members noted that the Department has confirmed that the police service and relevant local councils affected by the above proposals have been informed, and the Committee office has not received any comments from the relevant councils regarding these policy proposals.

Members considered the following Departmental proposal to make subordinate legislation, which was noted at the Committee meeting on 15 December 2010:

  • The Waiting Restrictions (Markethill) Order (Northern Ireland) 2011.

Agreed: Members agreed that the Committee would write to the Department, indicating that it was content with the policy merits of this SL1.

Members noted receipt of the following statutory rule:

  • 2010/415 The Street Works (Inspection Fees) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2010.

Members noted that the Examiner of Statutory Rules will report on this statutory rule in his Eighth Report to the Assembly for the 2010-11 Session, to be published on 14 January 2011.

Members considered the following statutory rules which were laid in the Assembly’s Business Office by the Department for Regional Development and are subject to the negative resolution procedure. Members noted that the Examiner of Statutory Rules will report on this statutory rule in his Eighth Report to the Assembly for the 2010-11 Session, to be published on 14 January 2011:

  • 2010/397 The Pennyburn Industrial Estate Service Road, Londonderry (Abandonment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2010; and
  • 2010/403 The Cascum Lane (U4466), Banbridge (Abandonment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2010.

In the absence of any objection, the following questions were put and agreed:

  • ‘That the Committee for Regional Development has considered 2010/397 The Pennyburn Industrial Estate Service Road, Londonderry (Abandonment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2010 and, subject to the report of the Examiner of Statutory Rules, has no objection to the rule.’
  • ‘That the Committee for Regional Development has considered 2010/403 The Cascum Lane (U4466), Banbridge (Abandonment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2010 and, subject to the report of the Examiner of Statutory Rules, has no objection to the rule.’

Members decided that the Committee Clerk would inform the Business Office of the decisions made today.

8. Correspondence
  • Members noted an invitation from the Community Transport Association to view Bluebird’s new accessible vehicle.
  • Agreed: The Committee noted correspondence from the Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment in relation to its Renewable Energy Inquiry and agreed to forward the correspondence to the Department for response .
  • The Committee noted correspondence from the Committee for Justice on changes to the PSNI’s powers in relation to cycle racing legislation.
  • Agreed: The Committee noted a paper from Assembly Research Service on rural development issues and agreed to schedule a briefing on the paper.
  • Agreed: The Committee noted a statement from the Utility Regulator in relation to Northern Ireland Water’s acceptance of the PC10 determination and agreed to consider the statement as part of the Committee’s consideration of Budget proposals .
  • Agreed: The Committee noted correspondence from the Environment Committee on the Planning Bill and agreed to forward the correspondence to the Department for response.
  • Agreed: The Committee noted correspondence from the Department on the proposed consultation on its Draft Equality Scheme, Audit of Inequalities and action plan for the period 2011-2016. Members agreed to include reference to the consultation in the Committee’s End of Mandate Report.

Members noted the following newsletters :

  • EuroPA’s November 2010 bulletin
  • The Equality Commission’s December 2010 newsletter; and
  • Issue 2 of GoSkills’ industry newsletter – “Passenger 1st”.

Members noted an invitation to the European Commission’s briefing on Europe 2020 on 27 January 2011.

Members noted the following press releases :

  • DRD News Release – “ Preparations underway for return of severe winter weather”;
  • DRD News Release – “ Drivers urged to be careful as sub-zero temperatures forecast for Christmas”; and
  • Northern Ireland Water’s press statements and situation reports issued from 23 December 2010, onwards.
9. Any Other Business

Forward Work Programme
Agreed: Members considered a revised forward work programme for the Committee and agreed that the revised work programme should be published on the Assembly website.

Committee event to launch the Consumer Council / YouthAction report “Transport Matters”

Members noted arrangement for the Committee sponsored event on 12 January 2011 to launch the Consumer Council / YouthAction report “Transport Matters”.

Correspondence from the Utility Regulator

The Committee noted correspondence from the Utility Regulator on the memoranda of understanding that has been laid before the Assembly, under Article 11 of the Water and Sewerage Services (Northern Ireland) Order 2006, and agreed to defer consideration of this correspondence to the meeting of 19 January 2011.

Statement to the Assembly by the Minister for Regional Development on Northern Ireland Water

Agreed: The Committee noted that the Minister for Regional Development will make a statement to the Assembly on Monday 17 January 2011 in relation to Northern Ireland Water. Members agreed that the Chairperson should speak, during this statement, on behalf of the Committee.

Responses to the Finance and Personnel Committee on the Draft Budget
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Speaker to highlight the continued pressure on committees’ time to scrutinise Departmental budget proposals and to provide submissions to the Committee for Finance and Personnel.

10. Date, Time and Place of Next Meeting

The next meetings will be held on Tuesday 18 January 2011 at 10.00am in Room 29, Parliament Buildings and on Wednesday, 19 January 2011, at 9.30am in Room 30, Parliament Buildings.

The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 12.54pm.

Signed:
Fred Cobain, MLA
Chairperson, Committee for Regional Development
19 January 2011

06 January 2011 / Menu

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