Proceedings of the Regional Development Committee
Minutes of meeting held on Wednesday 8 November 2000
in room 135, Parliament Buildings
1. Minutes of last meeting
2. Matters arising
3. Statutory Rules
4. Presentation by the Officials from the Department on its responsibilities in relation to planning issues
5. Draft Budget Proposals
6. Programme for Government
7. Date of Next Meeting
Present were:
Mr A Maginness (Chairman)
Mr A Mc Farland (Deputy Chairman)
Mr J Byrne
Mr D Ervine
Mr W Hay
Mr D Hussey
Mr R Hutchinson
Mr J Wells
In Attendance:
Mrs D Pritchard ( Committee Clerk)
Mr S Fay ( Assistant Committee Clerk)
Mr N Currie ( Executive Support)
Mrs S Young ( Administrative Support)
Apologies:
Mr PJ Bradley
Absent: Mr P McNamee
Rt Hon JD Taylor MP
The meeting commenced at 10.36am.
1. Minutes of last meeting
The minutes of the meeting held on 25 October 2000 were agreed.
2. Matters arising
(a) Implications of using private bus companies for public transport.
The Department's reply is awaited.
(b) Visit to Roads Service.
Members noted the revised timetable. They will liaise with Committee staff about whether they will take part in the visit on 15 November 2000.
(c) Railways - Proposed visit to the Chilterns Railways.
Members will liaise with Committee staff about whether they will go on the visit.
(d) Possible visit to Strasbourg.
The Committee noted the paper on the light rail system in Strasbourg and the costs of visiting there.
Agreed: That Members will consider the merits of the visit and decide on it at a later meeting.
(e) Farm Diversification
The Committee noted the reply from the Department.
Agreed: That objective criteria should be set for planning decisions to facilitate farm diversification and that this point will be emphasised in discussions about the Regional Development Strategy.
(f) The reason for prohibiting a left-hand turn from Durham Street into Grosvenor Road.
The Committee noted the Department's response.
(g) Permission for taxis to use bus lanes.
Mr Ervine joined the meeting at 10.51am.
The Committee discussed the Department's response.
Agreed: That the Clerk will write to the Environment Committee noting the interest of the Regional Development Committee in this issue.
That the Chairman will discuss the issue with the Chairman of the Environment Committee.
Mr Hussey joined the meeting at 10.52am.
(h) Brownfield sites.
The Committee discussed the Department's reply.
Agreed: That the Clerk will obtain information through the Assembly's research team on brownfield sites.
(i) Legislative proposals for Northern Ireland Trust Ports.
The Committee received the Departments letter updating it on the proposals.
Agreed: That the Committee will consider the proposals in more detail at a later meeting.
(j) Terminology used for Statutory Rules
The Committee noted the Department's letter.
(k) GMB submission on public transport
The submission from the Trade Union is still awaited
3. Statutory Rules
Question Put and Agreed: That the Regional Development Committee has considered the Statutory Rule 289/2000 -
Donegal Quay, Belfast (Stopping-Up) Order (Northern Ireland) 2000;
and has no objection to the Rule.
Question Put and Agreed: That the Regional Development Committee has considered the Statutory Rule 290/2000 -
Route A26 Crankill Road, Ballymena (Stopping-Up) Order (Northern Ireland) 2000;
and has no objection to the Rule.
Question Put and Agreed: That the Regional Development Committee has considered the Statutory Rule 291 -
Nicholsons Court, Newry (Abandonment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2000;
and has no objection to the Rule.
Question Put and Agreed:That the Regional Development Committee has considered the Statutory Rule 294 -
Ship Street, Belfast (Abandonment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2000
and has no objection to the Rule.
The Committee considered the Examiner of Statutory Rules' report on Rule No. 290/2000 - Route A26 Crankill Road, Ballymena (Stopping-Up) Order (Northern Ireland) 2000.
Agreed: That the Clerk will write to the Department asking it to address the concerns raised by the Examiner when similar Rules are submitted in the future.
The Chairman declared the meeting to be in public session.
4. (a) Presentation by the Officials from the Department on its responsibilities in relation to planning issues.
Mr Ronnie Spence, Permanent Secretary and Mr Denis Glass, Director, Regional Planning Division, joined the meeting at 11.07am.
Mr Hutchinson joined the meeting at 11.10am.
The officials described the Department's responsibilities in relation to planning issues and how they interface with the Department of Environment. They answered Members questions on this matter and on the amount of land in brownfield sites in the Greater Belfast area. They agreed to provide written answers on
(i) the definition of rural and urban areas and if there is a common definition used by all Departments; and
(ii) the "New Village" concept.
The presentation ended at 11.46.
Mr Ervine left the meeting at 11.47am.
Mr Byrne left the meeting at 11.47am..
(b) Presentation by the officials from the Department on resource accounting.
Mr Jack McGibbon Director of Finance
Dr Andrew Grieve Principal Officer
Mr David Kerr Principal Officer
joined the meeting at 11.48 and gave an explanation to the Members of resource accounting and its impact on the budget system here.
Mr Byrne returned at 11.49am.
The presentation ended at 12.14pm.
(c) Update from the Minister on the Department's economic appraisal of the options for the future of the Port of Belfast.
The Minister and his officials:
Mr Ronnie Spence Permanent Secretary
Mr Robin McMinnis Director, Air and Sea Ports Division
joined the meeting at 12.18pm.
Mr Ervine returned at 12.18pm.
The Minister advised the Committee of the latest position with regards to the future of the Port of Belfast. His view is that privatisation of the Port is not the best way forward at this time because of the current state of the market; the lack of political will for such a move; and the Belfast Harbour Commissioners' abandonment of this option.
The Minister advised that the economic appraisal of the options on the future of the Port is almost complete and copies of it will be sent to the Committee as soon as it is ready.
Mr Wells left the meeting at 12.27pm. Mr Hutchinson left the meeting at 1.02pm. The meeting returned to closed session. Agreed: That the Committee will consider the matter further in receipt of the economic appraisal. That the Committee will meet the Belfast Harbour Users Group. This will provisionally be arranged for the meeting on 22 November 2000. That the Chairman and Deputy Chairman will meet the Minister about the Port of Belfast. Agreed: The Committee decided its response to the Minister. Agreed: The Committee decided its response to the Minister. The next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday 15 November 2000 at 3.00pm. in the Killyhevlin Hotel, Enniskillen, following the visit to the Roads Service, Western Division in the morning. The meeting closed at 1.23pm.
The Minister and officials left the meeting at 1.01pm
5. The Draft Budget proposals.
6. Programme for Government
7. Date of next meeting.
25 October 2000 / Menu / 15 November 2000