Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure

Budget Report

MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS

THURSDAY 13 JANUARY 2011
ROOM 21, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS, BALLYMISCAW, STORMONT

Present:
Mr Declan O’Loan MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Lord Browne MLA
Mr Thomas Burns MLA
Mr David Hilditch MLA
Mr William Humphrey MLA
Mr Billy Leonard MLA
Mr Ken Robinson MLA

Apologies:
Mr Barry McElduff MLA (Chairperson)
Mr Kieran McCarthy MLA
Mr David McClarty MLA
Mr Pat Sheehan MLA

In attendance:
Ms Lucia Wilson (Clerk)
Miss Emma Patton (Assistant Clerk)
Mr Jonathan Lamont (Clerical Supervisor)
Mr Chris Baird (Clerical Officer)
Dr Dan Hull (Research Officer)

The meeting opened at 10.35 a.m.

4. Briefing from DCAL regarding draft budget 2011 – 2015 spending and savings proposals

The Committee considered a number of documents in relation to draft budget 2011-2015:

• Committee office paper.
• Tabled letter from the Minister regarding the Committee’s response to the draft spending and savings plans in September 2010.
• Committee for Finance and Personnel’s memo regarding Executive’s Draft Budget 2011 – 15.
• Committee for Finance and Personnel’s memo regarding Resource DEL: Administrative cost controls.
• Departmental briefing paper and draft budget 2011-15 spending and savings proposals.
• Responses from ALBs and Committee’s draft response of September 2010 .

Mr Burns joined the meeting at 10.57 a.m.

The following officials joined the meeting at 11.05 a.m.

Mr Edgar Jardine, Deputy Secretary
Mr Arthur Scott, Director of Culture
Mr Michael O’Dowd, Head of Finance Branch

The officials briefed the Committee on the draft budget 2011-2015.

A question and answer session followed.

Mr Hilditch left the meeting at 11.40 a.m.
Mr Hilditch rejoined the meeting at 11.58 a.m.

Mr Leonard declared an interest as he is a member of Coleraine Borough Council.

The officials left the meeting at 12.01 p.m.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Deaprtment seeking a further breakdown, by unit of business, of current expenditure and capital investment showing ALB allocations; a breakdown of reductions in current and capital expenditure in real terms and clarification on figures relating to Sport NI.

The officials left the meeting at 12.01 p.m.

The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 12.30 p.m

Mr Declan O’Loan
Deputy Chairperson, Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure
20 January 2011

(EXTRACT)