COMMITTEE FOR REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
WEDNESDAY 27TH FEBRUARY 2008
ROOM 144, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present: Fred Cobain MLA (Chairperson)
Cathal Boylan MLA
Willie Clarke MLA
John Dallat MLA
Raymond McCartney MLA
George Robinson MLA
Jim Wells MLA
Brian Wilson MLA
In Attendance: Roisin Kelly (Assembly Clerk)
Clairita Frazer (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Pauline Devlin (Clerical Supervisor)
Annette Page (Clerical Officer)
Stephanie Galbraith (Researcher)
Apologies: William Irwin MLA
John McCallister MLA
Stephen Moutray MLA
The Committee agreed to hold the meeting in closed session.
The meeting opened at 10.35 p.m. in closed session.
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Apologies.
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Draft Minutes of the meeting of 13 February 2008.
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Matters Arising.
- Briefing on the recommendations for the development of additional bodies within the Strand Two Report
- Briefing on the Company Limited by Guarantee –"The Customers Company" model proposed in the Strand Two Report
- Briefing on the Forecast Capital Expenditure for Northern Ireland Water
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Northern Ireland Water – Re-apportionment of costs.
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Varney Review of the Competitiveness of Northern Ireland.
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Subordinate Legislation.
- The Loading Bays on Roads (Amendment No.3) Order (Northern Ireland) 2008;
- The Parking and Waiting Restrictions (Ballymena) (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2008;
- 2008/40 The Street Works (Inspection Fees) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2008
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Correspondence.
- Memo dated 14 February 2008 from Lucia Wilson, Clerk to the Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment (ETI) seeking the Committee’s views on the Consumer Council’s forward work programme for water and energy.
- Email dated 18 February 2008 from Kieran Ruddy, Chairman of Pomeroy Development Projects, copied to the Chairperson of the Environment Committee, requesting the Committee’s support for an application for planning permission for a social economy project in Pomeroy.
- Email dated 19 February 2008 inviting Members to attend the Constitution Unit’s second annual conference entitled "Inside Devolution 2008: Constitution Unit Annual Devolution Conference".
- Email dated 22 February 2008 inviting Members to meet the Chair designate of the New Committee on Climate Change (CCC), Lord Adair Turner who will be holding an event to meet stakeholders on 18 March 2008.
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Any Other Business.
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Date, Time and Place of next meeting.
Apologies were received from William Irwin, Stephen Moutray and John McCallister.
The minutes of the meeting held on 13 February 2008 were agreed.
Members agreed to note information on leakage figures, which was forwarded from Northern Ireland Water (NIW) in response to Members’ request of 22 January 2008.
Members noted receipt of documentation regarding the City of Derry Airport. Members agreed to visit the City of Derry Airport on 12 March 2008.
Members noted a letter dated 12 February 2008 from the DALO, Alan Doherty relating to the consultation on the equality impacts of DRD’s elements of the draft Budget, PfG and ISNI 08.
Members agreed the revised Forward Work Programme and agreed that it be published on the Committee web pages.
Members noted receipt of the following research papers from the Assembly Research Service:
Members noted the letter dated 13 February 2008 from the DALO, Alan Doherty in response to the Committee’s request for information in relation to the operation of Rural Transport Fund vehicles, and noted that a draft handling plan for the Committee’s consideration of this topic will be before the Committee at the meeting of 5 March 2008.
Northern Ireland Water Executives Katharine Bryan, Ronan Larkin, Vincenta Leyden and Michael Mulholland joined the meeting at 11.23 a.m.
The Committee was briefed by Northern Ireland Water executives, who answered Members’ questions on the proposed re-apportionment of costs from non-domestic to domestic customers.
Jim Wells left the meeting at 12.07 p.m.
The Committee agreed to seek additional information to that tabled today.
Jim Wells rejoined the meeting at 12.43 p.m.
Katharine Bryan, Ronan Larkin, Vincenta Leyden and Michael Mulholland left the meeting at 12.48 p.m.
Northern Ireland Authority for Utility Regulation Executives Iain Osborne and Jo Aston joined the meeting at 12.48 p.m.
The Committee was briefed by executives from the Northern Ireland Authority for Utility Regulation, who answered Members’ questions on the proposed reapportionment of costs from non-domestic to domestic customers.
John Dallat left the meeting at 1.13 p.m.
Northern Ireland Authority for Utility Regulation executives Iain Osborne and Jo Aston left the meeting at 1.18 p.m.
Members noted the draft response tabled today and agreed that Members would notify the Committee office by Friday 29 February 2008 of any changes they wished to suggest to the draft response, and that the final response would be issued on Friday 29 February 2008.
Members noted the following new SL1s received:
Members noted the following Statutory Rules subject to negative resolution. The Examiner of Statutory Rules will forward his report before the end of the statutory period.
Members noted receipt of The Tenth Report of the Examiner of Statutory Rules to the Assembly and the Appropriate Committees, published on 19 February 2008. In the absence of any objections, the following questions were put and agreed:
Question put and agreed:
"That the Committee for Regional Development has considered the 2008/27 The Eastermeade Gardens, Ballymoney (Abandonment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2008; and has no objection to the rule."
All those in favour: Fred Cobain, Jim Wells, Cathal Boylan, Raymond McCartney, Willie Clarke, Brian Wilson, George Robinson.
All those against: None
Question put and agreed:
"That the Committee for Regional Development has considered the 2008/36 The Trunk Road T15 (Carland Bridge Realignment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2008; and has no objection to the rule."
All those in favour: Fred Cobain, Jim Wells, Cathal Boylan, Raymond McCartney, Willie Clarke, Brian Wilson, George Robinson.
All those against: None
Members were content that the Clerk should notify the Business Office on the decisions reached by the Committee in considering these Statutory Rules.
The Committee noted receipt of the following items of correspondence:
The Committee agreed to issue a press release concerning Northern Ireland Water’s proposed reapportionment of costs from non-domestic to domestic customers.
The next meeting will be at 10.30 a.m. on Wednesday 5 March 2008 in Room 144, Parliament Buildings.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 1.29 p.m.