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COMMITTEE FOR REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
WEDNESDAY 8 SEPTEMBER 2010
ROOM 21, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS

Present:
Fred Cobain MLA (Chairperson)
Michelle McIlveen MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Cathal Boylan MLA
Danny Kinahan MLA
Billy Leonard MLA
Trevor Lunn MLA
Ian McCrea 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:
Allan Bresland MLA
Willie Clarke MLA

The meeting commenced at 10.38am in open session.

1. Apologies

Apologies are detailed above.

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

2. Draft Minutes of meetings held on 30 June, 20 August and 1 September 2010

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

3. Matters Arising

10.43am Mr Robinson joined the meeting.

  • Agreed: Members considered the Department for Regional Development’s submission to the Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment (ETI) on its Renewable Energy Inquiry and agreed to forward the submission to the ETI Committee. Members also considered the Regional Development Committee response to the Inquiry and agreed to forward the response to the ETI Committee.
  • Agreed: Members considered IMTAC’s report into the impact of the Accessible Transport Strategy in improving access to transport for people with learning disability and agreed to schedule a briefing from IMTAC on the content of this report later in the current session .
  • Members noted correspondence from the Minister for Regional Development in response to the Committee’s correspondence on the Translink Corporate Plan.
  • Members noted correspondence from the Minister for Regional Development, dated 30 June 2010, in relation to the interim appointments to the Board of Northern Ireland Water.
  • Agreed: Members noted correspondence from the Committee for the Environment on the compatibility of road signs and speed limits in Northern Ireland and agreed to forward the correspondence to the Department for comment.
  • Agreed: Members noted correspondence from the Department for Regional Development on speed limits on roads and agreed to forward the correspondence to the Committee for the Environment.
  • Agreed: Members noted correspondence from the Department for Regional Development on the gritting of footpaths during the winter period and agreed to request clarification on a number of issues from the Department .
  • Agreed: Members noted correspondence from the Department for Regional Development on the review of IMTAC and agreed to request a briefing on the responses received to the review recommendations prior to making a Committee response .
  • Agreed: Members noted correspondence from the Department for Regional Development on the overruling of speed limits and agreed to forward the correspondence to the Committee for the Environment.
  • Members noted correspondence from Northern Ireland Water in relation to grazing in the high Mournes.
  • Members noted correspondence from the Department for Regional Development in relation to the Rathlin Island Draft Action Plan, which received endorsement by the Rathlin Development and Community Association (RDCA) on 7 September 2010.
  • Members noted correspondence from the Department for Regional Development informing the Committee that Northern Ireland Electricity’s objection to the Bank Parade, Newry (Abandonment) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2010 has been withdrawn.
  • Members noted correspondence from the Department for Regional Development in relation to the Belfast Cycle City initiative, offering to provide an update to the Committee once the feasibility study is completed.
  • Agreed: Members noted correspondence from the Department for Regional Development on the reorganisation of Roads Service Section Offices and agreed to schedule a briefing on the issue on 22 September 2010 .
  • Members noted correspondence from the Department for Regional Development providing clarification on issues raised during briefing to the Committee on Control Over Land Orders.
  • Members noted correspondence from the Department for Regional Development in relation to the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Bill offering to provide written and oral briefing to the Committee.
  • Members noted correspondence from the Department for Regional Development providing clarification on issues raised during briefing to the Committee on its year-end performance.
  • Agreed: Members noted correspondence from Mr Declan Gormley and agreed to defer consideration of the matter until the Committee has had the opportunity to review the submissions made to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), and taken account of the PAC’s decisions .
  • Members noted correspondence from the Department for Regional Development on submissions made to the Public Accounts Committee by the Independent Review Team in relation to Procurement Governance in Northern Ireland Water.
  • Members noted correspondence from the Minister for Regional Development informing the Committee that the Roads (Transfer of Functions) Bill has been withdrawn from the legislative process.
  • Agreed: Members considered and agreed correspondence to the Construction Employers Federation in relation to issues raised during its briefing to the Committee on 1 September 2010.
  • Agreed: Members considered and agreed correspondence to Northern Ireland’s MEPs, the Finance Minister and the OFMDFM Committee in relation to issues raised by the Quarry Products Association Northern Ireland (QPANI) during its briefing to the Committee on 1 September 2010.
  • Agreed: Members considered and agreed correspondence to the Department and the Environment Committee in relation to issues raised by the Northern Ireland Local Government Association (NILGA) Planning Workgroup during its briefing to the Committee on 1 September 2010.
  • Agreed: Members considered and agreed correspondence to the Department in relation to issues raised by Down District Council during its briefing to the Committee on 1 September 2010.
  • Members noted correspondence from the Minister for Regional Development in relation to the transfer of ownership of Coleraine Harbour to the Local council.
    Mr Leonard declared an interest in this item as a member of Coleraine Borough Council.
  • The Committee noted a press release from the Public Account Committee in relation to the issue of procurement governance in Northern Ireland Water.
  • Agreed: Members noted a paper from the Committee office outlining proposals for the Committee’s stakeholder evidence event on Budget 2010 and agreed to defer further consideration of the issue to the meeting of 15 September 2010.
4. Transport Bill

11.21am Mr Kinahan joined the meeting.

The Committee received briefing from Assembly Research and Library Services on key issues in public transport reform and the Transport Bill.

The Committee received briefing from Departmental officials , Doreen Brown, Brian White and Sean Johnston , on the background to, and provisions contained in, the Transport Bill.

5. Briefing from the Community Transport Association on the Review of Operator Licences

The Committee received briefing from Kellie Armstrong of the Community Transport Association (CTA) on the Department of the Environment’s Review of Operator Licences.

Agreed:The Committee agreed to write to the Committee for the Environment, enclosing the Hansard transcript of this briefing, requesting that the views of the Committee, and the CTA, are strongly reflected in its response to the consultation on the review. A draft of this correspondence will be considered at a future meeting of the Committee.

6. Departmental post-consultation briefing on DRD’s Draft Disability Action Plan

The Committee received briefing from Departmental officials , Margaret Langhammer and Jackie Gregg , on the responses received to its consultation on the Draft Disability Action Plan.

12.08pm Mr McCrea left the meeting.

Agreed: Members agreed to consider a Committee response to the Department on this issue at the meeting of 15 September 2010.

7. Committee response to the Department’s submission on September Monitoring

Members noted the Department for Regional Development’s submission to the Department of Finance and Personnel on the September 2010 monitoring round.

Agreed: Members agreed a response to the Department on its September 2010 monitoring round position, for issue today.

8. Equality Unit Quarterly Progress Report

Agreed: Members noted the Department’s Equality Unit’s Quarterly Progress Report and agreed to request a research paper that provides a comparison of the Equality Commission’s new Guidance on the Statutory Duty with the previous guidance.

Agreed: The Committee also agreed to request a written Departmental briefing on the implications of the revised guidance for the work of the Department; an indication of the progress made to date in actioning the new guidance; and an indication of when the Department will be in a position to brief the Committee on the Department’s new equality scheme.

9. Committee comment on the Department of the Environment’s response to the Environment Committee’s Climate Change Inquiry

Agreed: Members discussed and agreed the Committee’s response on the Department of the Environment’s response to the Environment Committee’s Climate Change Inquiry Report.

12. 22pm Mr McCrea returned to the meeting.

10. Subordinate Legislation

Members noted the following Departmental proposals to make subordinate legislation:

  • The Parking Places on Roads (Lisburn) (No.2) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2010;
  • The Prohibition of Right-Hand Turn (Newry) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2010;
  • The Parking and Waiting Restrictions (Ballymoney) (Amendment No.2) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2010;
  • The One-Way Traffic (Downpatrick) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2010;
  • The Parking Places, Loading Bay and Waiting Restrictions (Armagh) (Amendment) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2010;
  • The Parking and Waiting Restrictions (Portglenone) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2010;
  • The Taxis (Lisburn) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2010;
  • The Waiting Restrictions (Newry) (Amendment No. 3) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2010;
  • The Parking and Waiting Restrictions (Ballymena) (Amendment No. 2) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2010;
  • The One-Way Traffic (Portglenone) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2010;
  • The Parking Places on Roads (Lurgan) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2010;
  • The Parking Places and Loading Bays on Roads (Londonderry) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2010;
  • The Waiting Restrictions (Lurgan) (No 2) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2010;
  • The Lisburn Road, Ballynahinch (Abandonment) Order (NI) 2010;
  • The Cycle Tracks ( Castlewellan Road A50, Newcastle) Order (NI) 2010;
  • The Loading Bays (Amendment) Order (NI) 2010; and
  • The Tullyrain Road (Route A26), Banbridge (Abandonment) Order (NI) 2010.

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. 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 30 June 2010:

  • The Loading Bays and Parking Places on Roads (Amendment No.4) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2010 .

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 Preservation of Services and Civil Emergency Measures (Relevant Undertaker) ( Northern Ireland) Direction 2010

Members noted receipt of the following statutory rules:

  • 2010/241 The Airfield Road Lower, Donneymore (Abandonment) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2010;
  • 2010/242 The Devonshire Way, Belfast (Abandonment) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2010;
  • 2010/243 The Glensharragh Park, Castlereagh (Abandonment) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2010;
  • 2010/244 The Seahill Road, Holywood (Abandonment) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2010;
  • 2010/245 The Access Road to the Giant’s Causeway, Bushmills (Abandonment) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2010;
  • 2010/254 The Depot Road, Belfast (Abandonment) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2010;
  • 2010/255 The Park Drive / Hamilton Road, Bangor (Abandonment) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2010;
  • 2010/260 The Moy Road (Route A29) and Drumcairn Road, Armagh (Abandonment) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2010;
  • 2010/269 The St. Julian’s Way, Omagh (Footpath) (Abandonment) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2010; and
  • 2010/281 The Fulton Street, Belfast (Footway) (Abandonment) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2010.

Members noted that the Examiner of Statutory Rules will report on these statutory rules in his First Report to the Assembly for the 2010-11 Session, to be published on 10 September 2010.

Members considered the following statutory rule which was laid in the Assembly’s Business Office by the Department for Regional Development and is subject to the negative resolution procedure. Members noted that the Examiner of Statutory Rules reported on this rule in the Eighteenth Report to the Assembly for 2009/10.

  • 2010/215 The Shore Road, Belfast (Abandonment) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2010 .

In the absence of any objection, the following question was put and agreed:

‘That the Committee for Regional Development has considered 2010/215 The Shore Road , Belfast (Abandonment) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2010 and has no objection to the rule.’

All those in favour: Cathal Boylan, Fred Cobain, Danny Kinahan, Billy Leonard, Trevor Lunn, Ian McCrea, Conall McDevitt, Michelle McIlveen and George Robinson.

Those against: None.

All Members present voted. No Members present abstained.

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

11. Correspondence
  • Agreed: Members noted correspondence from the Committee for Employment and Learning in relation to the issue of school bus passes and agreed to forward the correspondence to the Department for comment.
  • Members noted the correspondence from the Committee for Finance and Personnel in relation to the publication of the Procurement Board Action Plan arising from the recommendations contained in the Committee’s Inquiry Report on Public Procurement Governance in Northern Ireland .
  • The Committee noted correspondence and as associated leaflet from Northern Ireland Water in relation to the Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2009.
  • The Committee noted, from Northern Ireland Water, correspondence and the Annual Drinking Water Quality Report 2009.
  • The Committee noted correspondence from NILGA in relation to planning and economic development. The Committee received a briefing from NILGA on this issue at its meeting of 1 September 2010.
  • Agreed: The Committee noted correspondence for Nu-Key , providing information on a proposal to introduce electric vehicles in Belfast, and agreed to forward the correspondence to the Department for consideration.
  • The Committee noted correspondence from the Department of Justice on the Equality Impact Assessment on proposals for a Justice Bill ( Northern Ireland).
  • Agreed: The Committee noted correspondence from the Department for Regional Development in relation to the Roads Service Car Park Tariff Review 2010 and agreed to defer consideration of the correspondence to the meeting of 15 September 2010.
  • The Committee noted correspondence from Northern Ireland Water in relation to its third Annual Report which provides details on its progress during the Strategic Business Plan period (2007-2009).
  • The Committee noted correspondence from the Department for Regional Development in relation to the appointment of Belfast Harbour Commissioners.
  • The Committee noted a consultation document, from the Committee for the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister, on the Programme for Cohesion, Sharing and Integration and the Sustainable Development Strategy.
  • Agreed: The Committee noted correspondence for the Consumer Council in relation to its work with Youth Action on examining young peoples’ view in relation to public transport , and agreed to schedule a briefing on this issue later in the current session.
  • The Committee noted an invitation from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors to the Chairman’s Reception on Friday 10 September 2010.
  • Agreed: The Committee noted correspondence for the Department for Regional Development in relation to the public launch of the Department’s Belfast City Centre Traffic Management Project (BCCTMP) on Thursday 30 September 2010 and agreed to schedule a closed session briefing on this matter on 22 September 2010 .
  • The Committee noted a written Ministerial Statement on the reorganisation of Roads Service section offices .
  • The Committee noted correspondence from the Department for Regional Development in relation to the appointment of the interim Chair of the Board at Northern Ireland Water .

Members noted the following newsletters:

  • The Equality Commissions monthly newsletters for July and August 2010;
  • IMTAC’s Transport Matters newsletter;
  • NIIRTA News, Summer 2010; and
  • Northern Ireland Water’s Waterline.

Members noted reports on the following issues:

  • DRD’s Travel Survey for Northern Ireland Headline Report 2007-2009;
  • DRD’s Northern Ireland Road and Rail Transport Statistics;
  • Londonderry Port & Harbour Commissioners;
  • NI Transport Holding Company Annual Report 2009/10; and
  • British Council Challenge Europe Project.

Members noted the following invitations:

  • Invitation from the Utility Regulator to the launch of the Annual Report 2009-10 on Wednesday 8 September 2010; and
  • Invitation from the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) to the Silver Jubilee Dinner on 7 October 2010.

Members noted the following press releases:

  • DRD News release – “ M1 Sprucefield Bridge works are ahead of schedule”;
  • DRD News release – “ Roads Service reports on schemes in Banbridge area”;
  • DRD News release –“ Ministers visit £2million flood alleviation scheme”;
  • DRD News release – “ Roads Service reports on schemes in Lisburn area”;
  • DRD News release – “ Roads Service reports on schemes in Derry city”;
  • Consumer Council – “Consumer Council Encourages Passengers To Use The Long Stay Car Park To Avoid £1 Drop Off/Pick Up Charge At BIA”;
  • Northern Ireland Water press statement – “NI Water Publish Drinking Water Quality Report”;
  • Northern Ireland Water press statement – “NI Water is currently dealing with a burst trunk main on the Caralaragh Road, Limavady”;
  • DRD News Release – “Opening of park and share facilities at Cairnshill”; and
  • OFMDFM News Release – “Publication of Fermanagh flooding taskforce report welcomed”.
12. Any Other Business

12.32pm Mr McDevitt left the meeting.

A Member of the Committee raised the following issues:

  • Review of IMTAC
    Agreed: Members agreed to defer consideration of this issue until the Committee has considered the requested research paper on advisory committees and has received a Departmental briefing on this issue later this month.
  • Delay of the Regional Development Strategy
    Agreed: Members noted concerns in relation to the delay in the development and publication of the Regional Development Strategy and agreed to defer consideration of correspondence to the Department on this issue until the meeting of 15 September 2010.
  • Northern Ireland Water: outcome of Public Accounts Committee meetings
    Agreed: The Committee noted a memorandum from the Public Accounts Committee on the outcome of its meetings to date in relation to procurement governance in Northern Ireland Water. Following discussion, Members decided to request information from the Department for Regional Development on the appointment of the interim Non-Executive Directors (NEDs) of Northern Ireland Water and the interim Chair of the Board.

Forward Work Programme
Agreed: Members considered a revised forward work programme for the Committee.

Publication of Members’ attendance at Committee meetings

Agreed: Members noted information from the Central Committee Office on Members’ attendance at Committee meetings in the 2009-2010 session and agreed to consider and verify the information at next week’s meeting.

13. Date, Time and Place of Next Meeting

The next meeting will be held on Wednesday, 15 September 2010, at 10.30am in Room 21, Parliament Buildings.

The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 12.38pm.

Fred Cobain, MLA
Chairperson, Committee for Regional Development
15 September 2010

01 September 10 / Menu

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