COMMITTEE FOR REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
WEDNESDAY 22 SEPTEMBER 2010
ROOM 21, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS

Present:
Fred Cobain MLA (Chairperson)
Michelle McIlveen MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Cathal Boylan MLA
Allan Bresland MLA
Danny Kinahan MLA
Billy Leonard MLA
Trevor Lunn MLA
Fra McCann 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:
None.

The meeting commenced at 10.43am in open session.

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

1. Apologies

No apologies were received.

2. Draft Minutes of meeting held on 15 September 2010

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

3. Matters Arising

Agreed: Members considered the Minister for Regional Development’s statement to the Assembly on 13 September 2010 on governance issues in Northern Ireland Water and agreed to request a Ministerial briefing on the content of the statement.
Agreed: The Committee noted a number of press releases in relation to the Consumer Council’s announcement of its withdrawal from its partnership with Northern Ireland Water and agreed to write to the Consumer Council on this decision.
Agreed: Members considered the Committee’s end-of-session report for 2009-10 and agreed that the report be published on the Assembly website.
Members noted correspondence from the Department for Regional Development, dated 15 September 2010, confirming a Departmental briefing on the Review of IMTAC on 3 November 2010.
The Committee noted correspondence from the Quarry Products Association Northern Ireland (QPANI) in relation to the aggregates levy in Northern Ireland.
Agreed: The Committee noted correspondence from the Department for Regional Development in relation to Budget 2010 and agreed to write to the Department in relation to issues raised.
The Committee noted an Irish News press article on the Department’s use of outside consultants.

4. Departmental briefing on the reorganisation of Roads Service section offices

Mr Bresland, Mr Cobain, Mr Leonard, Mr Lunn, Mr McCann, Mr McCrea, Ms McIlveen, and Mr Robinson declared an interest in this item of business as councillors

11.16am Mr Kinahan joined the meeting.

The Committee received briefing from Roads Service officials , Mr Geoff Allister and Dr Andrew Murray , on the reorganisation of Roads Service section offices.

Mr Robinson expressed his objection to the closure of either the Limavady or Coleraine section offices.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department seeking clarification on issues raised.

5. Departmental briefing on the Transport Bill

Members noted a submission to the Committee from Lisburn City Council.

The Committee received briefing from Departmental officials , Brian White , Anne Breen and Sean Johnston , on Clauses 3 to 22 of the Transport Bill and the related evidence received during the Committee’s public call for evidence.

12.13pm The meeting moved into closed session.

Agreed: The Committee considered advice from the Assembly’s Examiner of Statutory Rules in relation to the delegated powers of the Transport Bill and agreed to write to the Department raising the Committee’s concerns in relation to the procedures required to make subordinate legislation.

Members noted that the Committee’s motion for extension of the Committee Stage of the Transport Bill has been scheduled for debate on 27 September 2010.

Members also noted arrangements for the Committee’s stakeholder evidence event on 5 October 2010. The Committee decided to reschedule its weekly meeting, planned for 6 October 2010, to 5 October 2010 to facilitate the stakeholder event on that day, and not to meet during the week beginning 11 October 2010.

6. Departmental briefing on the Belfast City Centre Traffic Management Project (BCCTMP)

The Committee received briefing from Departmental officials, Ciarán de Búrca and Lindsay Rainey , and from Stephen Pollock of Roads Service, on the Belfast City Centre Traffic Management Project (BCCTMP).

12.31pm Mr McDevitt left the meeting.
12.36pm Mr Leonard and Mr Robinson left the meeting.

12.38pm The meeting returned to open session.

7. 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 outcome of the objections received in relation to a number of the proposed abandonments.

8. Committee response to the Environment Committee on the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Bill

Agreed: The Committee considered and agreed its response to the Environment Committee on the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Bill.

9. Subordinate Legislation

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

The Bus Lanes Order (Amendment) 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 following statutory rules:

2010/317 The Glebe Road, Annahilt (Abandonment) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2010;
2010/318 The Northwood, Lurgan (Footway) (Abandonment) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2010;
2010/319 The Bank Parade, Newry (Abandonment) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2010; and
2010/320 The Belfast Road (A3), Dollingstown (Abandonment) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2010.

Members noted that the Examiner of Statutory Rules will report on these statutory rules in his Third Report to the Assembly for the 2010-11 Session, to be published on 8 October 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 will report on this rule in the Second Report to the Assembly for the 2010/11 session:

2010/281 The Fulton Street, Belfast (Footway) (Abandonment) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2010.

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

‘That the Committee for Regional Development has considered 2010/281 The Fulton Street , Belfast (Footway) (Abandonment) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2010 and, subject to the report of the Examiner of Statutory Rules, has no objection to the rule.’

All those in favour: Cathal Boylan, Allan Bresland, Fred Cobain, Danny Kinahan, Trevor Lunn, Fra McCann, Ian McCrea, and Michelle McIlveen.

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.

report on this rule in the Second Report to the Assembly for the 2010/11 session:

2010/293 The Trunk Road T8 (A31) (Magherafelt Bypass) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2010.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to contact the Department seeking clarification in relation to the objections received to this rule, and to defer final consideration of the rule to the Committee meeting of 29 September 2010.

10. Correspondence

Agreed: The Committee noted the response to the Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR) process from Action for Children Northern Ireland and agreed to consider this response as part of the Committee’s consideration of Budget 2010.
The Committee noted a response from the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister to the European Commission’s Communication on the Rights of the Child.
Agreed: Members noted the Department of Justice’s consultation on bribery prevention procedures for commercial organisations to be published under Section 9 of the Bribery Act 2010 and agreed to write to the Department for Regional Development requesting a copy of any response it makes to this consultation.

Members noted the following invitations:

The Department for Regional Development’s Small Ferries Project on Wednesday 29 th September 2010;
ADEPT’s Resilient Places: Sustaining Services in Challenging Times on Thursday 4 th and Friday 5 th November 2010;
The Construction Employers Federation’s Specify Construction Excellence Awards on Thursday 7 th October 2010;
The Community Transport Association’s Connecting Communities Conference on 5 th and 6 th October 2010;
The Minister for Regional Development’s Bursary Awards on 29 th September 2010; and
The Ulster Real Estate Initiative’s special event on sustainable development on 29 th September 2010.

Members noted the following Departmental press release:

“Statutory Orders proceed for A31 Magherafelt Bypass ”.

11. 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.

12. Date, Time and Place of Next Meeting

The next meeting will be held on Wednesday, 29 September 2010, at 10.30am in Room 21, Parliament Buildings.

The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 12.47pm.

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

15 September 10 / Menu

COMMITTEE FOR REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS WEDNESDAY 22 SEPTEMBER 2010 ROOM 21, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS