COMMITTEE FOR REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
WEDNESDAY 10 NOVEMBER 2010
SENATE CHAMBER, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present:
Fred Cobain MLA (Chairperson)
Michelle McIlveen MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Cathal Boylan MLA
Allan Bresland 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:
Billy Armstrong MLA
The meeting commenced at 10.45am in open session.
Members noted papers which were tabled for consideration later in the meeting.
1. Apologies
Apologies are detailed above.
2. Draft Minutes of meeting held on 3 November 2010
Agreed : The minutes were agreed for publication on the Assembly’s website.
3. Matters Arising
- Members noted correspondence from the Department for Regional Development, dated 2 November 2010, in relation to its Equality Unit’s Quarterly Update.
- Agreed: Members noted correspondence from the Department for Regional Development, dated 14 October 2010, in relation to the official report of the Departmental briefing on 1 September 2010 on procurement governance in Northern Ireland Water and agreed to publish the correspondence on the Committee’s section of the Assembly website .
10. 47am Mr Robinson joined the meeting.
- Agreed: Members noted correspondence from the Minister for Finance and Personnel and from the Committee for Finance and Personnel on the Aggregates Levy Credit Scheme and agreed to write to the Minister for Finance and Personnel highlighting that the Committee’s remains fully supportive of the continuation of this scheme.
- Agreed: The Committee noted and agreed arrangements for its event, on 8 December 2010, to launch the Consumer Council / Youth Action’s ‘Transport matters’ report on young people’s experiences, attitudes and ideas for improving public transport .
- Members noted correspondence from the Committee for Finance and Personnel regarding the outcome of the UK Spending Review Budget 2011-2015
4. Ministerial briefing on issues relating to Northern Ireland Water
The Committee received a briefing from the Minister for Regional Development, John Mills of DRD Water Policy Division and Gary Fair of the Shareholder Unit on the issues raised in the Minister’s statement of 13 September 2010 to the Assembly on Northern Ireland Water and the future of water and sewerage services .
Agreed: The Committee noted correspondence from the Consumer Council Northern Ireland on its decision to withdraw from its partnership agreement with Northern Ireland Water and agreed to seek further clarification from the Consumer Council on this issue.
5. Ministerial briefing on the draft policy for the provision of bilingual signs
The Committee received a briefing from the Minister for Regional Development on the draft policy for the provision of bilingual signs .
Agreed: The Committee agreed to request a copy of the legal advice, provided to the Department and referred to during his briefing, establishing that Executive approval was not needed to publicly consult on the draft policy.
12.13pm Mr Lunn left the meeting.
12.34pm Mr McDevitt left the meeting.
6. Transport Bill
12.35pm The meeting moved into closed session.
The Committee received briefing from Assembly Legal Services on legal advice in relation to the inclusion of social clauses in the Transport Bill.
12.46pm Mr McCrea left the meeting.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department seeking an amendment to ensure that the payment of minimum wage is a condition of permits provided for in the Bill.
12.51pm The meeting returned to open session.
12.51pm Mr McCrea returned to the meeting.
The Committee noted correspondence from the Irish Congress of Trade Unions Northern Ireland Committee on the inclusion of social clauses in permits and contracts.
The Committee noted correspondence from the Department addressing the issues raised by Members at the briefing of 20 October 2010.
Agreed: The Committee noted correspondence from the Consumer Council in relation to how it consults with others, including local councils, as it develops its forward work programme on transport. Members agreed to defer further consideration of the correspondence to the meeting of 17 November 2010.
Agreed: The Committee continued its consideration of the draft of its report on the Transport Bill and agreed further amendments to the draft report.
7. Subordinate Legislation
1.00pm Mr McCann left the meeting.
Members noted the following Departmental proposals to make subordinate legislation:
- The Parking Places on Roads (Disabled Persons' Vehicles) (Amendment No. 2) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2010;
- The Waiting Restrictions (Kilkeel) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2011;
- The Waiting Restrictions (Newry) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2011;
- The One-Way Traffic ( Belfast) (Amendment No. 3) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2010;
- The Loading Bays (Amendment) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2011;
- The Loading Bays (Amendment No.2) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2011;
- The Parking Places on Roads (Larne) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2011;
- The Waiting Restrictions (Larne) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2011;
- The (Route F1361) Hawthorn Walk, Highfield Heights, Craigavon (Footpath) (Abandonment) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2011;
- The Back Street at Carrick Hill and Library Street, Belfast (Abandonment) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2011;
- The Roads (Speed Limit) (No.7) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2010; and
- The Breagh Drive / Carn Road, Portadown (Footpath) (Abandonment) Order ( Northern Ireland) 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 proposals to make subordinate legislation, which were noted at the Committee meeting on 3 November 2010:
- The Waiting Restrictions (Ballymoney) (No.2) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2010;
- The Coolmillish Road (Route B3), Armagh (Abandonment) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2010; and
- The Cycle Lanes ( Glengall Street and Great Victoria Street, Belfast) (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 these SL1s.
8. Correspondence
1.02pm Mr McCann returned to the meeting.
- The Committee noted correspondence from Translink in relation to the Cairnshill Park and Ride service, that commenced service on 1 November 2010.
- The Committee noted correspondence from Translink in relation to its achievement of platinum standard in ARENA Network’s 12 th Annual Environmental Benchmarking Survey.
- The Committee noted correspondence from Translink in relation it being awarded Carbon Trust Standard.
- The Committee noted correspondence from the Department for Regional Development on the reappointment of the chairman of Belfast Harbour Commissioners.
- Agreed: The Committee noted correspondence from the De Wind Drive / Cherryvalley Residents Association in relation to the use of a plot of abandoned land in Comber. Members agreed that the Deputy Chairperson, on behalf of the Committee, would meet with the Association, on site, to discuss the matter and report back to the Committee.
- The Committee noted correspondence from the Committee for the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister in relation to the Investment Strategy for Northern Ireland Activity Report for October 2010.
- The Committee noted correspondence from the Committee for the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister in relation to the Lifetime Opportunities Monitoring Framework Baseline Report.
Members noted the October 2010 edition of the Equality Commission’s monthly newsletter.
Members noted the following invitations:
- Agenda NI’s Planning and the Economy seminar on 17 November 2010;
- Advice NI’s Annual General Meeting on 26 November 2010;
- CPP Seminar’s “How best can we most effectively deliver sustainable civil society at a time of deficit reduction?” on 24 January 2011; and
- IMTAC’s joint Equality Commission / Human Rights Commission event on 1 December 2010.
Members noted the following press releases:
- NI Water News Release – “Sewage overflow Glencolin Park”.
- DRD News Release – “Consultation for domestic properties not served by a water main”.
- DRD News Release – “Roads Service prepares for winter weather – Eastern Division”.
- DRD News Release – “Roads Service prepares for winter weather – Western Division”.
- DRD News Release – “Roads Service prepares for winter weather – Southern Division”.
- DRD News Release – “Roads Service prepares for winter weather – Northern Division”.
- DRD News Release – “ Chairman of the Belfast Harbour Commissioners reappointed” .
- DRD News Release – “Salt barns at Capacity as Road Service prepare for Winter Weather”.
- DOE News Release – “Bathing water quality improves, despite another wet July”.
9. 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.
10. Date, Time and Place of Next Meeting
Agreed: Members consider the location for future meetings of the Committee and agreed that meetings should be held in Room 21, Parliament Buildings.
The next meeting will be held on Wednesday, 17 November 2010, at 10.30am in Room 21, Parliament Buildings.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 1.03pm.
Fred Cobain, MLA
Chairperson, Committee for Regional Development
17 November 2010
03 November 10 / Menu
