COMMITTEE FOR REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
WEDNESDAY 17 NOVEMBER 2010
ROOM 21, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present:
Fred Cobain MLA (Chairperson)
Michelle McIlveen MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Cathal Boylan MLA
Allan Bresland MLA
Billy Leonard MLA
Anna Lo 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 10.35am in open session.
Members welcomed Ms Anna Lo to the Committee and also noted the extract of the Register of Members’ Interests relating to Ms Lo.
Agreed:Members agreed to write to Mr Lunn thanking him for his contribution during his time as a Member of the Committee for Regional Development.
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 10 November 2010
Agreed : The minutes were agreed for publication on the Assembly’s website.
3. Matters Arising
- Agreed: Members noted correspondence from the Committee for Finance and Personnel and from a member of the public in relation to the independent investigation report into the procurement of the Rathlin Island Ferry and agreed to forward the correspondence from the Finance and Personnel Committee to the member of the public.
10.37am Mr McDevitt joined the meeting.
- Agreed: Members noted correspondence from the Consumer Council Northern Ireland in relation to the consultation process for its work programme on transport issues and agreed that the Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson should meet with the Consumer Council to discuss this issue and the issue of its decision to withdraw from its partnership agreement with Northern Ireland Water.
- Agreed: Members noted correspondence from the Department for Regional Development in relation to the draft Play and Leisure Implementation Plan. The Committee noted the Department’s role in this plan and agreed to forward the correspondence to the Committee for the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister.
10.40am Mr Robinson joined the meeting.
- Members noted correspondence from Mr Laurence MacKenzie, Chief Executive of Northern Ireland Water, in relation to a procurement exercise carried out by Northern Ireland Water.
- Members noted correspondence from the Department for Regional Development, on the revised Regional Development Strategy (RDS).
- Agreed: Members received briefing from the Deputy Chairperson on the meeting of 16 November 2010 on the issue of Control Over Land Orders for Belfast International Airport and the City of Derry Airport. The Committee agreed its approach to progress the issue.
4. Transport Bill
10.45am The meeting moved into closed session.
10.50am Mr Boylan joined the meeting.
The Committee received briefing from Assembly Research and Library Services on an analysis paper on issues raised in relation to the first Public Transport Reform Outline Business Case (OBC), and how these have been addressed in the revised OBC.
Agreed:Following Members questions, the Committee agreed to write to the Department on the issues raised and to request a briefing on the issues at the meeting of 24 November 2010.
11.18am Mr Boylan left the meeting.
11.22am The meeting returned to open session.
The Committee noted correspondence from the Department for Regional Development on issues of concern, relating to the Transport Bill, raised by members of the Federation of Passenger Transport (FPT).
The Committee also noted a number of items of correspondence from the Department addressing the issues raised by Members at the meetings of 20 October and 3 November 2010 and also in relation to issues raised at the meeting of 20 October 2010 on the Public Transport Reform Outline Business Case (OBC) .
11.35am Mr Boylan returned to the meeting.
The Committee received briefing from Departmental officials, Doreen Brown, Brian White and Sean Johnston , on the agreed amendments to the Transport Bill and points of clarification requested by the Committee.
Agreed:That the Committee would return to this matter at next week’s meeting and would continue to address the clarification and amendments requested.
5. Subordinate Legislation
Members noted the following Departmental proposals to make subordinate legislation:
- The Donaghadee Road, Groomsport (Abandonment) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2010;
- The Taxis (Larne) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2011;
- The Taxis ( Belfast) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2011; and
- The Taxis ( Belfast) (No 2) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2011.
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 10 November 2010:
- 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.
Agreed:Members agreed that the Committee would write to the Department, indicating that it was content with the policy merits of these SL1s.
Members noted receipt of the following statutory rules:
- 2010/364 The Lower Braniel Road, Castlereagh (Abandonment) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2010; and
- 2010/363 The Cycle Racing on Roads (Amendment) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2010.
Members noted correspondence from the Department for Regional Development in relation to an objection received to the Lower Braniel Road, Castlereagh (Abandonment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2010.
Members noted that the Examiner of Statutory Rules reported on these statutory rules in his Fifth Report to the Assembly for the 2010-11 Session, published on 12 November 2010, and raised no objections to the rules.
12.06pm Mr McCrea left the meeting.
6. Correspondence
- Agreed: Members noted correspondence from a member of the public in relation to speed limit signs on roads and agreed to forward the correspondence to the Department for Regional Development for comment.
- Agreed: Members noted 2 items of correspondence from members of the public in relation to A6 (Randalstown to Toome) upgrades and agreed to forward the correspondence to the Department for Regional Development for comment.
- Agreed: Members noted correspondence from a member of the public in relation to the proposed runway extension at George Best Belfast City Airport and agreed to forward the correspondence to the Environment Committee for comment.
- Members noted the Minister for Regional Development’s statement to the Assembly on the North / South Ministerial Council (NSMC) Transport Sector meeting held on 20 October 2010.
- Members noted correspondence from Strictly Boardroom in relation to its research paper titled “does the appointment of board members bring added value to the governance of boards in the public and not for profit sectors?”
Members noted the November 2010 issue of AgendaNI and the November 2010 newsletter from Advice NI.
Members noted the following invitations:
- The Utility Regulator’s Annual stakeholder event on 15 December 2010; and
- Northern Ireland Water’s official opening of the Antrim Wastewater Treatment Works on 1 December 2010.
Members noted the DRD News Release – “Progress on £1.3 Million investment in Carrickfergus”.
7. 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.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Minister / Department in relation to whether there are any proposals for legislation to be brought forward during the remainder of the current mandate.
Launch of the Consumer Council / Youth Action Transport Matters report
Agreed: The Committee noted and agreed, subject to amendment, the invitees to the above event.
Research paper on public appointments
Agreed:The Committee noted that a research paper on the public appointment of interim and permanent non-Executive Directors of Northern Ireland Water, prepared for it by Assembly Research and Library Service, would be provided to the Commissioner for Public Appointments, in response to a request.
8. Date, Time and Place of Next Meeting
The next meeting will be held on Wednesday, 24 November 2010, at 10.00am in Room 21, Parliament Buildings.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 12.09pm.
Fred Cobain, MLA
Chairperson, Committee for Regional Development
24 November 2010
10 November 10 / Menu
