COMMITTEE FOR REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
WEDNESDAY 24 NOVEMBER 2010
ROOM 21, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS

Present:
Fred Cobain MLA (Chairperson)
Michelle McIlveen MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Billy Armstrong MLA
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:
None

The meeting commenced at 10.59am 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 17 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, on the disabled parking bay proposed for Greenmount, Braniel, Belfast.
• Agreed: Members noted correspondence from the Department for Regional Development on the procurement of train rolling stock by Northern Ireland Railways and concerns relating to this matter from a member of the public. The Committee agreed to forward the correspondence from the member of the public to the Department for comment.
• Members noted correspondence from the Department for Regional Development on the revised Regional Development Strategy (RDS).
• Members noted correspondence from the Department for Regional Development on the appointment of a member of the Warrenpoint Harbour Authority.
• Members noted correspondence from Translink in relation to the performance of the Metro service.
• Agreed: Members noted correspondence on the legal advice received by the Department in relation to the draft policy for the provision of bilingual signage and agreed to request a copy of all legal advice produced in relation to this matter .
• Members noted correspondence from the Department for Regional Development on the A5 and A6 road schemes.
• Members noted correspondence from the Committee office in relation to the Belfast Metropolitan Area Plan (BMAP).
• Agreed: Members noted correspondence from the Minister for Regional Development in relation to the updated governance letter to the interim Chairman of Northern Ireland Water. The Committee agreed to commission a research paper from Assembly Research Service and to request a Departmental briefing on this matter .

4. The Transport Bill: Briefing on the Outline Business Case (OBC) Review and outstanding issues

The Committee continued its 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. It also received briefing on the issues raised at the meeting of 17 November 2010 in relation to the Review of the Public Transport Reform Outline Business Case (OBC) .

Agreed: The Committee agreed that Departmental officials should meet with the Committee Clerk, on 25 November 2010, to discuss how to progress the amendments and outstanding issues.

5. Report into the impact of the Accessible Transport Strategy in improving access to transport for people with a learning disability

The Committee received briefing from IMTAC representatives Frank Caddy and Michael Lorimer on the above report.

11.48am Mr Boylan left the meeting.

6. PSA Targets 2008-11 and Efficiency Delivery Plan 2008-11: 2 nd Quarter Monitoring for 2010-11

Agreed: Members noted the Department’s second quarter monitoring for 2010-11 of its PSA Targets 2008-11 and Efficiency Delivery Plan 2008-11, and agreed to write to the Department indicating that the Committee did not have any issues to raise in relation to the updates.

7. Subordinate Legislation

Members noted the following Departmental proposals to make subordinate legislation:

• The Prohibition of Left-Hand Turn ( Belfast) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2011;
• The Waiting Restrictions (Newry) (Amendment No.2) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2011;
• The Parking and Waiting Restrictions (Armagh) (Amendment) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2011;
• The Prohibition of Traffic ( Dunluce Street, Larne) (Revocation) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2010; and
• The Traffic Weight Restriction ( Church Place, Lurgan) 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 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.

Agreed: Members agreed that the Committee would write to the Department, indicating that it was content with the policy merits of these SL1s.

Members considered the following statutory rules which were laid in the Assembly’s Business Office by the Department for Regional Development and are subject to the negative resolution procedure. Members noted that the Examiner of Statutory Rules reported on these rules in the Fifth Report to the Assembly for the 2010/11 session, published on 12 November 2010:

• 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.

In the absence of any objections, the following questions were put and agreed:

• ‘That the Committee for Regional Development has considered 2010/364 The Lower Braniel Road , Castlereagh (Abandonment) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2010 and has no objection to the rule.’
• ‘That the Committee for Regional Development has considered 2010/363 The Cycle Racing on Roads (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2010 and has no objection to the rule.’

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

8. Correspondence

• Agreed: Members noted correspondence from the Committee for the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister in relation to European issues and agreed to consider the Committee’s response at a meeting in December 2010.
• Members noted a Translink news release on adjustments to the timetable for its Enterprise service.

Members noted the Equality Commission’s Annual Report 2009-10; the Utility Regulator’s newsletter for October/November 2010; and the Equality Commission’s newsletter for November 2010.

Members noted an invitation from Energy Ireland to its Irish Renewable Energy Summit 2011 on 20 January 2011 .

Members noted the following press releases :

• DRD News Release – “Regional Development Minister addresses Institute of Taxation.
• House of Lords European Activities”;
• DRD News Release – “Progress on £1.98 Million investment in Ballymoney;
• DRD News Release – “Progress on £1.95 Million investment in Moyle;
• DRD News Release – “Progress on £3 Million investment in North Down;
• DRD News Release – “Progress on £3.46 Million investment in Limavady; and
• DRD News Release – “New member appointed to the Warrenpoint Harbour Authority”.

9. Any Other Business

10. 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.

Committee Christmas Cards

Agreed:Members considered and agreed that Christmas cards, issued on behalf of the Committee, should be distributed as e-cards, as opposed to traditional cards. Members were content that the Chairperson would approve the distribution list.

10. Date, Time and Place of Next Meeting

The next meeting will be held on Wednesday, 1 December 2010, at 10.30am in Room 21, Parliament Buildings.

The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 11.59pm.

Fred Cobain, MLA
Chairperson, Committee for Regional Development
1 December 2010

17 November 10 / Menu