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COMMITTEE FOR REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
WEDNESDAY 16 MARCH 2011
ROOM 21, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS

Present:
Fred Cobain MLA (Chairperson)
Michelle McIlveen MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Billy Armstrong MLA
Cathal Boylan MLA
Allan Bresland 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 Leonard MLA
Anna Lo MLA

The meeting commenced at 10.33am 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 meetings held on 8 March 2011

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

3. Matters Arising

10.36am Mr McCann joined the meeting.

  • Members noted a report from the Department for Regional Development on Public Transport Reform regarding the development of an Information Systems / Information Technology (IS/IT) Strategy for Public Transportation Systems.
  • The Committee noted correspondence from the Minister for Regional Development on the Committee’s decision to oppose the use of the accelerated passage procedure to progress the Water and Sewerage Services Bill.
  • The Committee noted correspondence from the Department for Regional Development on the Department commitments in the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Action Plan.
  • The Committee noted responses from the Minister for Regional Development and from Translink on the Committee’s report on the “Transport Matters” report.
  • Agreed: The Committee noted a revised version of the Committee’s report on the “Transport Matters” report and ordered that the report be printed.
  • Agreed: The Committee noted correspondence from the Department for Regional Development on the Review of the Inclusive Mobility and Transport Advisory Committee (IMTAC) and agreed to reference the Review of IMTAC in its Legacy Report .
  • Agreed: Members noted correspondence from the Committee office on the Public Accounts Committee’s (PAC) report on Measuring the Performance of Northern Ireland Water and Procurement and Governance in Northern Ireland Water and agreed to reference the PAC report in the Regional Development Committee’s Legacy Report .
  • The Committee noted correspondence from the Department for Regional Development in relation to the Department’s policy on the provision of information in alternative formats.
  • The Committee noted correspondence from the Department for Regional Development in relation to PSA Targets 2008-11 and Efficiency Delivery Plan 2009-11: 3 rd Quarter Monitoring for 2010-2011.
  • The Committee noted correspondence from the Department for Regional Development in relation to issues arising from the Committee’s briefing from the Alternative A5 Alliance.
  • The Committee noted correspondence from the Minister for Regional Development in relation to progress on the Dungiven Bypass.
  • The Committee noted correspondence from Northern Ireland Water in relation to issues arising from the freeze/thaw event of the winter of 2010-2011.

4. Consideration of the Committee’s draft End of Session and Legacy Reports

Agreed: The Committee considered and agree, subject to agreed amendments, its End of Session Report for 2010-2011 and its Legacy Report for the 2007-2011 Assembly mandate.

Agreed: The Committee agreed that the reports be forwarded to the Central Committee office for publication on the Assembly website.

5. Consideration of the Committee’s draft Report on Key Issues and Future Challenges

10.47am Mr Robinson joined the meeting.

Agreed: The Committee considered and agree its report on Key Issues and Future Challenges.

Agreed: The Committee ordered that the report be printed, that 2 copies of the report be laid in the Assembly Business Office in manuscript and that the report be published on the Assembly website.

6. Consideration of the Committee’s draft Sustainable Transport Inquiry Report

10.57am Ms McIlveen left the meeting.

Agreed: The Committee considered a draft of its Sustainable Transport Inquiry Report and agreed amendments to the report.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to consider a revised draft of the report at the meeting of 21 March 2011.

11.08am Mr Armstrong joined the meeting.

7. Subordinate Legislation

Members noted the following Departmental proposal to make subordinate legislation and agreed that the Committee office would write to the Department, indicating that it was content with the policy merits of these SL1s.

  • The Road Races (Ulster Rally) Order (Northern Ireland) 2011;
  • The Road Races (Circuit of Ireland International Rally) Order (Northern Ireland) 2011;
  • The Road Races (Armoy Motorcycle Race) Order (Northern Ireland) 2011;
  • The road Races (Mourne Rally) Order (Northern Ireland) 2011;
  • The road Races (Ulster Grand Prix Bike Week) Order (Northern Ireland) 2011;
  • The Dundrod Circuit (Admission Charges) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2011 - Proposed Increase of Admission Charge;
  • The Trunk Road T3 (A5 Western Transport Corridor Link to Land Frontier) Order (Northern Ireland) 2011;
  • The On-Street Parking (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2011; and
  • The Off-Street Parking (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2011 and The Off-Street Parking (Amendment No.2) Order (Northern Ireland) 2011.

Members noted that the SL1 memo from the Department on the above proposal made no reference to its having been the subject of a public inquiry. Members noted that the Department has confirmed that the police service and relevant local council affected by the above proposal have been informed, and the Committee office has not received any comments from the relevant council regarding this policy proposal.

Members considered the following Departmental proposal to make subordinate legislation, which was noted at the Committee meeting on 8 March 2011:

  • The Parking and Waiting Restrictions (Irvinestown) 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 noted receipt of the following statutory rule:

  • 2011/74 The Trunk Road T8 (Randalstown to Toome) Order (Northern Ireland) 2011.

Members noted that the Examiner of Statutory Rules will report on this statutory rule in his Thirteenth Report to the Assembly for the 2010-11 Session, to be published following the election in May 2011.

8. Correspondence

  • The Committee noted the Consumer Council Northern Ireland’s Election Manifesto 2011.
  • The Committee noted correspondence from the Committee for the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister on House of Lords European Activities.
  • The Committee noted an invitation to the Chairperson to attend a seminar, on 24 March 2011, hosted by the School of Architecture and Design at the University of Ulster.
  • Agreed: The Committee noted correspondence from North Down Borough Council in relation to the proposed sale of Portavo Reservoir and agreed to write to the council acknowledging receipt of the correspondence.
  • The Committee noted correspondence from the Committee for Justice on the statutory transfer of responsibilities for tribunals to the Department of Justice.
  • The Committee noted the March 2011 issue of AgendaNI.

The Committee noted the following press releases and statements:

  • Northern Ireland Water’s press statement on the report of the Northern Ireland Authority for Utility Regulation into the freeze/thaw incident over the Christmas and New Year period;
  • Translink’s press release: “Safety at crossings is paramount”;
  • The Department for Regional Development’s press release: “Transport Minister welcomes the first of 20 new trains at Belfast docks”; and
  • The Department for Regional Development’s press release: “ New train arrival – the first of a brand new fleet”.

9. Any Other Business

Research papers

Agreed: The Committee agreed thatany unpublished research papers, previously considered by the Committee, be published on the Committee pages of the Assembly website.

Minutes of final meeting

Agreed: The Committee agreed thatthe Chairpersonwouldconsider and approve the draft minutes of the final meeting of this mandate on 21 March 2011 for publication on the Assembly website, subject to any necessary amendments.

Correspondence from the Alternative A5 Alliance

Agreed: At the request of Mr Cathal Boylan, the Committee decided to write to representatives of the Alternative A5 Alliance providing clarification on issues raised in correspondence following their briefing to the Committee on 2 March 2011 in relation to the A5 Western Transport Corridor.

10. Date, Time and Place of Next Meeting

The next meeting will be held on Monday 21 March 2011 at 11.30am in Room 144, Parliament Buildings.

The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 11.30am.

Fred Cobain, MLA
 Chairperson, Committee for Regional Development

21 March 2011

08 March 2011 / Menu

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