PROCEEDINGS OF THE REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
MINUTES OF MEETING HELD IN PART PUBLIC/PART CLOSED SESSION
ON WEDNESDAY, 28 MARCH 2001
IN ROOM 135, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
1. Minutes of last meeting
2. Matters arising
3. Statutory Rules
4. The Rail Vehicle Accessibility Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2001
5. Metered Water and Trade Effluent Charges
6. Regional Development Strategy (RDS)
7. Amenities and Services in the Lagmore area
8. Executive Programme Funds
9. AOB
10. Date of next meeting
Present were:
Mr A Maginness (Chairman)
Mr A McFarland (Deputy Chairman)
Mr PJ Bradley
Mr J Byrne
Mr D Ervine
Mr R Hutchinson
Mr P McNamee
Mr G Savage
Mr J Wells
Apologies: Mr W Hay
Mr D Hussey
In Attendance: Mr L Barr ( Committee Clerk)
Mr S Fay ( Assistant Committee Clerk)
Mr N Currie (Executive Support)
Mrs S Young (Administrative Support)
The meeting commenced at 10.47am.
1. Minutes of last meeting
The minutes of the meeting held on 21 and 26 March 2001 were agreed.
Mr Bradley joined the meeting at 10.52am
2. Matters arising
- M1/Westlink Inquiry
- Ring of Gullion.
- Disused Railway Beds.
The Committee considered the request from the Dunmurry and Finaghy Residents Association for a meeting.
Agreed: That the Clerk will write to the Association and send the details of the correspondence sent to the Department on the matter.
The Committee noted the Department's reply.
Mr Byrne joined the meeting at 10.56am.
Agreed: That the Clerk will write to the Newry and Mourne Council advising it of the details of the information received from the Department.
The Committee received the Department's reply. It will consider the matter at a future meeting.
3. Statutory Rules
(a) The Committee noted the details of a Statutory Rule, which the Department intends to make. It does not have to be laid in the Assembly.
(b) The Committee considered two Statutory Rules, subject to negative resolution, which have been made and laid in the Assembly.
Question Put and Agreed: That the Regional Development Committee has considered the Statutory Rule 081/2001 -
Manse Road and Ballygowan Road, Castlereagh (Stopping-Up) Order (Northern Ireland) 2001
and has no objection to the Rule.
Question Put and Agreed: That the Regional Development Committee has considered the Statutory Rule 092/2001 -
Upper Newtownards Road, Belfast (Footway) (Abandonment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2001
and has no objection to the Rule.
The Committee considered a Statutory Rule, subject to affirmative resolution, which has been made and laid in the Assembly.
Question Put and Agreed: That the Regional Development Committee has considered the Statutory Rule 073/2001 -
The Private Streets (Construction) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2001
and recommends that it be affirmed by the Assembly.
The meeting moved to public session.
Mr Wells joined the meeting at 11.14am.
4. The Rail Vehicle Accessibility Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2001
Officials from the Department joined the meeting at 11.14am. They were:
Mr Richard Aiken Director, Transport Policy Branch
Mr Garry McKenna Transport Policy Branch
They briefed the Committee on the purpose of the proposed Rail Vehicle Accessibility Regulations, which is currently subject to public consultation, and answered Members' questions on them.
The officials left the meeting at 11.39am.
The meeting returned to closed session.
5. Metered Water and Trade Effluent Charges
At 11.41am officials from the Department joined the meeting. They were:
Ms Jackie Kerr Director, Roads and Water Policy Unit
Mr David Carson Finance Division, Water Service.
They briefed the Committee on the proposed increases in metered water and trade effluent charges and answered Members questions. They apologised for the delay in bringing the proposals to the Committee. This was caused by the need to obtain the necessary approvals from the Department of Finance and Personnel for the increases.
The uprating will increase the metered water charges by 2.4% for the 2001/2002 year. Standing charges will cease for those customers, who are in receipt of the domestic allowance and have a supply pipe diameter of 15mm or less, whose consumption is less than 100m3 per half year. Trade effluent charges will be increased by an average of 5.7% for the 2001/2002 year.
The officials left the meeting at 12.12pm.
The Committee accepted the proposed increases and the reasons for them.
6. Regional Development Strategy (RDS)
At 12.20pm officials from the Department joined the meeting. They were:
Mr Paul Sweeney Deputy Secretary
Mr Dennis Glass Director, Regional Planning
Mr Billy Gamble Regional Planning.
They discussed the Committee's response to the draft RDS, in particular issues relating to brownfield sites; the balance between rural and urban development; development outside the Belfast Metropolitan Area; decentralisation; and implementation.
The Department appreciated the views of the Committee and will take account of them in the final document. The Department will consult the Committee before the publication of the final document.
The Committee has still to consider the responses from the other Committees. It will respond to the Department on them as soon as possible.
The Chairman left the meeting at 12.50pm.
The Deputy Chairman took the Chair.
The Chairman returned at 12.57pm and resumed the Chair.
Mr Bradley left the meeting at 12.58pm.
He returned at 1.13pm.
Mr Savage left the meeting at 1.14pm.
Mr Hutchinson returned at 1.19pm.
The briefing ended and the officials left the meeting at 1.27pm.
7. Amenities and Services in the Lagmore area
The Committee considered a letter from Councillor Michael Ferguson, Lisburn Borough Council.
Agreed: That the Clerk will write to Councillor Ferguson noting his concerns and asking him to raise them with the local MLAs.
8. Executive Programme Funds
The Committee received the details of the bids made on the Executive Programme Funds. It was unable to consider the details. It will return to the matter at a later meeting.
9. AOB
(a) Children's Commissioner Inquiry
The Committee considered the letter from the Clerk of the Committee of the Centre about the launch of an Inquiry into the proposal by the Office of the First and Deputy First Minister to appoint an independent Commissioner for children in Northern Ireland.
Agreed: That the Clerk will respond to the Committee of the Centre advising that the Committee would have no input to the Inquiry.
(b) Titanic Quarter Leases
The Committee considered further the matter of the Titanic Quarter leases.
Agreed: That the Committee would hold an Inquiry into the matter.
10. Date of next meeting
The next meeting is scheduled for Monday 2 April 2001 to decide the terms of reference for the Inquiry.
The meeting closed at 1.50pm.