PROCEEDINGS OF THE REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
MINUTES OF MEETING HELD ON WEDNESDAY, 27 JUNE 2001
IN ROOM 135, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
1. Minutes of last meeting
2. Matters arising
3. Statutory Rules
4. Inquiry into Titanic Quarter leases
5. Memorandum of Understanding
6. Review of Winter Services
7. Regional Development Strategy (RDS)
8. Corporate and Business Plans
9. Finance Training
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 D Hussey
Mr R Hutchinson
Mr P McNamee
Mr J Wells
Apologies:
Mr W Hay
Mr G Savage
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 10.12am in public session.
1. Minutes of last meeting
The minutes of the meeting held on 20 June 2001 were agreed.
2. Matters arising
(a) Budgets
Several questions had been sent to the Department following last week's meeting when officials from the Department briefed the Committee on the Position Reports issued by OFMDFM on the Department's bids for the 2002/03 year.
Agreed: As a reply to the questions had only just been received, it was agreed to defer this matter to next week's meeting.
The Clerk will prepare draft responses to the Committee for Finance and Personnel and OFMDFM for consideration at next week's meeting.
Mr Ervine joined the meeting at 10.18am.
Members were issued with a paper provided by the Department on how the Water Service in Wales (Welsh Water) is administered as a not-for-profit company.
Agreed: The Assembly Researchers will provide further information in relation to the impact in Wales, in particular the arrangements by which a not-for-profit company can issue bonds; and the implications for Public Expenditure. This matter will be discussed at next week's meeting.
3. Statutory Rules
The Committee noted six Statutory Rules which the Department intends to make but which will not be laid in the Assembly.
The Committee commented on two of the proposed Rules as follows:
Bus Lanes Order (NI) 2001
While the Committee had no objection to the course of action proposed in the Rule, a number of queries were raised. These were:
the timescale for deciding whether private hire taxis should be allowed to use bus lanes; the need for taxis to be easily identifiable; the legislation governing taxis; and the need for an integrated taxi system.
Agreed: The Department will be asked to respond to these queries.
Off-Street Parking (Amendment No. 2) Order (NI) 2001
Mr Hussey joined the meeting at 10.40am.
The Committee discussed the proposal to revise the car parking charges in certain car parks.
Agreed: To consider the matter further at next week's meeting.
(b) The Committee considered the Statutory Rules:
Route U512 Craigs Bog Road, Aughnacloy (Abandonment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2001;
Back Street at Wilgar Street, Belfast (Abandonment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2001;
Trunk Road T4 (Tullyear and Ballydown) Order (Northern Ireland) 2001;
Route A5 Beltany Road, Newtownstewart (Abandonment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2001;
Westland Road South, Cookstown (Abandonment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2001;
C154 Tandragee Road, Craigavon (Abandonment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2001;
Private access at 49 Hillsborough Road, Dromore (Stopping-Up) Order (Northern Ireland) 2001;
Trunk Road T4 (Ballymacormick) Order (Northern Ireland) 2001;
Trunk Road T9 (Doagh Road to Coleman's Corner) Order (Northern Ireland) 2001;
Trunk Road T9 (Ballynure) Order (Northern Ireland) 2001;
Trunk Road T9 (Millbrook and Antiville) Order (Northern Ireland) 2001;
The Department intends to make these Rules which are subject to negative resolution.
The Committee agreed the course of action proposed in the Rules.
The meeting returned to closed session.
4. Inquiry into Titanic Quarter leases
The Committee considered a revised draft report on the Inquiry. No further comments were received on the draft report.
Mr Hutchinson left the meeting at 10.58am.
Mr Bradley joined the meeting at 11.01am.
Agreed: That the report be sent to the Printed Paper Office. The Clerk will arrange for a proof copy of the report to be ready for the Committee to sign off at next week's meeting.
To publish the report at the earliest opportunity.
The debate on the report would be held after the summer recess.
The Committee considered correspondence from Belfast Harbour Commissioners wishing to clarify some of the evidence that they had given as part of the Inquiry.
Agreed: That comments from Harland and Wolff and the Department on the correspondence should be sought.
The Committee considered whether the written submissions on the Inquiry should be included in the report.
Agreed: That the submissions should be listed in the report, but not included in it. They will be placed in the Library.
5. Memorandum of Understanding
The Committee considered the revised Memorandum of Understanding between the Department and the Belfast Harbour Commissioners.
Agreed: The Committee is now content with the revised Memorandum of Understanding.
Mr Maginness left the meeting at 11.27am. Mr McFarland took the chair.
Mr Hutchinson returned at 11.28am
The meeting returned to public session.
6. Review of Winter Services
Officials from Roads Service joined the meeting at 11.28am. The officials were:
Mr Grahame Fraser - Director of Network and Customer Services
Mr Joe Drew - Head of Roads Service Direct
Mr David Orr - Divisional Roads Manager
Mr Orr gave a presentation on the review of Roads Service's policy on keeping roads accessible during periods of severe weather conditions. The officials then responded to Members' questions on the review.
Mr Wells joined the meeting at 12.06pm.
The Committee broadly welcomed the findings of the review and the proposed changes in policy to deal with problems arising from severe weather conditions.
The Deputy Chairman thanked the officials and they left the meeting at 12.16pm.
The meeting returned to closed session.
(Following the recent Westminster and Local Government elections, Mr Wells declared that he was now a member of Down District Council).
Mr Ervine left the meeting at 12.24pm.
7. Regional Development Strategy (RDS)
The Deputy Chairman reported that he had met the Minister and his officials
on 25 June 2001 to discuss the current text regarding brownfield sites and
over-zoning contained in the RDS. He stressed to the Minister that the
Regional Development Committee and other Committees remained unsatisfied
with the lack of a specific target for urban housing. The Minister agreed to
reflect on the points made.
In order to discuss the matter further, officials from the Department joined the meeting at 12.31pm. They were:
Mr Paul Sweeney Deputy Secretary, Strategic Planning, Transport and Finance
Mr Dennis Glass Director, Regional Planning
Mr Billy Gamble Director, Regional Planning
The officials presented a further draft of the RDS to the Committee. It
included an erratum which would incorporate the following changes:
i) In page 56 of the 'Spatial Development Chapter', the paragraph referencing the brownfield target had been revised to set a regional target of 60%.
ii)In page 113, section HOU 1.1, of the 'Meeting Housing Needs Chapter', the words "by exception" have been added (in relation to over-zoning).
The Committee requested that page 125, section HOU 4.1 of the 'Meeting
Housing Needs Chapter' should be amended to reflect the change in the
Spatial Development Chapter noted at i) above.
The Committee also requested that there should be a five year review of the
brownfield target in the light of the latest housing data derived from the urban
capacity studies.
Subject to the additional amendments outlined above, the Committee
concluded that it was broadly content with the draft RDS document.
Mr Bradley left the meeting at 1.13pm.
The Deputy Chairman thanked the officials and they left the meeting at 1.27pm.
8. Corporate and Business Plans
Copies of the Corporate and Business Plans for the Department and its two Agencies had been sent to Members.
Agreed: To consider the plans at next week's meeting.
9. Finance Training
Members were reminded about the offer of training in finance procedures for Assembly Members and staff.
Agreed: That Members wishing to attend the seminars will contact the Clerk.
10. Date of next meeting
The next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, 4 July 2001 at 10.30am in room 135, Parliament Buildings.
The meeting closed at 1.30pm.