Proceedings of the Regional Development Committee
Minutes of meeting held in public session on Wednesday, 14 November 2001 in room 135, Parliament Buildings
1. Minutes of last meeting
2. Letter from Belfast City Council
3. Report on Transport Used for Children Travelling to and from School
4. Update on ongoing work within DRD by the Permanent Secretary
5. Statutory Rules
6. Visit to the North West
7. Visit to Europe
8. Letter from Equality 2000 regarding transport for disabled people
9. Date of Next Meeting
Present were:
Mr A McFarland (Deputy Chairman)
Mr PJ Bradley
Mr J Byrne
Mr W Hay
Mr D Hussey
Mr P McNamee
Mr M Robinson
Apologies:
Mr A Maginness (Chairman)
Mr D Ervine
Mr R Hutchinson
Mr G Savage
In Attendance:
Mr L Barr (Committee Clerk)
Mr N Currie (Assistant Committee Clerk)
Mrs S Young (Executive Support)
Miss J Massey (Administrative Support)
Ms S Clavero (Assembly Research Team)
The meeting commenced at 10.35am.
The Deputy Chairman welcomed Mr Mark Robinson as a Member of the Regional Development Committee replacing, on behalf of the Democratic Unionist Party, Mr Jim Wells.
Mr Robinson had no interest, financial or otherwise, of relevance to the Committee to declare.
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Minutes of last meeting
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Letter from Belfast City Council re maintenance of pavements and grassed areas
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Report on Transport Used for Children Travelling to and from School
The minutes of the meeting held on 7 November 2001 were agreed.
The Committee considered a letter from Belfast City Council's Contract Services Committee, requesting to meet the Committee to discuss the maintenance of pavements and grassed areas within the City.
Agreed: The Chairman and Deputy Chairman should meet with representatives of the Contract Services Committee.
In relation to grass cutting, the Committee noted the Minister's letter confirming that Roads Service will undertake a review of its grass cutting policy, and that the Committee will be consulted prior to finalising the conclusions.
Agreed: A copy of the Minister's letter should be sent to Derry City Council, as it had originally raised the issue of grass cutting with the Committee.
At 10.42am the Minister and officials joined the meeting and briefed the Committee on the Department's views on the Environment Committee Report on Transport Used for Children Travelling to and from School. The officials were: Mr Keith Walsh, Mr Denis O'Hagan and Mr Roddy Crilly.
The Minister gave the Committee Members a copy of the Department's draft interim response to the Report.
Mr Hay joined the meeting at 10.44am.
The Minister and officials answered Members' questions on the Report.
The Minister then briefed the Committee on two other issues:
- Strategic Planning Bill
In response to an approach from the Minister for the Environment, the Minister has agreed that the proposed Bill should comprise of three parts:
- Amending the requirement to be "consistent with" to one of "in general conformity with".
- Transitional provision for three development plans (Craigavon, Cookstown and Dungannon & South Tyrone).
- A new mechanism to make provision for a statement of conformity (or not) in the planning process to re-affirm the primacy of the RDS.
Mr Bradley left the meeting at 11.16am.
- Belfast Harbour Commissioners Board Appointments
The Minister proposes to increase the overall size of the BHC Board to 15 if necessary. In finalising the Harbour Orders for Belfast, Londonderry and Warrenpoint, the Minister proposes to further amend the constitutions of each Board to allow people with skills other than harbour management, industry, or shipping to sit on the Boards.
The Deputy Chairman thanked the Minister and officials for attending and they left the meeting at 11.23am.
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Update on ongoing work within DRD by the Permanent Secretary
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Statutory Rules
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Visit to the North West
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Visit to Europe
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Letter from Equality 2000 regarding transport for disabled people
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Date of Next Meeting
The Permanent Secretary, Mr Nigel Hamilton, joined the meeting at 11.25am. He informed the Committee of some of the changes he had made since joining the Department recently.
Mr Hussey joined the meeting at 11.35am.
The Permanent Secretary answered Members' questions about the Department. Mr Hamilton agreed to ensure that the Committee was fully involved at the beginning of each monitoring round and advised of all bids and easements.
The Deputy Chairman thanked the Permanent Secretary for attending and he left the meeting at 12.04pm.
Mr McNamee left the meeting at 12.04pm.
The Committee considered fourteen 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 333/2001 -
Trunk Road T9 (Doagh Road to Coleman's Corner) Order (Northern Ireland) 2001
and has no objection to the Rule.
Question Put and Agreed: That the Regional Development Committee has considered Statutory Rule 334/2001-
Trunk Road T9 (Millbrook and Antiville) Order (Northern Ireland) 2001
and has no objection to the Rule.
Question Put and Agreed: That the Regional Development Committee has considered Statutory Rule 335/2001-
Trunk Road T9 (Ballynure) Order (Northern Ireland) 2001
and has no objection to the Rule.
Question Put and Agreed: That the Regional Development Committee has considered Statutory Rule 343/2001-
Back Street at Grampian Avenue, Belfast (Abandonment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2001
and has no objection to the Rule.
Question Put and Agreed: That the Regional Development Committee has considered Statutory Rule 344/2001-
Route A31 Magherafelt Road, Moneymore (Abandonment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2001
and has no objection to the Rule.
Question Put and Agreed: That the Regional Development Committee has considered Statutory Rule 345/2001-
Route A5 Beltany Road, Newtownstewart (Abandonment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2001
and has no objection to the Rule.
Question Put and Agreed: That the Regional Development Committee has considered Statutory Rule 346/2001-
Back Street at Wilgar Avenue, Belfast (Abandonment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2001
and has no objection to the Rule.
Question Put and Agreed: That the Regional Development Committee has considered Statutory Rule 347/2001-
Westland Road South, Cookstown (Abandonment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2001
and has no objection to the Rule.
Question Put and Agreed: That the Regional Development Committee has considered Statutory Rule 350/2001-
Route U2209 Old Crebilly Road, Ballymena (Abandonment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2001
and has no objection to the Rule.
Question Put and Agreed: That the Regional Development Committee has considered Statutory Rule 351/2001-
Church Street, Ballymena (Stopping-Up) (Revocation) Order (Northern Ireland) 2001
and has no objection to the Rule.
Question Put and Agreed: That the Regional Development Committee has considered Statutory Rule 352/2001-
Route A1 Belfast, Newry (Abandonment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2001
and has no objection to the Rule.
Question Put and Agreed: That the Regional Development Committee has considered Statutory Rule 353/2001-
Glenbush Drive, Portrush (Stopping-Up) Order (Northern Ireland) 2001
and has no objection to the Rule.
Question Put and Agreed: That the Regional Development Committee has considered Statutory Rule 354/2001-
Markethill Road, Tandragee (Abandonment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2001
and has no objection to the Rule.
Question Put and Agreed: That the Regional Development Committee has considered Statutory Rule 355/2001-
Caldwell Park, Portrush (Abandonment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2001
and has no objection to the Rule.
Members discussed whether it was necessary to receive copies of Statutory Rules which had been made and laid in the Assembly, as the Committee considers the policy set out in the Rules at a previous meeting.
Agreed: Unless the Examiner of Statutory Rules or the Clerk sees any problem with the Rules, Members will not receive copies of the Rules in future, but the Clerk will bring a copy of the Rules to the meeting.
Agreed: The Committee agreed the itinerary and press release for the visit to the north west on 27 and 28 November 2001.
Mary Breslin, Chairperson of the Londonderry Port and Harbour Commissioners, should be invited to the dinner on 27 November 2001.
Agreed: The visit should take place week commencing
27 January 2002. The Clerk will draft an itinerary for next week's meeting.
The Committee considered a letter from Equality 2000 who wish to lobby the Committee on two issues:
(i) The Concessionary Fares Scheme - the group requested that the Scheme be extended to include all categories of disabled people.
As the Department has indicated that it intends to carry out a review of the Concessionary Fares Scheme within the next year to consider how it could be extended, the Committee agreed to respond on this basis.
(ii) The provision of accessible buses - the Minister has informed Equality 2000 that funding to assist Translink to replace its buses after 18 years of service and its coaches after 12 years, is dependant upon the allocation of additional monies by the Assembly.
The Committee's formal response to the draft Budget and draft Programme for Government stated that additional funding should be made available to reduce the average age of Northern Ireland's bus fleet, and that government should set targets for the average age of buses in line with the GB target. The Committee agreed to respond on this basis.
Agreed: The Clerk should write to Equality 2000 on the basis outlined above.
The next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, 21 November 2001 at 10.30am in room 135, Parliament Buildings.
The meeting closed at 12.28pm.