CATERING AND FUNCTIONS COMMITTEE MINUTES OF SIXTH MEETING

9 November 1999

TUESDAY 9 NOVEMBER 1999 AT 2.00PM IN ROOM 135

Present: Mr P Berry

Mr PJ Bradley

Ms M Gildernew

Sir John Gorman

In the Chair: Sir John Gorman

In attendance Mr T Evans, Mr J Floyd, Mr D Gray and Mr P Waddell

Apologies: Mr C Wilson

1. MINUTES OF THE FIFTH MEETING

The minutes of the meeting held on 19 October were adopted by Mr Berry and seconded by Ms Gildernew.

2. MATTERS ARISING

2.1 Members noted the Chairman's letter to Trevor Annan dated 5 November, which congratulated Mount Charles on winning the Taste of Ulster Award and for the flower displays in the building. The letter also made reference to recent complaints and noted that Mount Charles had instigated an independent review of health and safety food handling procedures.

2.2 Mr Waddell confirmed that there had been no further incidents of food contamination.

3. DRAFT REPORT - NEXT STEPS

3.1 Mr Evans reported that the draft Report had not been considered at the 2 November Commission meeting but that individual Commission Members had indicated that they were content with the report.

3.2 Mr Court and Mr Gilgunn, Government Purchasing Agency, set out the required steps for the appointment of consultants to carry out a Prior Options Study. The following decisions were agreed by the Committee.

Y Terms of Reference to be set by the Catering and Functions Committee. GPA confirmed that they would be happy to assist. The Assembly Commission would need to consider whether the scope of the study should include other areas of facilities management in Parliament Buildings such as cleaning and porterage.

Y Consultants to be drawn from GPA's Select List. This would take about a month from the setting of Terms of Reference.

Y Once Terms of Reference have been agreed GPA will invite a number of the companies from the Select List to make a presentation.

Y Sue Harrison to be asked to provide ongoing advice to the Committee. Mr Evans agreed to write to Sue Harrison to seek her support.

4. FURTHER RESEARCH - VISIT TO DUBLIN

It was agreed that a visit to Dublin would be useful and Mr Evans agreed to make the necessary arrangements.

5. ANY OTHER BUSINESS

5.1 The Chairman advised that he had noticed a number of dirty plates had been left about the corridors and requested that appropriate action be taken have this practice stopped. It was agreed that an All-Party Notice and a note to all staff in the building should issue reminding them of the rule that crockery, glassware and cutlery should not be removed from any of the catering facilities. It was also agreed that Mount Charles should be reminded of the need to collect such items as soon as possible.

5.2 It was agreed that Mount Charles should be asked to consider the introduction of more local dishes to their menus.

5.3 It was noted that the ongoing progress by Mount Charles in implementing health and safety improvements would continue to be monitored by the Office of the Keeper of the House.