Minutes of Proceedings

COMMITTEE FOR REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT

MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
Wednesday 12th March 2008
ROOM 144 (am) and ROOM 152 (pm), PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS

Present: 
Fred Cobain MLA (Chairperson)
Cathal Boylan MLA
Willie Clarke MLA 
John Dallat MLA 
John McCallister MLA 
Raymond McCartney MLA
George Robinson MLA
Jim Wells MLA 
Brian Wilson MLA

In Attendance: 
Roisin Kelly (Assembly Clerk) 
Clairita Frazer (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Pauline Devlin (Clerical Supervisor)
Annette Page (Clerical Officer)

Apologies: 
William Irwin MLA
Stephen Moutray MLA

The Committee decided to hold the meeting in open session.

The meeting opened at 10.47 a.m. in open session.

1. Apologies.

Apologies were received from Stephen Moutray and William Irwin.

2. Draft Minutes of the meetings of 3 & 5 March 2008.

The minutes of the meetings held on 3 & 5 March 2008 were agreed.

3. Subordinate Legislation.

Members noted the following new SL1s received:

• The Trunk Road T8 (A31) Magherafelt Bypass Order ( Northern Ireland) 2008; and
• The College Park, Belfast (Footpath) (Abandonment) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2008.

Members indicated that they were content with the following SL1s which were noted at the meeting of 5 March 2008:

• The Ballybollen Road, Ballymena (Abandonment) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2008;
• The Meadowview, Newtownabbey (Abandonment) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2008;
• The Road Races (Drumhorc Hill Climb) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2008;
• The Road Races (Cairncastle  Hill Climb) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2008;
• The Road Races (Tandragee 100) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2008;
• The Road Races (Garron Tower Hill Climb) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2008.
• The One Way Traffic (Spa, Ballynahinch) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2008;
• The Road Races (Craigantlet Hill Climb) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2008;
• The Road Races (Cookstown 100) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2008;
• The Road Races (Spelga Pass Hill Climb) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2008;
• The Road Races (Benbradagh Hill Climb) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2008;
• The Road Races ( North West 200) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2008;
• The Road Races (Eagle Rock Hill Climb) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2008;
• The Road Races ( North West Supermoto) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2008; and
• The Roads (Speed Limit) (No. 3) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2008.

Members indicated that they were content with the following SL1s which were noted at the meeting of 27 February 2008:

• The Loading Bays on Roads (Amendment No.3) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2008;
• The Parking and Waiting Restrictions (Ballymena) (Amendment) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2008;

Members noted receipt of the following Statutory Rule which is not subject to any Assembly procedure:

• 2008/80 The Loading Bays on Roads (Amendment No.3) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2008.

Members noted the following Statutory Rules subject to negative resolution. The Examiner of Statutory Rules will forward his report before the end of the statutory period.

• 2008/63 The Traffic Signs (Amendment) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2008.
• 2008/78 The Penalty Charges (Additional Contravention) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2008.

Members noted receipt of the Eleventh Report of the Examiner of Statutory Rules to the Assembly and the Appropriate Committees , published on 3 March 2008. In the absence of any objections, the following question was put and agreed:

Question put and agreed:

“That the Committee for Regional Development has considered the 2008/72 The Kirk Road , Ballymoney (Abandonment) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2008; and has no objection to the rule .”

All those in favour: Cathal Boylan, Willie Clarke, Fred Cobain, John Dallat, John McCallister, Raymond McCartney, George Robinson, Jim Wells, Brian Wilson.

All those against: None

Members were content that the Clerk should notify the Business Office on the decisions reached by the Committee in considering these Statutory Rules.

4. Correspondence.

The Committee noted receipt of the following items of correspondence:

• Letter dated 5 March 2008 from Katharine Bryan, Chief Executive NIW informing the Committee of NIW’s intention to hold workshops explaining the new sewerage charges for non-domestic customers.
• Letter from the Climate Change Coalition Northern Ireland (CCCNI), requesting the opportunity to brief the Committee on proposals for CO2 reduction targets in Northern Ireland. Members agreed to invite the Climate Change Coalition to brief the Committee at a suitable date in the future.
• Letter dated 28 February 2008 from Kevin Higgins, Advice NI, reiterating that organisations’ position on 100% relief for those on the lowest income and requesting the opportunity to discuss the issue of water relief.
• Email dated 6 March 2008 enclosing the latest edition of Equality focus, the e-newsletter of the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland.
• Letter dated 3 March 2008 from the Ulster Wildlife Trust and WWF Northern Ireland inviting members to attend a workshop on the development of marine protected areas in Northern Ireland.
• Letter dated 4 March 2008 from the Regional Development Minister Conor Murphy MP, MLA regarding diversity in public appointments.
• Letter dated 6 March 2008 from the Committee for the Environment forwarding a written briefing from the Department of the Environment on the issue of additional housing yield and the use of brownfield and greenfield development sites for housing.
• Letter dated 5 March 2008 from NIW accepting the invitation to brief the Committee on 12 March 2008.
• Letter dated 7 March 2008 from the Committee for the Environment requesting a letter be forwarded to the Minister of Regional Development Conor Murphy MP, MLA for comment. Members agreed to forward the letter to the Minister.
• Letter dated 10 March 2008 from agendaNi enclosing a leaflet detailing a seminar to be held in the Stormont Hotel, Belfast on Thursday 24 April 2008, at which the Chairperson and Clerk of the Regional Development Committee will be making a presentation.

5. Matters Arising.

Members noted the Committee Clerk’s advice on handling the public evidence session, with reference to the views of the Utility Regulator. Members decided to proceed with the evidence sessions as agreed on 3 March 2008.

Members decided on afinal response to the five and 10-year review of the Regional Development Strategy and agreed that this be cleared by the Chairperson and issued to the Department.

Members notedreceipt of a Research and Library Services paper assessing the extent to which the proposed basis of charging for water and sewerage services is in compliance with the conditions of the Water Framework Directive (WFD) , and agreed to return to consider the issue during discussions of the outstanding issues relating to the IWRP Strand One and Two reports.

Members noted receipt of the papers forwarded from Advice Northern Ireland regarding:

• Draft PFG, Budget and ISNI;
• OFMdFM Committee Child Poverty enquiry; and
• Social Development Committee Benefit Uptake evidence

6. Reapportionment of water and sewerage costs by Northern Ireland Water.

DRD officials John Mills, Paul Priestly and Barbara Faloona joined the meeting at 11.17 a.m.

The Committee received briefing from Department for Regional Development officials on the proposed reapportionment of costs between domestic and non-domestic customers by Northern Ireland Water, followed by a question and answer session on the issues.

John McCallister joined the meeting at 11.21 a.m.  

DRD officials left the meeting at 12.25 p.m.

The meeting was suspended at 12.28 p.m.

The meeting reconvened at 12.54 p.m.  

Northern Ireland Water executives Mark Ellesmere, Katharine Bryan, Chris Mellor and Ronan Larkin joined the meeting at 12.55 p.m.  

The Committee received briefing from Northern Ireland Water executives on the proposed reapportionment of costs between domestic and non-domestic customers by Northern Ireland Water.  This briefing was followed by a question and answer session on the issues.

Northern Ireland Water Executives left the meeting at 1.34 p.m.

The meeting was suspended at 1.35 p.m.

The meeting reconvened at 2.37 p.m., with the following Members present: Fred Cobain, Raymond McCartney, John Dallat, Jim Wells, John McCallister and Brian Wilson.

Northern Ireland Authority for Utility Regulation executives Jo Aston, Iain Osborne and Sean Lyons joined the meeting at 2.37 p.m.  

The Committee received briefing from Northern Ireland Authority for Utility Regulation Executives on the proposed reapportionment of costs between domestic and non-domestic customers by Northern Ireland Water. This was followed by a question and answer session with executives on the issues.

Brian Wilson left the meeting at 2.50 p.m.  

  Northern Ireland Authority for Utility Regulation Executives left the meeting at 3.18 p.m.

The Committee decided to return to this issue after Easter recess.

7. Any Other Business.

There was no other business.

8. Date, Time and Place of next meeting.

The next meeting will be at 10.30 a.m. on Wednesday 2 April 2008 in Room 144, Parliament Buildings.

The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 3.21 pm.

FRED COBAIN MLA 
Chairperson, Committee for Regional Development