Committee for Infrastructure

Minutes of Proceedings - 28 February 2024

Committee for Infrastructure - Minutes of Proceedings 28 February 2024.pdf (199.2 kb)

Meeting Location: Room 29, Parliament Buildings

Present:

Mrs Deborah Erskine MLA(Chairperson)

Mr John Stewart MLA (Deputy Chairperson)

Mr Danny Baker MLA

Mr Cathal Boylan MLA

Mr Patrick Brown MLA

Mr Keith Buchanan MLA

Mr Stephen Dunne MLA

Mr Mark Durkan MLA

Mr Peter McReynolds MLA

Apologies:

None

In Attendance:

Mr Philip Pateman (Assembly Clerk)

Mr Peter Hall (Assembly Clerk)

Mr Jonathan Lawless (Assistant Assembly Clerk)

Mr William Kinnear (Clerical Supervisor)

Mr Ryan Feeney (Clerical Officer)

The meeting commenced at 10:02 am in public session.

1. Apologies

As above.

2. Declaration of Interests

The Chairperson reminded members of their responsibilities under Standing Order 69(5) that all Assembly Members are required to register any relevant financial and other interests in the Register of Members’ Interests and the requirement to declare, at various times, any relevant financial or other interests which relate to the work of any committee of which they are a member.

No interests were declared.

3. Chairpersons Business

None.

4. Draft Minutes

Agreed: The Committee agreed the minutes of the meeting held on Wednesday, 21 February 2024.

5. Matters Arising

None.

6. Correspondence

Examiner of Statutory Rules – First Report of the Session 2023-2024.

Agreed: The Committee noted the report.

Request from Belmont Strategy on behalf of ABO Wind to brief the Committee Chairperson.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to schedule an evidence session in the Forward Work Programme for a later date.

Department for Infrastructure – Ards & North Down Borough Council Annual Report 2023-2024.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to note the report.

Request from the Association for Consultancy and Engineering to brief the Committee.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to schedule an evidence session in the Forward Work Programme for a later date.

Request from Pivotal to brief the Committee.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to schedule an evidence session in the Forward Work Programme for a later date.

Request from the Mineral Products Association Northern Ireland (MPANI) to brief the Committee.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to schedule an evidence session in the Forward Work Programme for a later date.

Correspondence from the Windsor Framework Democratic Scrutiny Committee on the Procedures and Functions of the Windsor Framework Democratic Scrutiny Committee (DSC).

Agreed: The Committee agreed to note the correspondence

The Committee agreed to move into closed session at 10:07 am

Correspondence from a member of the public relating to the requirement to undertake Certificate of Personal Competence (CPC) training.

Agreed: The Committee noted the correspondence and agreed to respond to the individual to highlight the Committee’s role to state that it does not deal with individual cases, to provide the contact details of the MLAs in the relevant constituency and to highlight the role and functions of the Northern Ireland Public Service Ombudsman.

Correspondence from a member of the public regarding an ongoing dispute with the Department for Infrastructure.

Agreed: The Committee noted the correspondence and agreed to respond to the individual to highlight the Committee’s role to state that it does not deal with individual cases, to suggest to seek advice and support from their local MLAs and to highlight the role and functions of the Northern Ireland Public Service Ombudsman.

The Committee moved into public session at 10:26 am.

Correspondence from the Committee for Finance enclosing a report on the 2022 Review of the Effects of the Public Service Pensions Act (Northern Ireland) 2014

Agreed: The Committee noted the correspondence.

Correspondence from the Minister for Infrastructure giving notice of his intention to make a written statement on the provision of an additional capital allocation to the Department’s Structural Road Maintenance Programme.

Agreed: The Committee noted the correspondence.

Response from the Minister for Infrastructure in response to the proposed industrial action by Translink workers.

Agreed: The Committee noted the response.

7. Evidence Session - Overview of DfI’s Transport and Road Asset Management – Departmental Officials – oral and written evidence

The Departmental officials joined the meeting at 10:28am.

Mr Colin Woods, Deputy Secretary – Transport & Roads Asset Management Group, Department for Infrastructure;
Ms Sian Kerr, Director of Transport Planning and Policy, Department for Infrastructure;
Mr Colin Sykes, Director of Road Asset Maintenance, Department for Infrastructure; and
Mr Liam McEvoy, Director of Road Asset Development, Department for Infrastructure.

The Departmental officials provided the Committee with oral evidence.

A question and answer session followed.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to request a copy of the policy for maintaining the road network and the approach of how road repairs and defects are prioritised by each road division.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to request a breakdown of how the recent allocation of £8.1 million for structural maintenance has been distributed across each of the road divisions.

Mr Patrick Brown left the meeting at 11:48 am.

The Chairperson thanked the Departmental officials for their evidence.

The Departmental officials left the meeting at 11:54 am.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to seek further detail on the extent of Department’s oversight to ensure that works allocated to treat weeds, cut grass verges or other road maintenance are completed to the required standard and specifications by contractors and utility companies.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department to request a copy of the policy and associated criteria used when assessing the need for replacing street lighting across the network.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to request statistical information on the numbers and locations of street lighting where responsibility lies with local government for ongoing maintenance.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to seek a response to any of the areas identified in the Department’s paper not covered during the session.

8. Subordinate Legislation - SL1s - Not Subject to Assembly Proceedings

The Committee considered the following Subordinate Legislation not subject to Assembly Proceedings.

SL1 - The Schools (Part-Time 20mph Speed Limit) (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2024;
SL1 - The Parking Places on Roads and Waiting Restrictions (Newry) (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2024;
SL1 - The Prohibition of Right-Hand Turn (Portstewart) Order (Northern Ireland) 2024;
SL1 - The Parking and Waiting Restrictions (Londonderry) (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2024;
SL1 - The Prohibition of Right-Hand Turn (Enniskillen) Order (Northern Ireland) 2024;
SL1 - The Road Races (Circuit of Ireland Rally) Order (Northern Ireland) 2024;
SL1 - The Parking and Waiting Restrictions (Omagh) (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2024;
SL1 - The Parking and Waiting Restrictions (Enniskillen) (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2024; and
SL1 - The Parking Places on Roads and Waiting Restrictions (Coalisland) Order (Northern Ireland) 2024.

Agreed: The Committee agreed that it was content for the Department to make the rules.

9. SL1 - The Back Street at Botanic Avenue and Donegall Pass, Belfast (Abandonment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2024

The Committee considered the SL1 - The Back Street at Botanic Avenue and Donegall Pass, Belfast (Abandonment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2024 which is subject to negative resolution.

This statutory rule will abandon an area of 58 square metres of superseded road extending from Ratcliffe Street, Belfast to the rear of No. 12a Botanic Avenue, Belfast.