MAGHERAFELT DISTRICT COUNCIL Minutes of Proceedings of A
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
MAGHERAFELT DISTRICT COUNCIL Minutes of Proceedings of a Meeting of Magherafelt District Council held in the Council Chamber, 50 Ballyronan Road, Magherafelt on Tuesday, 17 January 2006. The meeting commenced at 7.00 pm. Presiding J F Kerr Other Members Present P McLean (joined the meeting at 7.03 pm) P J Bateson (joined the meeting at 7.10 pm) J Campbell T J Catherwood J Crawford Mrs E A Forde P E Groogan O T Hughes Miss K A Lagan Rev Dr R T Wm McCrea (joined the meeting at 7.45 pm) Mrs K A McEldowney J J McPeake I P Milne (joined the meeting at 7.01pm) J P O’Neill G C Shiels Officers Present J A McLaughlin, (Chief Executive) J J Tohill (Director of Finance and Administration) C W Burrows (Director of Environmental Health) W J Glendinning (Director of Building Control) T J Johnston (Director of Operations) Mrs A Junkin (Chief Executive’s Secretary) Representatives from Other Bodies in Attendance Mrs D McShane – Planning Officer, DoE Planning Service Mr Wm Duddy – Director of Customer Services, DRD Water Service Mr J Lyttle – Area Manager Networks North West, DRD Water Service Mr C Crozier – Public Private Partnerships Directorate, DRD Water Service Mr R Hamilton – Principal Planning Technical Officer, DRD Roads Service Mr D McFarlane – Section Engineer, DRD Roads Service Mr H Gallagher – Senior Planning Technical Officer, DRD Roads Service 1 MINUTES Submitted Minutes of Meeting as follows: 1.1 It was PROPOSED by Councillor J Campbell Seconded by Councillor J Crawford, and RESOLVED: that the Minutes of the Council Meeting held on Tuesday, 13 December 2005 (copy circulated to each Member) be taken as read and signed as correct. 2 2 MATTERS ARISING OUT OF THE MINUTES The Chief Executive stated that there were no matters as such arising out of the Minutes. 2.1 Submitted letter for Members’ information, from the North Eastern Education and Library Board dated 14 December 2005 advising that there would be a reduction in the opening hours of all small branches of the Library Service within the Board’s area. From 1 April 2006 Draperstown Library would be open for 18 hours per week in order to facilitate longer opening hours in Magherafelt Library. This would be in line with the aim set out in the Strategic Review document. Noted. Councillor I P Milne joined the meeting at 7.01 pm. 2.2 Submitted letter from the Private Secretary to Lord Rooker dated 11 January 2006 apologising for the delay in responding to the issues raised at the meeting with the Minister held on 20 September 2005. The Chief Executive pointed out that two issues had been dealt with. The first issue was planning applications for F P McCann. The letter intimated that such applications required applicants and agents to address all the environmental impacts that may cause concern particularly in environmentally sensitive areas such as was the case with F P McCann’s applications. The Minister hoped that the Council could accept that the Planning Service could not ignore such issues and if they were not dealt with by the applicant in a timely way, decisions would be delayed. This had been conveyed to F P McCann and their agents on several occasions. 2.2.1 The second issue regarded the issue of the Housing Growth Indicators. Members were asked to note that a public hearing had been scheduled for February 2006. A report on the conclusions of the Panel conducting the Public Examination was due within six weeks of the close of the Public Examination. The Department for Regional Development expected to announce the final revised figures shortly afterwards. Noted. 2.3 Councillor G C Shiels referred to Page 40 – Item 17.15 of the Minutes regarding Desertmartin Football Club and enquired if the door was not fully closed on Desertmartin. Councillor P McLean joined the meeting at 7.03 pm. Councillor Shiels referred to the purchase of ground for a sports hall at Draperstown by the Council some years ago and asked the Chief Executive why it had been purchased. In reply, the Chief Executive stated that local people would say that it had been purchased for recreational use, but the Council’s legal adviser would advise that this was not the case as the purchase price had been the open market price and not a price reflecting an intention by either party that the land was used for recreational purposes. Councillor Miss K A Lagan interjected stating that Father Deery had said that it was sold for use as a Community Hall. The Chief Executive continued by stating that the legal view was that it had not been bought for recreational purposes. Councillor Shiels further enquired if the ground would be sold for a sports hall. 3 The Chief Executive stated that there was no agreement to that effect but he suggested that it could be leased as a site for a sports hall. Councillors Shiels then suggested that if the door was not fully closed to Desertmartin’s proposal could the Council not do something of a similar nature for a neighbouring village as had been done in Draperstown. The Chairman ruled that the door had been closed on the proposal raised at the previous meeting but stated that this did not mean that it was closed on future suggestions. Councillor P McLean advised that in his consultations with Desertmartin Football Club, Norman Caskey, a member of the Club had asked for a meeting to be set up with the Chief Executive of the Council. Councillor P J Bateson joined the meeting at 7.10 pm. Councillor O T Hughes requested the Chief Executive to clarify the situation regarding the decision taken at the previous meeting. The Chief Executive advised the Members that there was no reason why any decision taken by the Council could not be rescinded within six months of the original decision provided that the motion to rescind the original decision was submitted in writing to the Chief Executive at least ten days before the Council meeting at which it was to be discussed and the motion was signed by at lease five Members of the Council. Councillor J J McPeake suggested that if Desertmartin Football Club were in a position to suggest something significant then the matter could be revisited. Councillor McLean emphasised that there had to be fairness exercised throughout the District and this did not appear to be the case at present. Several Members disagreed with Councillor McLean’s comments. Councillor Hughes pointed out that the Council had been furnished quite recently with a report of all the recreational facilities provided by the Council in the area. He suggested that the report would indicate a different picture from Councillor McLean’s comments. 3. SUSPENSION OF STANDING ORDERS 3.1 It was PROPOSED by Councillor J J McPeake Seconded by Councillor I P Milne That Standing Orders be suspended in in order to bring forward an emergency resolution requesting support for NILGA in their protests against reductions in funding by the Government towards waste management projects within local government. This was unanimously agreed to. 4 4 EMERGENCY RESOLUTION – GOVERNMENT REDUCTIONS IN FUNDING 4.1 Councillor P E Groogan proposed: “That this Council condemns outright last weeks government announcement of further reductions of funding towards waste management projects within district councils, and that we fully support NILGA in their proposed public protests against these and the many other recent financial cuts.” The motion was seconded by Councillor J J McPeake 4.2 Councillor Groogan said that not only was the general public facing a huge 19% increase in the regional rate set by Government Ministers but also these further government cuts would result in hefty rates increases just to maintain continuation of service delivery to the ratepayers. He said that in addition to the recently announced £3 million cut in waste management funding from an original budget of £10 million, a change of government policy resulting in the remaining funding being ring-fenced for capital projects only, meant that Councils were unable to access almost £5 million of the remaining grant. It was scandalous in the extreme that the funding that had been provided to Councils in the past five years for waste management schemes was now being reduced drastically. Especially, coming at a time when Councils were struggling to achieve the huge reduction in landfill targets imposed by Europe. The situation was dire. Central Government had failed so dismally to provide leadership on waste management. It had not planned adequately for a strategic funding initiative to provide District Councils with the proper infrastructure necessary to meet the imminent EU targets. 4.3 The Chief Executive referred to an email from NILGA (circulated to each Member) requesting that each Council back the public protest which would take place on 26 January 2006 at 12.30 pm at Stormont, Belfast. 4.4 On a vote being taken, 10 Members voted for the motion, 0 Members voted against, 5 Members abstained, voting being by show of hands. The Chairman declared the motion carried. 5 RESUMPTION UNDER STANDING ORDERS It was PROPOSED by Councillor Miss K A Lagan Seconded by Councillor J Campbell, and RESOLVED: that the Council resume under Standing Orders. 6 CONGRATULATIONS 260/1/2006 6.1 Councillor Miss K A Lagan requested that a message of Congratulations be sent to Maghera Day Centre on achieving the position of Runners-up in the Northern Ireland Special Pool Competition. 6.2 Councillor P McLean requested that a message of Congratulations be sent to Gary and Paul Jordan from Magherafelt who had been honoured at the Motor Cycle Union of Ireland Annual Awards.