MAGHERAFELT DISTRICT COUNCIL MINUTES OF Proceedings of a Meeting of Magherafelt District Council held in the new Council Chamber, 50 Ballyronan Road, Magherafelt on Tuesday, 14 September 2004. The meeting commenced at 7.30 pm. Presiding: P E Groogan Other Members Present: T J Catherwood O T Hughes J Junkin J F Kerr Miss K A Lagan J A McBride Rev Dr R T Wm McCrea, MLA (joined the meeting at 8.40 pm) P McLean J J McPeake J P O’Neill S O’Brien G C Shiels Apology: R A Montgomery Officers Present: J A McLaughlin (Chief Executive) J J Tohill (Director of Finance and Administration) R Beattie (Senior Environmental Health Officer) W J Glendinning (Director of Building Control) T J Johnston (Director of Operations) Mrs A Junkin (Chief Executive’s Secretary) Mr Chris McCarney – Magherafelt Area Partnership – Item 18 The Chairman welcomed everyone to the first meeting of the Council in the new Council Chamber. He congratulated the officers and architects on their work in providing a building, décor and furnishings of a very high standard, thus making the Chamber one of the best, if not the best facility of its kind anywhere. He said that after the meeting he would be providing some hospitality in the new Chairman’s Office and everyone present would be very welcome. 1. MINUTES 1.1 Councillor G C Shiels requested that the following amendments be made – Page 8 paragraph 6.3.5 should read: “regarding over-zoning and seemed to be keeping the cost of the housing foot-print down”, and Page 20 paragraph 3 – the second sentence should read: “In fact at the March meeting of the Council a letter had been tabled from the Minister and letters had been written to him and the Planning Service asserting the Council’s attention to objections to this application.” 1.1.1 Councillor Miss K A Lagan drew attention to Page 58 paragraph 19.1 and queried the figure quoted by the Chief Executive of £15,000 per annum, as the real value of the request from the Fuel Poverty Working Group and compared this figure to the amount paid by the Magherafelt Area Partnership for similar facilities. 1.1.2 The Chief Executive confirmed that the amount recorded, as quoted by him, was correct as far as the accuracy of the Minutes were concerned. He further stated that whether this was a fair cost for the services could be discussed later as it was a different issue. 1.1.3 It was PROPOSED by Councillor S O’Brien, Seconded by Councillor J J McPeake, and RESOLVED: that the Minutes of the Meeting of the Council held on Tuesday, 10 August (copy circulated to each Member), subject to the above amendments, be taken as read and signed as correct. 1.2 It was PROPOSED by Councillor T J Catherwood, Seconded by Councillor J A McBride, and RESOLVED: that the Minutes of a Special Meeting held on Monday, 16 August 2004 (copy circulated the each Member be taken as read and signed as correct. 2. MATTERS ARISING 2.1 Submitted letters of thanks from Mr Stanley Campbell, Mid-Ulster Mail reporter, for the 56/9/2004 Council’s good wishes and a basket of fruit during his period of illness, and from the Northern Ireland Chest Heart and Stroke for the Council’s participation in the recent Gerry Kelly Golf Classic at the Hilton Hotel, Templepatrick towards their work in combating chest, heart and stroke illnesses in Northern Ireland. 2.2 The Chief Executive advised that a copy of a letter from the Director of Customer Services, Water Service had been circulated to Members for their information. He reported that a Water Service presentation to Council would be made on Tuesday, 9 November 2004. Noted. 2.3 The Chief Executive advised that a copy of a letter from the Deputy Assistant General Secretary, Northern Ireland Committee, Irish Congress of Trade Unions on Water Reform Proposals that the Water Service is to become a Government Owned Company on, or as soon as practicable after, 1 April 2006 had been circulated to Members for their information. He reported that representatives from Water Reform would also address the Council at its meeting to be held on Tuesday, 9 November 2004. Noted. 2.4 The Chief Executive also advised that the Northern Ireland Housing Executive would be in attendance at the next meeting of the Council to be held on Tuesday, 12 October 2004 to present the District Housing Plan 2004-2005. Noted. 2.5 The Chief Executive advised that a copy of a letter and attachments from Roads Service Headquarters had been circulated to each Member in connection with the Provision of Cycle Paths in Northern Ireland and the reply given to a parliamentary question tabled by Gregory Campbell MP. Noted. 2.6 The Chief Executive also advised that a copy of the Council’s response to the Review of Regional Housing Growth Indicators in the Regional Development Strategy had been circulated to each Member. 2.6.1 In reply to Councillor McBride, the Chief Executive explained that the final draft had been circulated to the party group leaders for consideration before the Consultants had forwarded the Council’s response to the Department. Noted. 2.7 The Chief Executive then advised Members of a number of items of housekeeping - chairs, toilets, tea arrangements and the use of the sound system. 3. SYMPATHY The Chairman expressed sympathy to Mrs Roberta Glendinning, a member of staff in the Finance 260/9/2004 Department and Mr Ian Glendinning, Director of Building Control on the recent death of Roberta’s mother, Mrs S Lyle and requested that a message of condolence be sent to her and the family circle. This was unanimously agreed to. 4. CONGRATULATIONS The Chairman congratulated Bancran Tug-of-war team on winning a gold medal at a major UK 260/9/2004 Championship. He said that the team through their sporting achievements had brought distinction to the area and he proposed that a small reception be given to the team in recognition of their achievements. This was unanimously agreed to. 5. BUILDING CONTROL Mr Glendinning submitted the report for the period 4 August to 7 September 2004 (copy circulated to 210/8/2004 each Member). 5.1 He stated that during the period of the report thirty-four applications had been recommended for approval. A total of eighty-seven applications required amending by architects and agents before granting approval. There were thirty-two Building Regulation Notices and two Regularisations issued. He advised that there were no rejections. Seventy- five applications had commenced on site and thirty- two applications were found to be complete in accordance with Building Regulations. 5.2 Dangerous Structure: Mr Glendinning reported that on Thursday, 19 August 2004 Roads Service raised concern about the condition of the boundary wall to the Market Yard facing onto the lower end of Rainey Street adjacent to the Garden Street junction, Magherafelt. 5.2.1 An inspection was carried out on the same day and it was found that the stonework was bulged approximately 150mm on to the public footpath. A further area of stone masonry at approximately 1000mm diameter existed in a separate area about 4 metres from the problem area. 5.2.2 An examination of the roof of the old auction rooms was carried out and it was found that a gutter taking water from the roof was overgrown and completely blocked. As a result any water from the roof over-shot the gutter and collected in the sandwich between the stonewall and the concrete bock wall to the auction room. This water appeared to cause a build-up of pressure, which resulted in the weakest element, that being the stonewall giving way on to Rainey Street. 5.2.3 Mr Glendinning said that this constituted a structure, which was dangerous to the public using the footpath. A notice was served on the 20 August on the representatives of the Market Yard Trustees, the owners of the property, instructing them to make the structure safe to the public within 21 days, or the Council would carry out work and then forward costs. 5.2.4 He said that the Trustees were informed on the notice that the structure was “Listed” by the Environmental Heritage Service, Historic Building Branch. They were also informed to consult the Environmental Heritage Service as in the Council’s opinion the wall was required to be reinstated. 5.2.5 Mr Glendinning advised that the masonry wall to the risk area and the building to the rear had been demolished. Hoarding had been erected and the footpath was now safe for public use. Noted. 5.3 On consideration, it was PROPOSED by Councillor P McLean Seconded by Councillor T J Catherwood, and RESOLVED: that the report as submitted be adopted. 6. NAMING AND Consideration was given to the naming and NUMBERING numbering of the following developments: OF STREETS 6.1 A private housing development of four PN 112 dwellings at 73 Sixtowns Road, Straw, Draperstown for D & A Developments Ltd. The names suggested by the developer were “River Court”, “Riverdale”, “River Road Close”, “Strawmanor”, “Straw Drive”, and “Sperrinfoot Way”. 6.1.1 On consideration it was PROPOSED by Councillor O T Hughes Seconded by Councillor J P O’Neill, and RESOLVED: that the private housing development at Sixtowns Road, Straw, Draperstown be named “River Court”. PN 113 6.2 A new development of nine houses opposite Maghera Leisure Centre, Coleraine Road, Maghera for Glasnevin Developments Ltd. The name suggested by the developer was “Edenview”.