This
is the second edition of Rural Roundup which is an update
of the work of the Northern Ireland Assembly focusing on the
issues which have been raised with regard rural communities.
This edition covers March 2008. It focuses both on the debates
in the Assembly and the answers to written questions by the
relevant departments. It complements the weekly Assembly Brief
produced by the Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action
[NICVA].
http://www.nicva.org/index.cfm/section/article/page/ni_assembly_monitor_2007.
If you have comments with regards the usefulness
of ‘Rural Roundup of the Assembly’ or any
suggestions for improvement then please do contact Karin,
at Rural Community Network, on 028 867 66670 or by email:
karin@ruralcommunitynetwork.org
Contents
1. Departmental Underspends
2. Rural Childcare
3. Area Based Planning for Post-Primary Stage
4. Planning
1. Departmental Under Spends
Nelson McCausland [DUP] asked the Minister of Finance
and Personnel, Peter Robinson, for an assessment of this
financial year’s under spend.
Peter Robinson, Minister of Finance and Personnel: “The
Member’s question invites me to put my head on the
block. I can tell him what the Departments have told me
the year-end under spends will be, although, in the past,
those Departments gave me figures that would not have
led to the under spend available for this monitoring round.
Therefore, I emphasise caution. However, the figures indicate
that there will be £104 million in current expenditure
and £49 million in capital expenditure. Both figures
are considerably less than those for the previous year;
however, I will wait until the end of the financial year
to ascertain whether the Departments meet the figures
that have been submitted. In addition, Committees should
question their Departments about likely under spends for
this financial year in order that, at the end of the year,
they can compare those with the targets set.” [Assembly
Debate 3rd March 2008]
|
2.
Rural Childcare
Francis Brolly [Sinn Fein] asked the Minister of Agriculture
and Rural Development to detail the improvements that
have been made in relation to rural childcare. [Oral Questions
– 3rd March 2008]
Michelle Gildernew, Minister of Agriculture and Rural
Development: “Under the 2001-06 rural development
programme, 57 childcare projects received funding, with
the result that a total of 170 jobs were created or safeguarded.
Some 54 projects were supported under various projects,
including Building Sustainable Prosperity (BSP), LEADER+,
Peace II, and Peace II extension measures, with a total
allocation of just over £1.9 million. In addition,
three cross-border projects received funds amounting to
€15,000 under Peace II measure 5.6a. Childcare initiatives
will also be eligible for funds under the new rural development
programme for 2007–13.
However, I am conscious that women living in rural areas
still face a barrier to accessing proper childcare. For
that reason, I set up a stakeholder group to examine the
key issues that relate to rural childcare provision. That
group is chaired by the chief executive of NIPPA, which
is the early years organisation, and the remainder of
the group is made up of representatives from various organisations
with an interest in, or knowledge of, rural childcare
issues.
Importantly, the group also includes representatives from
other relevant Departments, such as OFMDFM and the Department
of Education, to ensure that other relevant strategies
are taken into account. The group has been examining circumstances
in rural areas that affect childcare, such as accessibility
and transport difficulties, childcare models that are
already working in rural areas, and the cost of childcare.
One of the group’s most important emerging findings
is the isolation of some rural communities regarding access
to facilities that others take for granted, such as affordable
and accessible childcare, and transport to and from school
for children. I have received the group’s draft
report, I am considering its recommendations on how current
and future provision can be improved, and I expect the
final report to be available within a few weeks. I will
want to discuss those recommendations with other Departments
and with Executive colleagues to ensure that a joined-up
approach is taken to overcome some of the childcare difficulties
that people in rural areas face. That approach will, in
turn, make a huge difference to families who live in rural
areas.”
Alan McFarland [UUP] requested a definition with regards
‘rural childcare.’ [Oral Questions –
3rd March 2008]
Michelle Gildernew, Minister of Agriculture and Rural
Development: “Has the Member got all day? A great
deal is contained in that question. Four out of 10 people
live in rural areas. That figure means that four out of
10 children also live in rural areas. For children who
live near towns, where there is a critical mass, childcare
facilities can be made available where there are enough
children to make them worthwhile. Difficulties in rural
areas include isolation, lack of registered childminders,
and people not having access to childcare voucher schemes.
Although I have the draft report only at this stage, it
contains a number of recommendations on how to tackle
rural childcare. People who live in Derrygonnelly, Aghyarn
or Rathfriland need access to quality, affordable childcare.
Discussions are ongoing with the Department for Social
Development, which believes that populations under 4,500
are defined as rural. That accounts for a significant
section of the population. An emphasis must be placed
on rural issues and on how we facilitate services, and
service providers, in rural areas to ensure that people
have the same access to services as those who live in
towns.”
Rural
Childcare Report to be launched in April 2008 |
| 3.
Area Based Planning for Post-Primary Stage
Willie Clarke [Sinn Fein] asked the Minister
of Education with regards whether rural communities might
be disadvantaged by the post-primary area-based planning
process announced by the Minister on 4th March to identify
the changes required for post-primary education. [Oral
Questions – 4th March 2008]. [Further details on
the Minister’s Speech available on: www.deni.gov.uk/statement_to_the_assembly_on_area_by_based_planning_by_education_minister_4_march_2008.pdf
Catrione Ruane, Minister of Education: “First,
I can confirm that rural areas will play a major role
in any area-based planning. I will take account of urban
and rural areas when nominating group chairpersons, because,
for too long in the North, rural areas have been treated
as poor cousins. I aim to ensure that that will no longer
be the case. One reason why I chose this particular model
was to ensure that, as well as a central group, there
would be five local groups to take account of all the
different areas, many of which are rural.”
John McCallister [UUP] raised the issue
of transport and whether in rural areas the forthcoming
closures and amalgamations of schools will mean that children
will have to be transported over greater distances. [Oral
Questions – 4th March 2008]
Catrione Ruane, Minister of Education: “ Go raibh
maith agat. Sin ceist an-tábhachtach. That is a
very important question. Transport is one of the key areas
that must be looked at. Depending on the arrangements
— and I do not want to pre-empt those in any area
— some children may have to travel further, but
in most cases there will be less transport. The beauty
of area-based planning is that that is exactly what it
is. Although children will have a choice of what type
or sector of school they attend, there will be far fewer
buses and children passing one another on their way to
their respective schools, many travelling to Belfast.
Far too many children spend far too much time on buses.
From the constituency that we share, John will know that
many children spend an hour or an hour and twenty minutes
on buses travelling to school — and that is only
one way.”
Tommy Gallagher [SDLP] sought to push the Minister of
Education further with regards the place and value of
small schools in the Minister’s proposals and whether
she thought it would be a good thing if the area plans
lead to there being no post-primary in west Fermanagh,
or in Tyrone west of Omagh. [Oral Questions – 4th
March 2008]
Catrione Ruane, Minister of Education: “I have spoken
about rural schools and stated that I am implementing
a policy on sustainable schools. I made points, which
I can repeat, about school closures. Area-based planning
does not mean school closures, but the Assembly must recognise,
as George Bain has made clear, that there are currently
too many schools. Demographic decline, particularly in
the post-primary sector, will increase in the next few
years.
Regional imbalance and regional disparity also exists,
and the Executive must deal with that. Fermanagh has fewer
people because much of its population must travel outside
the county to find work. I know that the Member will agree
that it is important to build sustainable communities.
The Bain proposals do not tackle the issue of numbers
alone. They also tackle educational quality, and six different
criteria are used for small schools to measure that. The
House must be careful not to scaremonger. We must have
a responsible debate, but we must recognise that demographic
decline exists and that it will continue.”
Consultation
on the Area-Based Plans to be provisionally held in the
Autumn 2008. |
4.
Planning
Barry McElduff [Sinn Fein] asked the Minister of the Environment
to detail the changes to be made to the planning system
to support economic development in rural areas and the
importance of the Planning Service becoming more flexible
in order to enable businesses, contractors and engineering
firms located in rural communities to expand their on-site
operations, when those businesses are established and
growing.. [Oral Questions – 31st March 2008]
Arlene Foster, Minister of the Environment: “In
the context of the review of draft PPS 14, we are considering
some relaxation of farm divers¬ification planning
policy to more effectively complement the Department of
Agriculture and Rural Development’s policy. In addition,
work is well advanced on a final version of PPS 4, which
is entitled ‘Planning and Economic Development’.
I expect to publish that in the summer. Work on a new
planning policy statement on tourism will be progressed
later in the year.”
David Burnside [UUP] asked the Minister with regards proposals
for the development of small rural communities [clachans]
which, at present, are restricted to 14 houses and that
this number is not enough to develop local self-contained
businesses and the presence of small, local primary schools.
Arlene Foster, Minister of the Environment: “The
Member is referring to dispersed rural communities and
to setting up social and affordable housing in the countryside.
That currently stands at eight houses. During discussions
at the Executive subcommittee, it was felt that that number
could be increased from eight to 14. That would take into
account issues such as the infrastructure for sewerage.
From an environmental point of view, it would be difficult
to increase the number of houses from eight to 14. Indeed,
some people have expressed concern about the move from
eight to 14. However, as with everything else, a balance
must be struck.
The Member referred to sustaining local primary schools
— that was never the idea behind clachans. The idea
was to provide homes for people who needed to live in
the countryside, and if that helped to support local services
such as schools, post offices, etc, it would be an additional
benefit that we would support. However, that must be put
in the context of the reason for clachans, which was to
provide more social housing in the countryside. The Social
Development Minister had the Semple Review in mind when,
in the Executive subcommittee, she spoke in favour of
increasing the number of houses from eight to 14.”
A
revised draft PPS14 expected at the end of April 2008
followed by a 4 month consultation period. |
