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14 November 2006

Minutes of the

Policy Development Committee Meeting

14^th November 2006

Present: Robin Wilson (Chair), Declan O’Loan, Edwin Graham

Apologies: Vivienne Pollock, Neil Jarman, Nelson McCausland, Davy Adams, Tony McCusker, Ann Anderson Porter, Ward Erwin

In Attendance: Dympna McGlade, Duncan Morrow, Gemma Attwood, Ali McAllister, , Peter Thompson, Jacqueline Irwin and Ray Mullan who joined the meeting for the CRC presentation and discussion

Minutes of the last meeting

Agreed as accurate

Matters arising

Will be covered through agenda

Signing off on Policy Responses

PSNI: Diversity Strategy

Broader diversity equals more work on sectarianism
Long term strategy – young officers often feel isolated after training
Deadline 16^th November Ratified by council by 29^th November

NIO: Review/Renewal of 50/50 Lateral Entry Provisions

50/50 – has to be seen to be changing at all levels of the police force and not just at junior level.
30 % Catholic representation in the PSNI by 2010.
BMEF groups experiencing adverse effects and discrimination because of the 50/50 policy.

Arts Council for Northern Ireland: Re-Imaging Communities

Re-imaging – where does it fit within community relations and ‘A Shared Future’
The Arts Council should ensure that the proposal reaches a specific threshold on each criterion to be successful – this will guarantee high level commitment to ASF and CR.

Healing Through Remembering: A Day of Private Reflection

Gemma has met with the Victim’s team and the Victims Committee – a draft paper will be circulated over the next few days.

Council Policy Priorities

Dympna gave an overview of the draft Council Policy Priorities paper. Dympna highlighted the following points from the paper:

- Defining and developing strategic plan for 2007/10

- Policy Programme can lead on 4 areas maximum

- Guidance on what direction the programme takes

Policy Development programme is a small team and therefore limited in how much work it can take on. The Committee then discussed the paper and some of the main points included:

Committee members were reluctant to make any suggestions as this is a core decision and will require much discussion which is not possible today
areas that CRC must also address are policing and dealing with the past
3 or 4 priority areas are necessary for the small PD Programme to tackle well
BDO asked the Policy Programme to come up with a wish list which resulted in a desired new staff compliment of 13
Policy work is demand led
Since the last 3 year Strategic Plan the policy programme’s work has become a core element of CRC
CRC and funding is already thinly spread policy and funding must be more closely linked
Will have to decide what CRC puts its money into

Dympna then asked the committee to take away the draft paper and consider it further as time was limited and it was obvious that much more discussion was needed.

Committee members who are participating in the Strategic Planning process agreed to feed in these issues.

Committee for the Administration of Justice: ‘Rhetoric and the Reality’

Guest speakers: Tim Cunningham & Aideen Gilmore

Tim gave an overview of the key points from the document which was followed by an excellent and lengthy discussion. The key points arising from the debate were as follows:

CRC agree that sustainability is vital. Danger of things being equality based and not needs based ie“one for you and one for me” cannot be sustained
Renewing communities: neglects ASF principles – focus is mainly on Protestant community
How do we create shared space for all / safe and equal
Mixing zones will be in areas perceived to be protestant as this is the only area where land/housing is available in the city
Social inequality not measured
This is part of a wider conversation that needs to take place. A joined up approach is required such as with TSN etc
Extremely important – equality and ASF must be delivered equally, each as important as the other
Housing is a key point. NIHE will not house a Catholic family on the Protestant side of a peaceline – relationship building needs to take place to enable individuals to feel safe and therefore willing to move into new districts.
ASF, if delivered correctly, will address difficult issues
Government policies not complying with ASF
CR is seen as watering down the achievement of Equality. Section 75(1) & Section 75(2) go together but one will not work without the other
Always looks like equality v’s CR
Model for integration in the workplace has had successes
Economic reports on disparity between Catholic and Protestants – 30-40 years.
Major problem of Catholics under represented in Local government employment
Need to get the figures out into the public domain as they are not common knowledge
Dual issue - how do you puncture that without pilot schemes - shared housing must be safe and be shown to be safe in order to demonstrate the viability of future housing developments

How do we ensure that houses are given by need i.e. top of the pile

Overview of Newspaper Reports

Peter gave a brief outline of the new summary report for the newspaper reports which are much more succinct and include a short analysis at each section. He informed the committee that this was a synopsis of the main stories reported over September and October. If any Committee member wished to see the full report they should email Peter.

Review of PD Committee meetings re: role, purpose and attendance

BDO carrying out an audit of CRC’s needs
PD Committee meetings - what sort of commitment is possible from members
Attendance is valued
Council members attendance needs to assessed
Council seeking to start appointment process
Roise Ni Bhaoill has resigned from the committee. The Chair thanked her for her time as a Committee member and commended her input during that time.

Date of next meeting

PD Committee meeting dates for the upcoming year to be circulated to committee members once CRC Council meeting dates have been confirmed.