Northern Ireland Community Relations Council - About Us - Council Minutes

16 September 2005

Meeting of the Policy Development Committee

Friday 16^th September 2005

Present: Robin Wilson (Chair), Ann Anderson Porter, Nelson McCausland, Ward Erwin, Edwin Graham, Nial Fitzduff, Vivienne Pollock, Neil Jarman, David Russell

Apologies: Declan O'Loan, Roise Ni Bhaoill, Dympna McGlade, Ali McAllister

In Attendance: Duncan Morrow, Peter Thompson

1. Shared Future Update

Mr Morrow gave an update on the progress of A Shared Future (ASF) and other issues involving CRC. The main points are as follows:

Government to re-launch ASF in autumn (Oct-Nov). The event will be mainly for a media push.
During the interim CRC's role will be to make sure Government takes seriously ASF. Background lobbying will be required.
Operational Planning needed to prepare for ASF coming into being. Council has identified areas that need looked at.
CRC will be meeting with Lord Rooker to discuss ASF and issues around this.
Race Equality Strategy released over summer. Copy issued to Committee members.
Triennial action plan has been moved back until February instead of start of autumn. All departments will have something to say towards the plan.
DCAL to run a Cultural Diversity Event.

Mr McCausland queried whether it would be a single event or several separate events as he felt that the Unionist community is feeling disenfranchised from the process and they need to bring them along if they are to buy into this. Mr Morrow agreed to inform the committee of the details when he received them.

2. Flags and Emblems Protocol

Chief Superintendent Wesley Wilson PSNI was expected to speak to the committee but cancelled due to operational commitments.

3. CRC draft response to the Review of Public Administration

The following points were made during discussion by Committee of CRC's response to the RPA:

The RPA was not linked to ASF: there were only three paragraphs in the latest consultation document on minority safeguards , yet a high bar needed to be set for councils' good relations plans under the new arrangements so that CRC was not rubber-stamping plans which did not tackle core issues.
A Code of Conduct would help to identify what would be expected from councillors. The response contained a draft code, based on the ministerial code for the Executive Committee under devolution.
In the context of anticipated extra powers for fewer local authorities, the response also proposed a system of local executives through which power would be shared, and locally distinctive civic symbolism.
Mr McCausland stated that he had significant difficulties with CRC recommending Executives on local councils. It would be seen as a political decision which CRC should not be involved in.
Mr Graham stated that he expected a negative take on these proposals by councils if there was a penalty system vis-à-vis the suggested code of conduct. Should there be a reward scheme instead for councils who went above and beyond it?
The issue of the absence of recent public appointments of members of minority-ethnic communities was also highlighted.

In general, this response was intended as a mechanism to open up debate on the whole subject of power-sharing in councils. CRC would hope to facilitate discussion on the matter. Political parties would be brought along throughout to generate discussion. Hopefully this response would start a process of discussion with people outside CRC.

Mr Wilson challenged Mr McCausland for criticising a document he had not previously read. Nelson McCausland described Mr Wilson's manner as rude and unnecessary.Mr McCausland asked that it be noted in the minutes that he specifically objected to Section 1 of the paper (Executives in Council).

A clear majority of the committee indicated their support for the paper as presented. With this in mind, it was agreed that the paper should be presented to Council for a final decision making clear that there was not universal agreement within the PD Committee.

AOB

a Update on PD Programme staffing arrangements

David Russell has now left CRC and has joined NICIE. He has been nominated to join the PD Committee. This will go to council for approval. The now vacant post of Policy Officer will be advertised sometime over the next month. A new one year Shared Future post has been agreed by Council. This post will be placed in the Policy Development Programme

Conference Report

The conference report is near completion with only a few papers still outstanding.

Diary Dates

Live Issues Conference – Wed 16^th November

Resignation

Nial Fitzduff formally handed in his resignation from the Policy Development Committee. Mr Morrow and the rest of the committee thanked him for all his contributions over the last 2 years and wished him all the best for the future and his new life in America.

Date of next meeting – Friday 18^th November 2pm CRC.