Basil McCrea comments on prosed changes to Planning applications
UUP MLA for Lagan Valley and Lisburn city councillor Basil McCrea
Today the BBC reported on the prosed sweeping reforms to the planning system;
“Edwin Poots said a planning bill would return control of planning to councils and would eventually mean councillors making most planning decisions.
He added that the Planning Service would be abolished and staff absorbed into his department.”
However, UUP MLA for Lagan Valley and Lisburn city councillor Basil McCrea said that the new system could prove a double-edged sword for local representatives. Read more
Youth Achievers host Basil McCrea praises teens who make a difference
MLA Basil McCrea stepped up the pace in Stormont on Saturday night when he hosted the Daily Mirror Youth Achievers Ball
Today the Daily Mirror published an eight page article praising Basil McCrea’s annual Youth Achievers event at the Stormont Assembly last Saturday night;
The UUP man wanted to salute young people from across Northern Ireland who are tackling community issues such as suicide, addictions, poverty and ill health for the third year running, reported the Mirror.
Basil McCrea said, “This is about young people making a difference in their own lives and helping Northern Ireland grow and mature.” Read more
Basil McCrea MLA ‘talk’s politics’ at the Guildhall
Basil McCrea MLA meets students from Saint Columbs College
This morning Basil McCrea joined fellow panellists Morris Deveeny, DUP, Cllr Paul Fleming, Sinn Fein, Pól Callaghan MLA, SDLP, as part of the Peace and Reconciliation Group’s annual event to engage young people in politics.
Over 160 first time voting student’s from throughout Londonderry attended the event, and Mr. Mark Carruthers, host of BBC’s “Let’s Talk” attended as the facilitator for the day.
“I am so pleased to be able to be a part of the Peace and Reconciliation Group’s annual ’Let’s talk Politics’ again” said Mr McCrea. “The students participating today have been very keen to be involved in the debates and workshops, and have been raising many interesting discussions regarding Northern Ireland’s key issues, and also issues that are relevant them as young people.” Read more
Stormont’s Starsky and Hutch
The real Starsky and Hutch... Do you think there's any resemblance?
Today the Belfast Telegraph posted an article on their website commenting;
“They’ve been dubbed Stormont’s Starsky and Hutch and last week Basil McCrea and John McCallister were looking more like 70s crime fighters than ever.
Sporting a bruising black eye and a retro moustache, all the Ulster Unionist duo were missing was a souped up Ford Torino.
Basil’s brush with a fallen tree while driving home in last weekend’s storm has already hit the headlines and one look at his wrecked car showed how fortunate he was Read more
News letter: Basil McCrea MLA welcomes 50-50 Scrappage
Basil McCrea, Policing Board Member & Chair of the Human Rights & Professional Standards Committee
“People should be chosen for posts in any public authority or organisation” the Secretary of State argued. “…It is wrong that under the terms of the Patten report, Protestants from Northern Ireland are the only people in the entirety of the European Union against whom it is legal for government to discriminate”
Policing Board member and Human Rights and Professional standards committee chairperson, Basil McCrea, warmly welcomed the Secretary of States comments Read more
Basil McCrea MLA shows his support of the BT Young Scientist award
Basil McCrea with the Minister of Education and Vicki Graves and Ciara Bell, two students from Hunter House on Work Experience with Mr McCrea this week
Yesterday Basil McCrea MLA met the finalists for the science students from across Northern Ireland who are competing for BT’s Young Scientist Award of 2011.
Basil McCrea said; “It is exciting to be around so many students with such creative ideas and fresh innovation coming forward to compete for this award. Science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) provide some of the most essential skills for our young people as they make their way through education. ” Read more
Custody Visiting Scheme receives Investing in Volunteers Award
Basil McCrea MLA, Chairperson of the Human Rights & Professional Standards Committee
The Independent Custody Visiting Scheme, administered by the Northern Ireland Policing Board (the Board), has received the Investing in Volunteers award. It is the first Custody Visiting Scheme in the UK to achieve this accreditation.
Investing in Volunteers is the UK quality standard for all organisations which involve volunteers in their work. The Standard, assessed locally by Volunteer Now, enables organisations to comprehensively review their volunteer management, and also publicly demonstrates their commitment to volunteering. Read more
Basil McCrea, UUP Education Spokesperson, speaks on parental choice in education
Basil McCrea MLA visiting Longstone Special School in February of this year
The First Minister felt that serious financial saving could be made from the creation of a ‘Single Education Authority’, both as a single educational administrative body and a single education system. He added that it was “not just an economic but a moral question”, stating that it would be impossible to move beyond current community divisions while young people are educated separately.
UUP Education Spokesperson, Basil McCrea MLA took a decided different view Read more
Basil McCrea MLA meets with several members of the National Head Teachers Association
Basil McCrea MLA meeting with several members of the National Association of Headteachers in Belfast
Last Friday (5th October) UUP Education Spokesperson, Basil McCrea MLA met with several members of the Nursery Education Committee of the National Association of Head Teachers. The members, each a Head Teacher of a local nursery school discussed with Mr. McCrea vital issues affecting the children in their classes and their sector as a whole.
Basil McCrea is pictured here meeting with Tracy Cassells, Head Teacher of Barbour Nursery School in Lisburn, Diane Murdoch, Head Teacher of Tudorlodge Nursery School in Belfast, Emma Cory, Head Teacher of Shaftesbury Nursery School in Belfast and Clare Majury, Head Teacher of Holywood Nursery School in Holywood.
UTV Live: The decision to disband the IMC in a time of increasing dissident threat
Basil McCrea MLA discussing the decision on UTV Live
Basil McCrea MLA appeared last week on Thursday the 4th of November, on UTV live with Sinn Fein MLA, John O’Dowd to look at the decision to disband the IMC in a time of increasing dissident threat.
The interview will be able to be viewed for the next few weeks on UTVs Iplayer, found at the link below
