Local Government Reform is Moving Forward: Poots
Published on Tue, 30 Nov 2010
The reform of local government is essential for Northern Ireland democracy and it is moving forward apace.
That was the clear message from Environment Minister Edwin Poots to the Assembly as he announced an innovative programme to strengthen local democracy and to make it more accountable by integrating local government and planning reform.
Mr Poots today announced the most sweeping reforms of the Northern Ireland planning system for over 30 years. He also announced proposals which aim to modernise and strengthen democracy at grassroots level.
The Minister said: These programmes will now operate hand-in-hand towards the creation of 11 new councils.
Although the delivery timetable for local government has not yet been finalised by the Executive, I and my department have been working diligently preparing for the next step and this is why I am now reinvigorating the local government and planning reform programmes.
Today I am announcing an integrated programme that will prepare the planning system and local councils culturally and organisationally for the transfer of powers. The Planning Bill has been agreed by the Executive and I aim to introduce it to the Assembly next week.
The Bill will provide for the transfer of Development Plan and Development Management powers from my Department to councils within a timetable to be agreed by the Executive.
The Councils will be the Planning Authorities with responsibility for drawing up their own development plans and making the vast majority of planning decisions. Councils will also be responsible for determining planning applications. Councillors will be the decision makers."
By April, Planning Service functions and staff responsible for them will have been absorbed into the core of DOE and will no longer operate as an agency. These functions will be taken forward by two divisions. Local Planning Operations Division will be responsible for the Development Plan and Development Management functions which will in time transfer to local government. Strategic Planning Operations Division will take forward the responsibilities which will remain with the Department.
The existing six Divisional Planning Offices will be streamlined to five Area Planning Offices. Designed around the 11 council clusters, these will provide for an affordable, effective and consistently robust service across Northern Ireland.
The Minister added: I’d like to record my appreciation of the work that Planning Service staff have already done to make improvements over the last two years. This significant turn around in speed, predictability, and customer experience stands testament to the dedication and professionalism of all those who work in the Planning Service, and it is their continued commitment and professionalism that will be instrumental in taking forward the changes to come."
A pilot programme will be put in place to test the working arrangements for the delivery of planning functions by the new councils before they are rolled out across the new council areas.
He also announced the launch of a consultation paper on proposals to strengthen local democracy. The proposals put in place a system of checks and balances which will ensure openness, transparency and equality in councils. It proposes to introduce an ethical standards regime which all councillors will be required to respect.
Mr Poots said: These proposals will provide for efficient, fair and transparent decision making across local government and they will ensure the highest standards of behaviour are maintained.
I have repeatedly said that one of my key goals is to ensure that we have a modern, efficient and effective planning system which serves the needs of all our people and supports the economy.
Furthermore, I’m also committed to the transfer of planning functions to a strengthened and modernised local government. This integrated programme of planning and local government reform will deliver on these commitments.”
Notes to editors:
1.The Minister is launching a consultation today on proposals which will embrace the introduction of new governance arrangements, new ethical standards, a new council led community planning process, introduction of a new service delivery and performance improvement framework for local government. The proposals will ultimately provide for councils to secure best value and continuously improve services to ratepayers.
2.The Minister proposes developing and delivering a pilot programme to test new consultative and practical working arrangements with the 11 council groups, working within an agreed non-statutory governance and community planning framework. A small number of pilots will be developed in April 2011 with a view to more being progressively rolled out across all 11 council groups by April 2012. This will establish arrangements as close to those that will be required after the functions transfer without delegating the Department’s decision-making powers to councils.
3.Planning Service is legally part of DOE. De-agentisation is therefore an administrative process which includes winding up the Planning Service Management Board and accounts.
4.All media enquiries should be directed to DOE Communications on 028 9054 0003. Out of office hours, please contact the duty press officer via pager number 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.
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