Local Government Reform - Consultation on Policy Proposals

Foreword
by Edwin Poots, Minister of the Environment
I am pleased to be launching this public consultation on
policy proposals for the reform of local government.
The Executive’s decisions on the future shape of local
government provide the foundation to develop strong,
effective local government that will deliver improved
outcomes for everyone in Northern Ireland.
Our vision is of a strong, dynamic local government that creates vibrant, healthy,
prosperous, safe and sustainable communities that have the needs of all citizens
at their core. Central to that vision is the provision of high-quality efficient services
that respond to people’s needs and continuously improve over time.
To deliver on this vision and to realise the full potential of local government,
councils will take on a significant range of functions from government departments
and other bodies. In addition, councils will work within a new statutory governance
framework and ethical standards regime, will have a new statute-based
community planning process and will have available a power of well-being.
The purpose of this consultation is to look at the proposals for constructing the
new governance framework to provide for efficient, fair and transparent decisionmaking
in councils, within a regime to ensure that the highest standards of
behaviour are maintained. It also looks at proposals for the framework for the new
community planning process and the introduction of a new regime to support
improvement in how councils deliver services to their ratepayers.
I encourage you to have your say by responding to these proposals.
Edwin Poots MLA
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