Local Government Reform - Consultation on Policy Proposals

appropriate representative body, of the direction and the reason
why it was given, without recourse to the normal procedure for
representations.
5.20. In cases where a department intervenes directly in a council, and in
doing so assumes responsibility for delivering a function, a
regulatory power would be made available to the department. This
power could be used to make alternative provision for the delivery of
the service. A department would then be able to make necessary
alternative arrangements where it intervenes in a function which
already provides recourse to that department, either through appeal
or otherwise.
Question 35:
Do you agree that Ministers should be able to intervene if a
council is failing to deliver services?
Community Planning
6.1. A key theme underpinning the reform of local government is the
Executive’s vision of a strong, dynamic local government creating
communities that are vibrant, healthy, prosperous, safe, sustainable
and which have the needs of all people at their core. Central to this
vision is the provision of high quality, efficient services that respond
to the needs of people and continuously improve over time.
6.2. The introduction of an effective community planning process, led
and facilitated by councils, is seen as critical to the delivery of this
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