Local Government Reform - Consultation on Policy Proposals

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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 1
LOCAL GOVERNMENT REFORM CONSULTATION ON POLICY PROPOSALS PURPOSE OF THE CONSULTATION 1.1. The Department of the Environment is seeking your views on its policy proposals for the reform of local government. These policy proposals flow from the Executive’s decisions of 13 March 2008 on the future shape of local government. 1.2. A glossary of terms used in this consultation document is provided at Annex A. BACKGROUND 2.1. Following the restoration of devolution, the Executive, at its meeting on 5 July 2007, agreed proposals for a review of the previous Administration’s decisions on the Review of Public Administration as they related to local government. This review was taken forward by an Executive Sub-Committee chaired by the then Minister of the Environment, Arlene Foster MLA. The Executive Sub-Committee took the review forward in three strands. The first developed a shared vision for local government. The second considered the number of councils and the third focused on the functions to transfer to local government. The review also considered, as cross-cutting issues, the decisions of the previous administration to develop a council-led community planning process and to introduce a power of well-being. 2
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Page 7 and 8: implementation proposals, to give e
Page 9 and 10: 3.4. Research has been carried out
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Page 13 and 14: within the council and for its repr
Page 15 and 16: 3.16. The order in which positions
Page 17 and 18: 3.21. It is further proposed that,
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Page 21 and 22: government to encourage appropriate
Page 23 and 24: Code of Conduct 4.8. The Department
Page 25 and 26: Complaints 4.13. It will be the res
Page 27 and 28: Question 22: Alternatively, would y
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Page 33 and 34: framework would also enable Ministe
Page 35 and 36: Question 30: Should councils be req
Page 37 and 38: A Statutory Audit of the Corporate
Page 39 and 40: A Power of Intervention/Enforcement
Page 41 and 42: overarching objective. Community pl
Page 43 and 44: Question 38: Should councils be req
Page 45 and 46: councils in developing and deliveri
Page 47 and 48: • take action where a council has
Page 49 and 50: Transfers of staff, assets & liabil
Page 51 and 52: Question 44: Do you agree that mode
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Name E-mail Telephone Governance; a
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Devolved decisionmaking Droop Quota
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ANNEX B THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION
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LIST OF CONSULTEES ANNEX C This is
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