Local Government Reform Update

“

We will promote the radical devolution of power plus greater financial autonomy to local government and councils” (who said that?)

Current Reform Issues

• Capacity Building • Legislation • Establishment of STCs • Funding for Reform • Appointment of Chief Executives • Transfer of Functions • Planning • Community Planning • ICE Review

Statutory Transition Committees

• Role • Objectives • Key Tasks • When they start and finish their work

STC – Role

• To exercise leadership and drive convergence within the cluster • To undertake preparatory duties to inform key decisions of Shadow Councils and new Councils • To make some key decisions itself, like Corporate planning and Departmental structure, strategic budgetary issues as these emanate

STC - Objectives

• To ensure

– Transition is as seamless as possible –

Service delivery is maintained

–

Service delivery is maintained

–

Customers know what is going on

– New councils are in a position to discharge all functions and deliver on their vision

STC – Key Tasks

• Define a draft vision for the new Council • Complete draft Corporate and Business Plans • Prepare a Budget for both STC and Shadow Council periods • Develop financial systems for both STC and Shadow Council • Exercise control over certain existing council expenditure and reserves • Ensure appropriate Officer leadership is in place

STC – Key Tasks (cont.)

• Prepare report on possible governance arrangements for the new Council • Configure the organisational structure of the new council • Agree a Member/Officer Protocol?

• Ensure a robust local implementation plan is in place and regularly monitored • Prepare for the formal introduction of Community Planning • Ensure plans are in place to deliver local capacity building to supplement regional activity • Report to the RTC and the DOE

Transfer of Functions

Planning

• Local development plan functions • Development control and enforcement

Roads

• Off street parking (except Park and Ride)

Urban regeneration and community development

• Functions associated with physical development (e.g. environmental improvement schemes) • Area based regeneration (such as Neighbourhood Renewal) • Some community development programmes for the voluntary and community sectors

Transfer of Functions (cont.)

Housing

• Registration of houses in multiple occupation • Housing unfitness responsibilities, including repair and demolition notices

Local Economic Development (transfer from Invest NI)

• Start a Business Programme and Enterprise Shows • Youth Entrepreneurship (such as Prince’s Trust and Shell Livewire) • Social Entrepreneurship • Investing for Women • Neighbourhood Renewal funding relating to enterprises initiatives

Transfer of Functions (cont.)

Local Tourism

• Small scale tourism accommodation development • Providing business support including business start up advice along with training and delivery of customer care schemes • Providing advice to developers on tourism policies and related issues

Other

• Delivery of the EU Rural Development Programme; • Authority to Spot List to enable Councils to add a building to the statutory list on a temporary basis, subject to ratification by the DOE; • Authority to draw up local lists of buildings that are of architectural and/or historic interest; • Armagh County Museum; • Local water recreational facilities; • Local sports (greater involvement of local government in local sports decisions); • Donaghadee Harbour

So – crumbs or seeds?

• Libraries, local roads, on street parking, local arts, statutory role in Economic Development

out

(grants and brands offered) •

Caveats to transfer

be transferred to”, “councils systems : councils must be “fit to “must have community planning partnerships”, must be adequate, Traffic management Group to be set up”

Reform is also happening

• In Waste Management • In the means of distribution and the amounts of EU funds • In Welfare of Animals and related • In planning • In terms of electoral law • But we are all really busy..................

Leadership, Legislation and Resources

• Negotiation Body for LG • Talent Management and Succession Planning • New ways of sustaining LG • We cannot wait until 2015.......

YOUR NILGA – TODAY AND TOMORROW

1. Vision for Local Government 2. Sustainability of Local Government 3. Development of elected members in Local Government 4. Lobbying for Local Government 5. Communicating on behalf of and within Local Government 6. Improvement and representation of Local Government 7. Collective development and capacity building for Local Government 8. Working with members and councils to determine a Programme for LOCAL Government