Agenda item

            The Members were reminded that there had been ongoing discussions with regard to the Council’s relationship with and engagement within the Northern Ireland Local Government Association, with the Members having expressed concerns in terms of the level of capacity within the Association, the subscription contributions being sought from the Council, the value-for-money received and the lack of representation on the Association’s Executive.  During April, an All-Party Deputation had met with representatives of the Association to discuss the Council’s concerns in more detail.  While it had been agreed generally that the Association had made some progress in addressing the majority of issues identified by the Council, there were two areas in which further action was still required.  Firstly, the value-for-money received and secondly representation on the Executive Committee.  Subsequently, the Association had submitted a formal response to the Council outlining proposals on how those issues could be addressed.

            At its meeting on 23rd May, having considered the response submitted by the Association, the Committee had agreed to:

(i)    seek two additional places for the Council’s Elected Members on the Association’s Executive;

(ii)    a Council official being designated as a Northern Ireland Local Government Association Liaison Officer who would attend Executive meetings of the Association in an observer capacity;

(iii)   authorise payment of the outstanding 50% of the Council’s subscription fees for the period 2007/2008; and

(iv)  inform the Association that the Council would be willing to pay an annual subscription of £79,230 (excluding VAT) in respect of the period 2008/2009, which would be proportionate to the percentage of the Northern Ireland population in the Belfast City Council District Electoral area.

            The Association had been informed of those decisions and they had been considered by its Executive Committee during June.  The Executive had agreed that the Council would be allocated two additional places on the Executive, with the appointments being determined through discussions between the Association’s Democratic Unionist Party and Sinn Féin Party nominating officers and the Council’s Democratic Unionist Party and Sinn Féin Party Group Leaders.  In addition, the Executive had agreed that the Council would have a dedicated Liaison Officer who would have the option to attend the Executive meetings as an observer.

            With regard to the subscription proposed by the Council, the Association had raised concerns regarding the potential inequity of the proposal for other Member Councils within the Association and had noted that the current subscription model had been negotiated a number of years ago as part of the constitution of the Association.  It was the Association’s intention to review the current subscription system in 2010 in the context of the membership of the new constituent Council’s post-Review of Public Administration.  The Association had therefore requested that other options be considered, with a view to reaching in the interim period a joint accommodation which balanced the proposed reduction in the Council’s annual subscription and the need to provide an equitable service to all constituent members.  The Association had suggested that consideration be given to the Council providing “in kind” support to offset the proposed reduction in its financial subscription. 

            The Director of Core Improvement pointed out that the Council already provided support through Legal advice, policy research and advice, business planning and performance management on an ad-hoc basis in the context of both assuring best practice and the Council’s continuing engagement with the Review of Public Administration processes, though the proposal which had been put forward by the Association would result in a more formalised process for the Council providing “in kind” support.

            Accordingly, it was recommended that:

(i)    the Director of Core Improvement be designated as the Northern Ireland Local Government Association Liaison Officer; and

(ii)    officials from the Council liaise with representatives of the Association to clarify further what was intended by “in kind” support and the associated implications for the Council.

            The Committee adopted the recommendations, noted that a further report in this regard would be submitted in due course and agreed that the report include details of the current position of the Northern Ireland Local Government Association and what its expected position and influence would be post-Review of Public Administration.