Agenda item

Review of Public Administration Update

 

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

 

“1.0       Relevant Background Information

 

1.1       The Review of Public Administration (RPA) is now entering into a critical stage in the process whereby key decisions need to be taken over the next month so as to ensure that the reform programme remains on track and meets the already tight legislative timetable which is in place.

 

2.0Key Issues

 

2.1Critical Path

 

2.1.1    Members will be aware that there still remains some concerns with regard to how the RPA programme will progress given the uncertainties which exist around the Local Government Boundaries Order (which will determine the boundaries for the 11 new councils) and the progress of the Local Government Reorganisation Bill (which will bring into effect to the reorganisation of local government), both of which need to be cleared by the NI Assembly before the Christmas recess on 9th December, 2009.

 

2.1.2    If no political agreement around these critical issues is secured, then the already tight legislative timetable would be unachievable and the local reform programme (e.g. rationalisation from 26 to 11 councils) would be deferred.  This would result in elections to the existing 26 Councils in May 2010 as the Secretary of State would not be minded to further extend the current term of councils.   This position was echoed by the Environment Minister during his recent visit to the Council on 6th November.

 

2.1.3    Within this context there is an associated risk that the NI Executive may implement a plan B which could involve taking forward some elements of modernisation.  It is important to note that the majority of legislation brought forward to date (including the Miscellaneous Provisions Bill and Finance Bill) are not RPA dependant (i.e. linked to the reorganisation of councils) but rather, are pertaining to the modernisation of local government.  The transfer of functions proposals, however, may be reorganisation dependant and could be deferred as a result.

 

2.1.4    Notwithstanding political agreement on the local government boundaries and Reorganisation Bill, the timetable, as  we currently understand it, is as follows:

 

·         A final decision will be made by Christmas on the Local Government Boundary Order which will set out the boundaries for the new Councils.

 

·         Decision on funding for RPA reform programme needs to be made in early 2010 and negotiations with DFP are ongoing

 

·         Statutory Transition Committees come into effect by February 2010

 

·         Members severance scheme agreed -  February/March 2010

 

·         Staff severance scheme agreed -  February/March 2010

 

·         Appointment of Senior posts (designate) for new Councils by March-May 2010

 

·         Agreed staff transfer scheme by June 2010

 

·         Initial indicators of the level of funding to be made available through the Comprehensive Spending Review for those functions to transfer to local government – October 2010

 

·         Elections to new Councils – May 2011

 

2.2       Engagement with Lisburn and Castlereagh

 

2.2.1    Discussions are ongoing between representatives from the Lisburn/Castlereagh Transition Committee and the Belfast Transition Committee with two constructive meetings held to date, including a meeting on the 27th October, 2009.

 

2.2.2    The purpose of these meetings is to identify and discuss those transition related issues which need to be addressed and to explore how such issues could be taken forward through formal engagement between both Transition Committees with a shared view to ensuring service continuity for the citizen.

 

2.2.3    At the meeting on 27th October, 2009 an initial programme of scoping work was agreed which would inform future discussions between both Transition Committees.  Relevant reports will be submitted to the Committee for consideration as the discussions with Lisburn and Castlereagh Transition Committee move forward.

 

2.2.4    In considering the Local Government Miscellaneous Provisions Bill (which will bring into effect the Statutory Transition Committees), the Committee for the Environment agreed that there must be direct political representation from Castlereagh and Lisburn Councils on the incoming Belfast ‘Statutory’ Transition Committee which is to come into effect in early 2010.

 

2.2.5    Officials form the Department of the Environment have been tasked with working up the mechanism and model through which this representation would be secured and the Minister will be issuing instructions in this regard.  A separate report on this issue is to be considered later in the Agenda.

 

2.3       Engagement with Transferring Function Departments

 

2.3.1    Members will note that each of the key Transferring Function Departments has nominated senior officials to engage with the Council in taking forward detailed consideration and discussions in regard to the transfer and assimilation of functions.  Council officers are currently engaging with these officials to map out the key issues which need to be addressed in moving forward and it would be the intention that a detailed report will be submitted for the consideration of the Committee in early 2010.

 

2.3.2    At a regional level the Chief Executive chairs a Transfer of Functions Working Group which has been established under the auspices of the Regional Transition Co-ordination Group, to examine and provide clarity on the detail of the agreed suite of functions transferring to local government.  As this detail emerges, further reports will be submitted for the consideration of the Committee.

 

2.4       Community Planning

 

2.4.1    Members will be aware that one of the key proposals of the RPA is the introduction of community planning.  Community planning is the process whereby councils,  statutory bodies, agency bodies and sectors work together to develop and implement a shared vision of promoting the well-being of their area and pave the way for the most efficient use of scarce resources.   

 

2.4.2    In 2011 the Executive will introduce legislation making community planning a statutory responsibility.  The legislation will place a duty on local councils to lead the process and on other public bodies to participate and promote community planning.  Through the priorities which Members have already set for the Council, the organisation has been putting in place many of the foundations upon which an effective community planning process can be built.  In particular partnerships have been developed around key issues that will impact upon well-being such as community safety, good relations and health improvement. 

 

2.4.3    Moreover the Council is working to improve they ways in which it engages with local people to inform the way plans are developed and to create robust local information systems that have the potential to provide the kind of evidence that will help prioritise local  issues and address local needs .  Discussions that Members have had about the potential to support regeneration and development across the city on a North, South, East and West basis must also be built upon to progress meaningful areas-based planning in a way that is connected to the resources that are available and the most deliverable opportunities that exist.  However, community planning will present a number of challenges for this and other Council's including:

 

·         the development of effective partnership and governance arrangements at all levels;

 

·         ensuring effective representation across the various stakeholders and sectors;

 

·         creating effective plans that are linked to available resources and for which there is clear accountability;

 

·         ensuring the maximum appropriate and effective level of involvement of communities;

 

·         ensuring that implementation makes a real impact on the ground and that the process does not become an end in itself.

 

2.4.4    Emerging guidance from the Strategic Leadership Board that is overseeing the progress of the RPA at a regional level is that a foundation programme to address the range of issues associated with community planning will be rolled out to support its introduction in 2011.  This programme will aim to support transition committees to prepare for the introduction of the community planning duty and identify the key issues that should be addressed in guidance which will be developed to support its implementation.  It is anticipated that the Council in developing its own thinking around community planning will have the opportunity to avail of this programme.

 

2.4.5    In order to explore these issues with Members in more depth we propose that we will engage with party groups to seek their views on the issues involved with a view to taking a more detailed report back to the Committee to agree a project plan for taking forward the issue of community planning and agreeing key principles which will allow us to communicate in a more effective fashion with the numerous stakeholders who are already seeking the Council's view.

 

 

2.5       Local Government Reform Joint Forum (HR)

 

2.5.1    Clearly there a number of very important HR related matters which need to be progressed as a matter of urgency (e.g. agreed process for filling posts in new organisations;  staff transfers schemes; staff severance) with greater clarity required in regard to how and when such critical issues are to be addressed. 

 

2.5.2    Members will be aware that a new HR Local Government Reform Joint Forum (LGRJF) has been established (comprising of representatives from the Employers and Trade Union Sides) to take forward detailed consideration and negotiation on HR matters and to develop detailed guidance on how councils and Transition Committees should address such issues in the lead up to the RPA. Both Cllr Tom Hartley and the Head of Human Resources are represented on this Forum nominated by the Joint National Council (JNC) and Northern Ireland Joint Council (NIJC) respectively.  Members will be kept fully informed of the discussions and emerging guidance prepared by the Joint Forum.

 

3.0       Resource Implications

 

            There are no financial or human resources implications contained within this report.

 

4.0       Recommendation

 

            Members are asked to:

 

(a)  note the contents of this report; and

 

(b)consider and agree the proposal to hold a series of party group briefings top seek members views on Community Planning (refer to 2.4.5).”

 

            After discussion, the Committee noted the contents of the report and authorised the holding of Party Group briefings in relation to the development of an agreed approach to Community Planning.