Agenda item

            The Committee was reminded that, in 2002, the Northern Ireland Executive had initiated the Review of Public Administration, with the aim of modernising how Public Services were provided in Northern Ireland.  As part of that Review, the Executive had, in 2008,  taken a decision to reduce the number of Councils from twenty-six to eleven new larger Councils and to transfer a number of new functions from Central Government departments to Local Government.  Under the Review of Public Administration proposals and, as a result of the recommendations which had been put forward by the Independent Local Government Boundary Commissioner, Mr. Dick McKenzie, it had been proposed that the new Belfast City Council boundary incorporate a small part of the adjacent Lisburn and Castlereagh areas, resulting in the City’s population increasing from 268,000 to over 300,000. 

            The Chief Executive explained that, whilst the initial timetable for the Review had sought to have the new eleven Councils in place and operational as from the May, 2011 elections, discussions on how the Review of Public Administration Local Government Reform would be progressed had concluded on Monday, 14th June, 2010, with the Northern Ireland Executive not having reached agreement on the way forward.  It was understood that there had been no agreement or decisions taken on important implementation issues such as:

·         the new Local Government boundaries;

·         how the Reform Programme would be funded; and

·         the implementation timetable for reform.

            He pointed out that, subsequently, the May, 2011 Local Government Elections had proceeded on the basis of the current twenty-six Councils and not the eleven Councils as recommended under the Review.  In short, the Review of Public Administration had been placed in abeyance awaiting the formation of the new Northern Ireland Executive.

            The Chief Executive explained that, despite the ongoing uncertainty and stop-start nature experienced with the Review of Public Administration, the Council had proactively engaged in the process at both Elected Member and senior officer level.  The Council had been represented on the regionally established Review of Public Administration Policy Development and Implementation Structures and the Council’s Strategic Policy and Resources Committee had been designated as the Belfast Review of Public Administration Voluntary Transition Committee and had been given the responsibility for overseeing, co-ordinating and managing the Council’s own preparations for the Review of Public Administration. 

            He indicated that it was now understood that the new Environment Minister, Alex Attwood, was seeking to submit for the consideration of the Northern Ireland Executive in June, 2011, a paper which set out recommendations on the proposed way forward for the Review of Public Administration process.  Based on discussions with officials from the Department of the Environment, it was understood also that the proposals would include a 2015 timeline for the formal establishment of the new eleven Councils and the transfer of functions from Central to Local Government, with a shadow Council period being introduced from 2014.  A detailed report in this regard would be submitted for the consideration of the Committee when further clarity had been provided on the Executive’s intentions.

            The Chief Executive pointed out that, given the current economic climate and the growing pressures on the public sector to do more with less, there was a real opportunity to discuss with Central Government departments the need for and the benefits of service integration at the local level.  As agreed by the Committee in December, 2010, Council officers had been in preliminary discussions with officials from the Department of the Environment, including the Planning Service and the Department for Social Development to explore the potential scope for Belfast to initiate an integrated area-based pilot.  Such a pilot would seek to forge strengthened working relationships, build joint institutional delivery capacity and better integrate key place shaping functions, for example, planning, regeneration and enforcement powers at the local level.  The Council had already a proven track record in successfully establishing integrated service delivery models in the areas of, for example, health and community safety.  Work was underway to examine the potential business case for a Belfast pilot and the associated programme of work and a further report in this regard would be submitted to the Committee in August.

            Accordingly, the Chief Executive recommended that, with the new Northern Ireland Executive now in place, Members should seek an early meeting with the Environment Minister, Alex Attwood, and the Social Development Minister, Nelson McCausland, to further explore the potential viability and scope of a Belfast-based pilot.

            During discussion, a Member suggested that the Council needed to consider undertaking a more strategic engagement role at political level and meetings should be sought with more than just the two aforementioned Ministers. 

            In addition, a Member pointed out that the Committee held currently two meetings per month and he had suggested previously that one of the meetings should be allocated to deal with routine business, with the second meeting focusing on the major issues such as regeneration, funding development and securing financial investment in the City and its infrastructure. 

            After discussion, the Committee adopted the recommendation and noted that further reports would be submitted to the Committee in due course in relation to the format of the twice-monthly meetings and strategic engagement at a political level.