Shake-up of NI's local government to be unveiled
Peter Hain and his team of ministers in Belfast will today unveil the most radical shake-up of local government in the North in 35 years.
The Northern Ireland Secretary and his ministerial team is expected to announce plans to reduce the number of councils there from their current level of 26 to just seven by 2009.
The British government will also cut back on administration in the health service, replacing four health boards, 18 hospital and social services trusts and 15 local health and social care groups with either a single authority with seven local offices or seven agencies corresponding with the number of councils.
The Northern Ireland Office is tipped to abolish five education and library boards, which determine school budgets, replacing them with a single education authority for the North.
It is also believed the Catholic Council for Maintained Schools, which controls Catholic schools, could be downgraded to an advisory role under the review of public administration.
The current council structure in the North was originally conceived in the 1970 MacCrory Report on local government and implemented in 1973 which vastly reduced the powers of councils.
The new reforms will see local councils secure more powers including planning powers and control over libraries.
Unionist and nationalist parties will focus on what councils will be amalgamated and what it will mean for the balance of power in each area.
It is expected that the seven super councils will have roughly equal populations, with some councils straddling two counties.
Council reforms will also affect the Police Service of Northern Ireland, leading to a likely reduction in the number of district command units and the number of district policing partnerships which bring local commanders face to face with the communities they serve.
Mr Hain and the Northern Ireland Office minister responsible for local government Lord Rooker was also expected to address the issue of dual mandates in their proposals – where politicians hold an Assembly seat and a council seat.
Parties were also expected to study the British government’s plans for reducing the number of unelected quangos in the North which currently sit at around 150.
It is believed the British government is aiming for savings of up to £230m (€336m) a year on public administration which they hope will be diverted into front-line public services.
The review was originally proposed by the Stormont Executive during devolution.
