Dodds announces review of Land & Property Services

Finance Minister Nigel Dodds has announced that he has commissioned a review of the government agency, Land & Property Services (LPS).

The review, the latest to be undertaken by the Performance and Efficiency Delivery Unit (PEDU), will assess the capacity of the agency to meet current and future challenges.

Announcing the review, the minister said: “Land & Property Services undertakes a number of key roles, including the collection of rates from domestic and non-domestic properties across Northern Ireland. This means that the agency directly engages with all local households and businesses on an annual basis.

“Given the complexity and scale of the work it is involved in, I believe it is essential that we assure ourselves the agency is structured and managed in a way that is focused on the delivery of its important objectives.

“That is why I have asked the Performance and Efficiency Delivery Unit to conduct a review of LPS and, where necessary, provide me with recommendations to enhance the capacity of the agency to meet the challenges faced by it.”

Notes to Editors:

1. Media enquiries only to DFP Communications Office on 028 9052 7374 or 028 9052 7375. Out of office hours please contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 076 9971 5440 and your call will be returned.
2. Land & Property Services was formed following the merger of the Valuation and Land Agency, the Rate Collection Agency, Ordnance Survey (NI) and Land Registers.

The objectives of the review are:

• To examine the aims and objectives of the agency, and ensure they are aligned with the key targets, and broader legislative obligations on the agency;
• To ensure the appropriate organisational and management structures (and associated resourcing issues), and governance arrangements, necessary to facilitate achievement of the aims and objectives of the agency.
• To consider the staffing, organisational and technical capacity of the agency to address current and future challenges; and
• To identify recommendations arising from the above and devise an action plan and associated timetable to address the issues identified.
• The review team has been asked to report back to the minister before the summer.