In responding to recent press coverage on the review, the Minister said: “I announced the review of local government here on 6 July with a view to the Executive announcing its decisions to the Assembly and the public in December 2007 and that position remains unchanged. I can assure you that no decisions have been reached at this stage and any views to the contrary are unfounded. The Review is progressing extremely well and I am working in partnership with the local government, business and community and voluntary sectors to win consensus on the future shape of local government in Northern Ireland. There has already been significant stakeholder engagement during the review and this process of engagement, which all stakeholders have been encouraged to actively participate in, will continue throughout the review to prepare for and deliver the local government that we all want.
"So far the stakeholder engagement has concentrated on strand one of the review to develop a shared vision for local government but we are now moving into the next phase of the review process. I will be presenting an Emerging Findings Report to the Executive in late September and following the Executive meeting, the emerging findings will be presented to stakeholders and there will be an opportunity to discuss and feed in views which will be reflected, as appropriate, in the final recommendations to the Executive due to be presented at a meeting in late November 2007."
Arlene Foster said that in progressing the review and making final recommendations to the Executive in November 2007, she welcomed the level of interest being shown in the review and could assure everyone that consideration will be given to the views and evidence submitted during the review until its completion in the autumn.
Notes to Editors:
- The Terms of Reference for the review can be viewed on the doeni website.
- The review is to be overseen by an Executive sub-committee chaired by the Environment Minister Arlene Foster and will report to the Executive Committee. The review sub-committee includes Ministers of Regional Development, Social Development, Finance & Personnel and Health, Social Services and Public Safety and they held their first meeting on 13 August 2007.
- Views or comments on any of the review’s three strands can be submitted by hard copy to the Local Government Reform Division, Clarence Court, Adelaide Street, Belfast BT2 8GB or by electronic mail to lgrd@doeni.gov.uk
- For News media enquiries contact DOE Press Office on 028 9054 0003. Out of office hours please contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.
