Fresh opportunities for local government
NILGA Chief Executive Derek McCallan talks to agendaNi about the potential of the reform process.
Northern Ireland’s councils are looking forward to the opportunities presented by the greatest change in local democracy since 1973.
The Northern Ireland Local Government Association (NILGA) is the representative body for district councils. It works on a cross-party basis to look at the collective interests of local government as well as improving and developing the sector.
NILGA ensures that policies coming from devolved, national and EU levels don’t detrimentally affect councils or communities. NILGA’s work has been heralded as an important policy and scrutiny role at this critical time of change, and its own structures will be aligned to the new 11 councils in 2015.
From “day one” in the Review of Public Administration, NILGA has sought investment for councils, protection of their interests and a real partnership in policy-making.
“We worked forensically on the Local Government Bill,” he remarks, “to make sure that it strengthened councils, for example, in regard to the manner and type of functions being transferred.” This strengthening included an appeals mechanism in the emerging code of conduct – protecting where appropriate, clarifying where misinformation exists – things you would expect within any democratic process of this nature.
NILGA presented the Assembly’s Environment Committee with “solutions based” evidence, always presenting constructive alternatives. The Committee, in turn, recognised the Association’s objectivity and innovation.
“It’s not just about making good local government better,” he adds. “It’s also about making the relationship and the structures at both tiers of government more service-centred as we move on.” The Executive initially expected the councils to bear the cost of all changes themselves but NILGA lobbied with others to secure a £47 million fund to offset costs.
A Partnership Panel has been set up to formalise relations between local government representatives and ministers with a focus on planning better policies, and better public service delivery.
“This should put into statute that local government is making a formal contribution to the wider Programme for Government,” Derek McCallan explains. “It will be one mechanism to develop the political leadership and the stronger democracy that everyone needs.”
Powers
At present, local government services account for just under 6 per cent of Northern Ireland’s public finances compared to 20-25 per cent in the Republic of Ireland and Great Britain.
“Over the electoral cycle to 2019,” McCallan says, “it’s important to highlight the benefits of some of the functions which are transferring to local government – and if there is a business and political case for further devolution, it should be progressed.”
NILGA’s Programme for Local Government (available at www.nilga.org) strongly advocates a co-ordination role for councils in promoting jobs, training and regeneration. He adds: “If we can show ratepayers, taxpayers and government that there is a more efficient, effective and innovative way of running services, then we should have a whole system review.”
NILGA is keen to develop its evidence – on behalf of councils – regarding the future of the Assembly and the number of government departments. “We need to really highlight the distinctive roles – both in terms of political representation and service delivery – of central and local government,” McCallan states.
Businesspeople, local residents and visitors need to have a more contemporary public service delivery framework. The legacy of the economic downturn means that rates have to be pitched at an affordable level and councils have to prudently prioritise the services they should deliver, looking not just at the cost but also the value of individual services.
Austerity has created a further impetus for councils to seek out non-rates revenue. NILGA has sourced funding from Skills for Justice for training councillors in what makes a good corporate and constituency politician. Business improvement districts, recently established in Coleraine, can be rolled out to support the local economy.
NILGA wants the EU Structural Funds to be co-ordinated at a more local level over the 2014-2020 period. There are already “countless examples” of councils co-ordinating funds for the benefit of their communities e.g. to support SMEs and natural resource tourism.
“There has always been a direct interface between a local councillor and those who are most needy in a community,” McCallan continues.
Timetable
As the 26 existing councils were elected in 2011 for a four-year term, they will remain in place until 31 March 2015 and provide all their existing services up to that date. Alongside that, the new councils will exist in a ‘shadow’ format before being formally established with clear, new, corporate identities on 1 April 2015.
“These aren’t administrative mergers,” McCallan emphasises. “This is the formation of new local government with new powers and new spheres of influence.” Ideally, there will be no noticeable change in the delivery of services when the new councils start work. People should, though, recognise the difference in the next few years as the councils start to use their new powers – not just run services.
“The outcome of the changes should be transformation at all levels of government,” he comments. Local councils and councillors are local people, after all, and we should all participate and find out more.
The ability to bring new investment to communities stands out as one of the main opportunities arising from reform. Councils will be able to work with community groups to develop investment trusts and utilise tax incremental financing and EU Structural Funds. “It’s a great opportunity to bring investment into local communities,” McCallan says. Reform allows for the “tailored delivery” of planning whilst remaining compliant with the prevailing policies. This aligns Northern Ireland’s councils with the rest of the UK and Ireland. A significant investment is being made in training and building up the competency of new councillors and officials.
Councils are independent but want to be part of the delivery of new policies for the whole of Northern Ireland.
By the same token, their finances must be protected. If councils were required to develop, for example, new energy efficiency regulations, resulting in increased costs, as a result of a transfer from central government or a regulatory policy coming from Europe, NILGA would consider this a “new burden” with financial costs and liabilities.
There’s a well-worn phrase that “all transfers should be rates-neutral at the point of transfer” but it’s also important to plan for any contingencies that arise immediately after a transfer takes place e.g. the collapse of an expensive ICT system taken on by councils purely because of reform, or a piece of ageing infrastructure which is dangerous and expensive to repair.
“One of our jobs is to make sure that no unreasonable liabilities are foisted on local government now or in the future,” he explains. “That doesn’t mean that we’re putting a barrier up to the further transfer of services as long as there’s a political, social and business case for doing so.”
He genuinely believes that the future of local government is “healthy” not only with the progress being made but also with the sector providing some of the most efficient public services in Northern Ireland.
After the transition, two or three councils could take the lead on delivering a particular service (e.g. animal welfare, economic development, two examples where this is happening at present) on behalf of the whole sector.
“We’re on the coalface and accountable day and night to local people,” he says in conclusion. “You’ll not find a part of government that is more directly connected to local communities. We’ve the knowledge of what local people need and will continue to deliver for them.”
NILGA
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478 Castlereagh Road
Belfast, BT5 6BQ
Tel: 028 9079 8972
Web: www.nilga.org
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