History of the RPA

Following restoration of devolved Government in Northern Ireland on 8 May 2007 the Executive decided to review the progress that had been made in implementing The Review of Public Administration (RPA).   At an Executive Committee meeting on 5th July 2007 it agreed proposals for a review of the decisions of the RPA as they relate to local government, together with proposals for governance of the review, its timeline and key milestones.

An Executive Sub Committee was set up to progress the work on local government reform and modernization.  It met for the first time on 13th August 2007 and on four occasions thereafter.  Membership comprised Ministers from the Department of the Environment (also the Chair), the Department of Finance and Personnel, the Department for Regional Development, the Department for Social Development and the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety.

The Sub Committee took the review forward in three strands.  The first developed a shared vision for local government.  The second considered the number of councils and the third focused on the functions to transfer to local government.  The review also considered, as cross-cutting issues, the decisions of the previous administration to develop a council-led community planning process and the complementary power of well-being.

The work of the Sub-Committee culminated in an emerging findings report which was published on 19th October 2007.  This was then followed by a process of stakeholder engagement which provided the opportunity for representatives from councils and other organizations to engage in facilitated discussions on the initial proposals at a regional event (on 25th October 2007) and four sub regional events (in November 2007).  Stakeholders also had the option of making their views known in writing and some 59 responses were received.

On 12 March 2008, the then Environment Minister, Arlene Foster, submitted to the Executive the final recommendations of the Sub Committee and at its meeting of 13th March, the Executive agreed the range of functions that will transfer to local government.  Minister Foster presented the decisions of the Executive in a statement to the Assembly on 31 March 2008.

 

The Northern Ireland Executive agreed that the Department for Social Development would transfer substantial functions to the new local Councils including responsibility for the delivery of urban regeneration, support for the voluntary and community sector at local level, and a number of housing functions.  

This list of functions has subsequently been considered with local government and revised.  The functions that are now to be transferred to new local Councils in 2011 are as follows:

The Department will continue to oversee major regeneration schemes which have regional significance and will see through to fruition larger schemes that have already started.  It will also continue to have responsibility for community development and voluntary sector support at regional level and for policy on urban regeneration (including Neighbourhood Renewal) and on the voluntary and community sector.