By Frances McCandless from NICVA
Published on 22 Aug 2005
A consultation document has been launched on the next and final stage of the process to reshape governance in Northern Ireland.
The Review of Public Administration team has published a consultation document on the next and final stage of the process looking at reshaping governance in Northern Ireland. Following extensive research and consultation over more than two years the document offers radical suggestions on the configuration of health and education services plus suggestions for the number and role of local councils.
A two-tier model of public administration is being proposed, with a regional tier encompassing the Assembly, government departments and regional authorities which would focus on policy development and setting standards and delivering regional services.
There would then be a second, sub-regional, tier encompassing organisations that would ideally have the same boundaries, including councils, health bodies, other sub-regional bodies and sub-regional delivery units of regional bodies.
According to the document "within the model there would also be an enhanced role for both the private sector and the voluntary and community sectors."
Health
It is proposed that the existing four health Boards and 18 of the 19 Trusts (the Ambulance Trust would remain) should be replaced by either five or seven sub-regional health agencies. This number could depend upon the eventual number of local councils as it is hoped to keep administrative boundaries consistent.
Education
It is proposed that the Department of Education (DE) would continue to be responsible for the development and implementation of education policy and strategy, monitoring standard and allocation of resources, but it would no longer deliver services. All the functions in support of education will be brought together under the auspices of a new educations support services body. This will bring together the administration of all direct support services currently delivered through the Education and Library Boards, Council for Catholic Maintained Schools, Comhairle na Gaelscolaiochta, Northern Ireland Council for Integrated Education and the Staff Commission. Overall policy and strategy on youth provision will stay with DE but services could either fall within the new educational support body or be transferred to local councils.
Councils
There are three options for the configuration of local government with seven, 11 or 15 councils. Councils would be given a statutory duty to engage in a community planning process, as currently happens in other parts of the UK, consulting with other service providers and with the community. This would include councils being given a 'power of general wellbeing', enabling them to spend money on any measures that will promote the wellbeing of the community they represent.
The proposals for public administration are open for consultation until 30 September 2005.
NICVA Briefing Paper
Briefing Paper (134Kb)
NICVA will be seeking the views of the sector in the coming months.
The full document can be accessed at www.rpani.gov.uk
Contribute to NICVA's econsultation on the Review of Public Administration.
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