RPA

1
RPA

• Decisions announced 22 Nov 2005
• 7 councils
• Community planning
• Regional HSS Authority
• 7 primary care-led commissioning groups
• 5 Trusts from 18
• 1 Education Authority

2
Councils

• Belfast
• Coleraine, Moyle, Ballymoney, Ballymena, Larne
• Carrick, Newtownabbey, Antrim, Lisburn
• N Down, Newtownards, Castlereagh, Down
• Craigavon, Armagh, Banbridge, Newry Mourne
• Derry, Limavady, Strabane, Magherafelt
• Fermanagh, Omagh, Cookstown, Dungannon

3

• 2nd round of decisions March 2006 - QUANGOs
  reduced from 81 to 53
• Changes to be in place 2009
• Context - A Shared Future and Sustainable
  Development
• Rooker challenge to vc sector to capture its
  diverse voice

4
QUANGOs

• A Library Authority will be created with
  responsibility for all libraries across Northern
  Ireland.
• The Northern Ireland Events Company will become
  part of the Northern Ireland Tourist Board.
• Some of the funding currently administered by the
  Arts and Sports Councils will become the
  responsibility of local government as will some
  of the functions of the Northern Ireland Tourist
  Board and Invest NI.
• NI Museums Council functions transferring to
  central and local government.

5
What happens now?

• Political panel chaired by Lord Rooker
• Working group chaired by S Peover with 9
  subgroups
• - community planning
• - governance
• - human resources
• - finance
• - estate policy
• - capacity building for local government
• - shared support services
• - central/local government relationships
• - performance

6

• Boundary commissioner appointed
• 6-8 month structure not an implementation group
  policy outcomes
• Implementation oversight group at official level
  to be chaired by Nigel Hamilton
• Legislation to be on statute book by mid- 2008
• Elections autumn 2008 and shadow councils in
  place

7

• Additional functions for local govt
• - planning
• - conservation of natural and built heritage
• - local economic development
• - local tourism
• - urban and rural regeneration
• - rural development
• - future European programmes
• - environmental services
• - application of building regulations
• - community planning
• - environmental health
• - leisure and recreation
• - arts and culture
• - community development
• - community relations
• - emergency planning
• - planning of bus services
• - local roads functions and

8
Wider implications Community planning

• A seat at the table has been won
• How can sector participate with strong, united
  voice? Role of infrastructure in this.
• Challenges for local orgs to organise/group
• Need to cooperate and feed back more widely
  within sector and organisations
• Benefits of co-terminosity in service provision
  and policy

9

• Rationalisation agenda?
• Positive Steps mentions rationalisation
• Positive Steps agenda is collaboration and
  co-operation this also fits with the sharing
  agenda of A Shared Future
• Shared infrastructure is the easiest way for
  cross-community structures to be built into the
  sector
• Leads to better use of sectors resources

10
Further information

• www.communityni.org/index.cfm/section/article/page
  /ReviewofPublicAdministration
• www.rpani.gov.uk