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Poots to face RPA questioning Warning over council reform delay
(about 1 hour later)
Environment Minister Edwin Poots will face questions about his handling of the Review of Public Administration (RPA) at a meeting on Thursday morning. Environment Minister Edwin Poots has warned of further difficulties if the shake-up of local government in Northern Ireland is further delayed.
The Assembly environment committee, which scrutinises the minister, will take evidence about the impact of delays in implementing RPA. The minister was giving evidence to the environment committee.
RPA is supposed to reduce the number of local councils from 26 to 11 by 2011. He said the plans under the Review of Public Administration (RPA) had been approved by the first minister, but not deputy first minister.
However, the minister has warned that a failure to agree on the new boundaries may mean further delays. The review is supposed to reduce the number of local councils from 26 to 11 by 2011.
Mr Poots, who is also a Lisburn councillor, is unhappy that the independent boundary commission recommended moving Dunmurry from Lisburn into the new Belfast council area. Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness's Sinn Fein party has accused Mr Poots of holding up agreement by failing to respect the boundary commission's independence and attempting to gerrymander the new boundaries.
Mr Poots has been accused by Sinn Fein of holding up agreement by failing to respect the commission's independence and attempting to gerrymander the new boundaries. Mr Poots said he had held a constructive meeting with the deputy first minister and if that spirit persisted then progress could be made.
Criticism "If that spirit doesn't move forward to actual delivery, then we will be in a more difficult position," he said.
He has also faced criticism for continuing as a councillor while also being the minister responsible for local government. "As I sit here this morning, I am still working on delivering this, still keen to deliver it, and confident that it can be delivered at the appropriate time.
"Albeit, the longer we delay it at this moment in time, the more pressure all of us will come under."
He added: "The sooner we can reach political agreement on this, that can start and move forward apace. FM (first minister) side have cleared it, DFM (deputy first minister) side haven't cleared it."
Mr Poots also said the Northern Ireland Office seemed to have moved away from the idea of bringing forward local council elections, whether or not the number of councils was still 26 or 11.
'Value for money'
In October, the minister denied that the shake-up of local government under RPA was to be scrapped.
In a statement to the assembly, the minister said he was absolutely committed to delivering the programme of reform.
There had been speculation that RPA would be delayed. However, Mr Poots said proceeding with local government reform "makes absolute sense in terms of efficiency, effectiveness and value for money".
Earlier in the committee session, members were told there are more than 12,000 outstanding planning applications for Northern Ireland.
Chairperson Dolores Kelly said members had been concerned about the backlog of applications, given the Executive's intention to bolster the economy by progressing planning applications for strategic projects.
"It is those ones which are going to lend themselves to giving the economy a boost," she said.
In a leaked letter seen by the BBC last month, Mr Poots warned that there may be have to be elections to the existing 26 councils next year, because of the failure to agree the new boundaries.In a leaked letter seen by the BBC last month, Mr Poots warned that there may be have to be elections to the existing 26 councils next year, because of the failure to agree the new boundaries.
However, NIO sources said this was unlikely to happen and that local elections would probably take place in 2011 regardless of whether for 26 councils or 11. However, Northern Ireland Office sources said this was unlikely to happen and that local elections would probably take place in 2011 regardless of whether for 26 councils or 11.
So far, the cost of slimming down local government has cost £5.5m.So far, the cost of slimming down local government has cost £5.5m.