Assembly 'should have own staff'

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/northern_ireland/7074931.stm

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The Northern Ireland Assembly should have its own staff, separate from the rest of the civil service, an independent review has recommended.

The review said there has been an "absence of dynamic corporate leadership" on the part of the assembly's senior management.

It was led by the former presiding officer of the Scottish parliament, George Reid.

The review said a new independent staff should be in place by 2010.

Although it praises the dedication of the current assembly staff it is highly critical of what it describes as the "deficient leadership" provided by the assembly's senior management board.

The retirement of the assembly's chief clerk, Arthur Moir, has already been announced and it is understood a number of senior officials seconded from the Civil Service will be returning to their original jobs.

It also backs plans for a new building on the Stormont estate which would meet the demands for more accommodation for the assembly's committees and other facilities.