Who cares about our councils?
On "Stormont Live" yesterday, in between trying to stave off a November cold, I suggested to the Northern Ireland Local Government Association's Arnold Hatch that the public were maybe not that bothered about the proposed shake up in local councils. Most of the publicity surrounding the shake up has concerned whether the Environment Minister Arlene Foster might recommend that instead of seven super councils, we should retain eleven. That announcement isn't expected until January.
But yesterday's debate at Stormont concentrated on how much power should be devolved to any new councils. NILGA is annoyed that the latest recommendation does not give them as many new functions as suggested under the previous direct rule plan.
Powers to be retained by central government under the new blueprint include development planning, local roads, the NI Fire and Rescue Service, and housing responsibilities. The proposal is to still give the councils some planning powers, local arts promotion, urban regeneration and community development and some responsibilities over roads, like maintaining street lights and cutting the verges.
It was always predictable that once devolution was restored local ministers would be less willing to give away their powers than their direct rule predecessors. But my point to Arnold Hatch was that this seemed to me to be an argument exclusively between politicians - surely the voters don't care who provides a service so long as they get it?
This morning I had a chat with Stephen Hugget, a Fermanagh Councillor who sits on NILGA's working party. He countered my argument by suggesting that who runs the service will have a direct impact on how good that service will be. For example, a roads service employee might be more diligent if his bosses are right on his doorstep rather than back at HQ in Belfast.
So is the public bothered about the council/Stormont debate, and if not should they be? And, dry as the talk of council functions might be, is this debate more important than the catchier one about how many councils might survive?
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Mark I have to be a bore and disagree with you on who is running local Councils. I hope people from the various Councils around the Country. You say "I suggested to the Northern Ireland Local Government Association's Arnold Hatch that the public were maybe not that bothered about the proposed shake up in local councils." Then you go on to say "my point to Arnold Hatch was that this seemed to me to be an argument exclusively between politicians - surely the voters don't care who provides a service so long as they get it?"
I as someone who lives in Down District am appalled at the state of the District. I like many other tax payers would care about who provides the service. As far as I am concerned Down District don’t provide a service of any sort and the worse thing is they don’t care. Down Council only clean the streets once every 6 weeks. The District is a dirty pit. 20-30 miles along the road in Belfast and I must give particular attention to Castlereagh Council for their immaculate maintenance of their streets. Several Down towns only ever see the council workers at break time when the workers have 3 x 1 hour breaks a day. If new Super Councils were imposed Down Council would be in melt down. I think Councils should be done away with and let various Government bodies who are responsible for various tasks undertake these roles and be accountable to the Assembly.
I left Belfast for London precisely because of the planning system (I am an urban planning and design consultant). It is all very well councillors and MLA's comparing penis size however the real issue and one no one seems interested addressing is the disasterous planning legislation and inefficient planning system. Simply transferring powers to councils will not resolve the underlying problems, also has anyone explained why councils should not have full planning powers? anyone? So come on Mark, why are you and your collegues not airing these real issues and challenging our supposed representatives, it can't be that hard. I mean you are all very cosy up there are you not? Or maybe that is the problem.