22 March 2005
MINISTER ENCOURAGES THE PUBLIC TO HAVE THEIR SAY ABOUT THE FUTURE OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION IN NORTHERN IRELAND
Proposals designed to modernise and reform public administration and to deliver citizen-centred services in Northern Ireland have been published by Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Ian Pearson, MP, today.
Speaking in the City Hall in Belfast, Ian Pearson urged all interested parties including the public, to contribute to the debate on the future system of public administration. The Minister said: "This Review represents the greatest change to almost every area of the public sector and to local government for over 30 years. These proposals are a real opportunity to revitalise our public services."
Speaking about the future shape of local government, the Minister said:
"Sitting at the heart of all of this major change programme is a return to strong local government."I have listened carefully to all points of view on this and I have set out in the consultation document a range of illustrative options covering configurations of seven, 11 and 15 councils all based on amalgamations of the current district boundaries, including one option based on the current parliamentary boundaries.
"The new councils would have increased powers and functions, such as planning urban and rural regeneration, local and economic development and tourism, with local roads and library and youth services also under consideration."
Regarding the future of public bodies in Northern Ireland, the Minister outlined two options for consideration. The first option is that in the context of strong local government all public bodies should be abolished and their functions transferred to central or local government. The second option is that all public bodies should be reviewed to decide which functions should be transferred to central or local government or which bodies can be merged or transferred out of the public sector.
The proposals for future Health and Personal Social Service (HPSS) structures would mean the existing four Boards and 18 Trusts (with the exception of the Ambulance Trust) would be replaced by either five or seven sub-regional health and personal social service agencies.
Commenting on these proposals, the Minister with responsibility for Health, Angela Smith, MP, said: "No-one can deny that the administrative structures of the HPSS are in urgent need of reform."The proposals put out for consultation today are designed to facilitate and underpin all the other initiatives for improvement that are taking place within the health service. They are aimed at ensuring we use money more wisely, invested in front line services. They are not about cuts.
"They are designed to encourage better co-ordination between primary, secondary and community care and encourage public engagement in determining priorities and shaping services."
Under the proposals for the education sector, the Department of Education (DE) would continue to be responsible for the development and implementation of education policy and strategy, monitoring standards and the allocation of resources. A new education services support body would be created to replace the five Education and Library Boards and to bring together the administration of all the current direct support services funded by DE that are delivered by or through the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools, Comhairle na Gaelscolaiochta, the Northern Ireland Council for Integrated Education and the Staff Commission.
Commenting on this proposal, the Education Minister, Barry Gardiner, MP, said: "These proposals will ensure that every pupil, parent, teacher and school in Northern Ireland has access to the same services, no matter in which school they are, where they are geographically or what community they come from."
Referring to the extensive change programme outlined in the consultation document, Ian Pearson said: "The options and proposals contained in this document will radically transform the shape of the public sector in Northern Ireland.
"To implement this scale of change at the same time across the public sector will require the highest levels of leadership in governance and in public sector administration.
"The public sector owes a great debt to the people who consistently maintain and deliver our front line and support services. They must be treated fairly and equitably throughout this change process."
NOTES TO EDITORS:
- The Review of Public Administration was formally established by the Northern Ireland Executive in June 2002.
- Its terms of reference are:
"In line with the political agreement of 18 December 1998, which sets out policy responsibilities, and reflecting the Executive's vision as described in the Programme for Government, to review the existing arrangements for the accountability, development, administration and delivery of public services in Northern Ireland, and to bring forward options for reform which are consistent with the arrangements and principles of the Belfast Agreement, within an appropriate framework of political and financial accountability."- The detailed work of the review is undertaken by a small team of civil servants, complemented by a panel of independent experts who have a wide experience in the fields of governance and organisational change.
- Public administration would be based on a two-tier model, with a regional tier encompassing the Assembly, government departments and regional authorities, whose major role would be to focus on policy development and setting standards as well as delivering regional services. The second tier, a sub-regional tier, would include councils, health bodies and other sub-regional bodies - all of which would ideally operate within the same boundaries.
- The consultation period begins today and ends on the 30th of September 2005. Comments can be forwarded to: admin.rpa@rpani.gov.uk or sent to: Review of Public Administration
McKelvey House
25 Wellington Place
Belfast BT1 6GD.- The consultation document can be downloaded from www.rpani.gov.uk
- A summary of the document is attached (Executive Summary attachment (pdf - 66kb))
- The Review of Public Administration has also published the local identity research today. It can be found on the RPA website www.rpani.gov.uk
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