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| Version 7 | Version 8 |
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| NI councils reduced from 26 to 11 | NI councils reduced from 26 to 11 |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| The Stormont Executive has agreed a plan to cut Northern Ireland's local authorities from 26 to 11 by 2011. | |
| The DUP and Sinn Fein said the compromise plan, passed by seven votes to two, would build a firm foundation for strong local government. | The DUP and Sinn Fein said the compromise plan, passed by seven votes to two, would build a firm foundation for strong local government. |
| It creates four nationalist-dominated councils in the west and south, and six predominantly unionist councils in the north, east and centre. | It creates four nationalist-dominated councils in the west and south, and six predominantly unionist councils in the north, east and centre. |
| The UUP was the only party in the Executive to oppose the plan. | |
| North Belfast UUP MLA Fred Cobain said he feared it would mean a mainly nationalist Belfast council. | |
| Click here to see the planned council areas | Click here to see the planned council areas |
| "Belfast has been sacrificed by a DUP minister," he said. | |
| "What the Provos couldn't do in 40 years, she has done with a stroke of a pen to turn this city green - it's an anti-Belfast agenda." | |
| Environment Minister Arlene Foster - whose department was responsible for the plan - said that the notion that Belfast would be governed exclusively by nationalists and republicans in the future "is a fantasy created by the Ulster Unionist Party". | |
| Sinn Fein assembly member John O'Dowd said Mr Cobain's comments "clearly exposed the sectarian and undemocratic underbelly of a party that fails to recognise that it has no supreme right to rule". | |
| The current 26-council system dates back to the 1970s but, after a review, former secretary of state Peter Hain opted to cut these to just seven. | The current 26-council system dates back to the 1970s but, after a review, former secretary of state Peter Hain opted to cut these to just seven. |
| Sinn Fein supported that plan but the other major parties said they would be too big to preserve local identity and backed a 15-council model. | |
| A Sinn Fein/DUP compromise of 11 new councils has now been agreed. Elections are expected to be held in 2011. | A Sinn Fein/DUP compromise of 11 new councils has now been agreed. Elections are expected to be held in 2011. |
| It is understood the SDLP minister Margaret Ritchie, who is in the US, had written to Mrs Foster indicating she was happy with the plan. | It is understood the SDLP minister Margaret Ritchie, who is in the US, had written to Mrs Foster indicating she was happy with the plan. |
| Whilst we welcome the transfer of planning, regeneration and some further housing functions, we remain disappointed with the limited nature of the overall package Arnold HatchNILGA | |
| Since the restoration of devolution, the shake-up in local government has been the responsibility of the environment minister, who said it was "a very good day, not just for local government, but for this executive as well". | Since the restoration of devolution, the shake-up in local government has been the responsibility of the environment minister, who said it was "a very good day, not just for local government, but for this executive as well". |
| Mrs Foster added: "In order for local government to fulfil its role as leader and shaper of communities, a range of functions will be transferred to the new local councils. | Mrs Foster added: "In order for local government to fulfil its role as leader and shaper of communities, a range of functions will be transferred to the new local councils. |
| "These include aspects of planning, as well as rural development, the public-realm aspects of local roads functions, urban regeneration and community development, a range of housing-related functions, and local economic development and tourism." | "These include aspects of planning, as well as rural development, the public-realm aspects of local roads functions, urban regeneration and community development, a range of housing-related functions, and local economic development and tourism." |
| A spokesman for the Northern Ireland Local Government Association, which has been campaigning for greater powers for councils, said they preferred the 15-council model but were happy with 11. | A spokesman for the Northern Ireland Local Government Association, which has been campaigning for greater powers for councils, said they preferred the 15-council model but were happy with 11. |
| "Whilst we welcome the transfer of planning, regeneration and some further housing functions, we remain disappointed with the limited nature of the overall package," said Arnold Hatch. | "Whilst we welcome the transfer of planning, regeneration and some further housing functions, we remain disappointed with the limited nature of the overall package," said Arnold Hatch. |
| "However, we are committed to working in partnership with the executive in the long term to find new ways to maximise the benefits to our citizens." | "However, we are committed to working in partnership with the executive in the long term to find new ways to maximise the benefits to our citizens." |
| There has been no indication yet of how many jobs could be lost among local authority workers. | |
| Click here to return | Click here to return |