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| Millions spent on councils review | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| More than £3.5m in taxpayer's money has been spent on a planned local government shake-up that the executive has just put on hold. | |
| The money was spent over four years, including more than £1.5m on salaries. | |
| During this time, a panel of experts was tasked by direct rule ministers to review how local councils and other public bodies are run. | During this time, a panel of experts was tasked by direct rule ministers to review how local councils and other public bodies are run. |
| Among the subsequent recommendations were that NI's 26 councils be reduced to seven and given more powers. | |
| It was also suggested that the education boards be streamlined into a single authority and the four health boards be merged into one. | It was also suggested that the education boards be streamlined into a single authority and the four health boards be merged into one. |
| The BBC has learnt through a Freedom of Information request that the total cost of the review and associated report was £3.6m. This included salaries for 16 employees totalling £1.7m. | The BBC has learnt through a Freedom of Information request that the total cost of the review and associated report was £3.6m. This included salaries for 16 employees totalling £1.7m. |