Rates WILL rise, but over a longer period

Catriona Loughran • Published 21 Jan 2010 09:00 0 Comments

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The Environment Minister said his Department will work to ensure that people in the Fermanagh District Council area are not hit with a large rate rise when it merges with Omagh District Council next year.

Edwin Poots said the new rate "can be factored in over the period of the new council" but he did not stipulate how this could be done or under what timeframe.

"We will work towards ensuring that people in Fermanagh are not hit with a large rate rise and that the rate should not go up in any single year by more than a single figure I think at any time. My view of rates are that councils should operate a rate base that is consistent with the rate of inflation and ultimately councils need to look at the service they are giving to the public and see what they can do. But in regards to the issue of convergence, given there is a differential, we need to put some mechanism in place over a slightly longer period," he said.

He was speaking prior to his meeting with Omagh and Fermanagh District Council's Voluntary Transition Committee which meets every month to discuss the preparatory work to facilitate the convergence of amalgamating councils.

Minister Poots admitted that the Review of Public Administration (RPA) is "modestly behind schedule" but remains confident that it will be implemented by May 2011.

"There's issues over boundaries and there has been issues over one of the bills that was meant to go to the House, both things were meant to have moved forward towards the end of the year so we are modestly behind schedule at this point and I would hope things move forward in the not too distant future," he said.

The Minister confirmed that "there is no plan B" and that his Department is working towards RPA with the planned 11 council model by May 2011.

He admitted there is challenges but also results during the delayed time-frame.

"A success this week was the Miscellaneous Provisions Bill, which was approved by the Executive and that will now go for Royal assent to be passed and become law so that will allow the setting up of the transition committees on a statutory basis and that will allow progress to be made so that these committees can appoint a new CEO to these councils. They will be allowed to set rates in the council and put a management team in place," he said.

A range of functions will transfer to local government including aspects of planning, rural development, local roads functions, urban regeneration and community development as well as a range of housing related functions, local economic development and tourism.

In regards to the restructure of these jobs, Minister Poots said it will be a difficult period for renegotiation during this council merger.

"Fermanagh and Omagh Councils are unusual in the sense because they are both county towns so they are already providing a considerable amount of public sector jobs such an office of Planning and other areas. I think the towns could come to some sort of agreement that planning, building control and environmental health could be located in one section and other council head quarters would be in another area."

Minister Poots said he understands people could have reservations about losing their Council identity but believes RPA will work and benefit local citizens in the long run.

"The amount of councillors representing the area will be less but not significantly less. Each area is still going to have that level of representation. There's advantages in having larger councils and in terms of delivery of projects, they will have a stronger rate base in that the they will have the rate base of two council areas. They will also take on extra responsibilities for planning and elements of urban regeneration and some issues that are dealt with by Roads Service, these councils will ultimately have more power. I would make the argument than rather take power away from the local community, it actually brings people closer to the local community as the bigger issues affecting them will be dealt with at a local level."

This article appeared in Impartial Reporter 21 Jan 10

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