Summary of Decisions

• Local councils will be reduced from 26 to seven by 2009.

• An independent Boundary Commissioner will decide the exact boundaries of the new councils based on groupings of the existing councils.

• The new councils will have an increased range of powers including: local roads, planning, rural development, planning local bus services, fire and rescue, future European programmes and some housing related functions.

• The councils will also have a statutory duty to lead a community planning process, and there will be a statutory duty on all other agencies to work with the councils.

• Councils will have a power of well-being.

• Each of the seven new councils will have approximately 60 councillors.

• A system of statutory checks and balances will be developed to ensure there is fair and transparent decision-making within the new councils.

• A new system of local government finance will be developed.

• A new Education and Skills Authority will be established to focus on the operational delivery of educational services.  It will also be involved in the strategic planning of the schools’ estate and ensuring delivery of the 14 to 19 curriculum.

• The Department of Education will continue to be responsible for education policy and strategy.  Some of the operational functions currently performed by the Department of Education will transfer to the new Authority.

• The Authority will bring together all the direct support functions currently undertaken by the Education and Library Boards, CCEA and the Regional Training Unit.  It will also have responsibility for front-line and related functions currently undertaken by CCMS, NICIE and CnaG.

• The Authority will be the sole employing authority for teachers and support staff which will result in greater coherence and consistency.

• A new Education Advisory Forum will be established which will provide a direct link between education sectors and the Department.

• A considerably smaller and strategically focused Government Department.

• A single Health and Social Services Authority replacing the existing four Health and Social Services Boards to drive performance management of the:  go-live date April 2008.

• 7 Local Commissioning Groups (LCGs) within the Health and Social Services Authority; these will map onto the new district councils and will be demand led by patients and driven by GPs and primary care professionals.

• One Patient and Client Council replacing the existing four Health and Social Services Councils.  

• 18 HSS Trusts reduced to 5 (the Ambulance Service remains as a separate Trust):  

• The remaining 81 public bodies are to be reduced to 54.  This will be achieved in the main by merging bodies or transferring complete functions to local government or central government.  Many of the remaining bodies will have reduced responsibilities through some of their functions transferring to local government.  All of the bodies that remain will be required to work with councils in the community planning process.

• All appointment to public bodies in Northern Ireland are to be made on merit.  For the future, all Board members will be appointed under the guidelines laid down by the Commissioner for Public Appointments.

• To secure greater independence and more streamlined administration, responsibility for the administration of those Tribunals currently sponsored by Departments will transfer to the Northern Ireland Courts Service as part of the new Courts and Tribunal Service.