Local government reform has reached a major milestone when a key piece of legislation was passed by the Assembly.

The Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill will enable the Department of the Environment to make preliminary arrangements for the reorganisation of local government and pave the way for a smooth transition from 26 to 11 councils. These preliminary arrangements will allow statutory transition committees to be set up. These committees will be responsible for appointing senior officers to the new councils; striking a rate for the new council districts; and developing plans to converge the existing 26 councils to 11. The Bill also allows regulations to be made to provide a severance scheme for councillors who do not stand for election to the new councils.

The Bill is expected to come into operation in March 2010 as the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act (Northern Ireland) 2010.

Read this story in full here: DOE