Regeneration U-turn
The Communities Minister has said that local government will continue to play a “huge” role in regeneration programmes after blocking the proposed transfer of powers to local councils.
The move is the most definitive decision of the regeneration saga and will now not see new powers handed over to councils allowing them to revamp deteriorating town centres, boost local economy growth and support local community groups.
In November last year then Department of Social Development (DSD) Minister Mervyn Storey announced for a second time that plans to distribute regeneration powers to local authorities were to be shelved, at least until the revamp of the Executive departments had taken place.
At the time Storey defended accusations that he aimed to scrap the legislation entirely, stating: “I am still fully committed to the Executive’s reform of local government programme and its transfer of key powers and responsibilities from central Government to councils.”
However, one year on and the new Communities Minister, Paul Givan, has announced his intention to retain the power of regeneration as an Executive function and will not bring forward proposals to extend the power to local authorities during this Assembly term. Givan’s decision has brought criticism from opposition parties, councils and developers, many of whom claim that the decision defies the reasoning behind the restructuring of the council system, which successfully saw them take on responsibility for planning and off-street parking.
Announcing his decision, Givan said that the move was influenced by the creation of new central departments with a broader range of functions and the new approach to the Programme for Government (PfG).
“The new context calls for a new direction of travel. I want my Department to be at the forefront of that change… this is not the time to tinker with who is responsible for what, or to concern ourselves with the splitting up of the regeneration budget. Rather it is the time for all the stakeholders to work together to maximise our joint effect and achieve positive change in the issues that have bedevilled this society for too long.”
Givan has asked the Department’s officials to review extending the Department’s current regeneration programme, limited to towns with populations over 5,000, which he says could “open up new opportunities to lever in much greater investment including that from the private sector and local government to new areas, producing new employment opportunities”.
NILGA, the representative body of all the councils, said that the turnaround will have a “significant impact” on councils and how they can drive economies and sustain communities.
Seán McPeake, NILGA’s President said “Councils are charged with bringing forward local development plans and community plans, setting out a vision for their areas covering housing, accessibility, economic development and neighbourhood improvements yet we have a separate government department holding the powers and £300 million for comprehensive development schemes, land assembly and drawing up master plans.”
Noting that the body will continue to lobby for regeneration powers, he said: “Without this, the role of local government will still be service not place based, in four years’ time. That would be a massive economic and democratic missed opportunity”.
Neighbourhood Renewal Programme
The Minister also announced his intention to review the scheme that has seen an investment of £280 million in deprived areas since 2003 but assured that the current scheme will remain in place until the estimated two-year review is complete.
