PRESS RELEASE

29 January 2007

PN 28/06

COMMITTEE REPORTS ON RPA AND RURAL PLANNING

The Committee on the Programme for Government has published its report on the Review of Public Administration (RPA) and Rural Planning.

This is the fifth report on the work that the Committee has been carrying out since November 2006.

The Committee agreed that it would be preferable that the parties should seek to reach consensus on the number of councils required to achieve strong, effective and efficient local government, delivering quality services within a framework of equality, and effective and robust protection for minority rights.

Concern was also expressed that the RPA had not resulted in more significant cuts in the number of quangos and the Committee considers that further reductions should be made.

The Committee also looked at Planning Policy Statement 14 (PPS 14) and rural planning issues and concluded that that the restrictive policies contained within PPS14 should be subjected to a fundamental review. It also calls on the incoming Executive to carry out a review of planning within Northern Ireland.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

The report has been printed as the fourth report from the Committee on the Programme for Government.

If you would like a copy of the report please contact the Assembly’s Information Office on 028 90 521137.

A record of the Committee’s discussions can be found on the Assembly website archive.niassembly.gov.uk

Information about the Committee can be obtained from the Information Officer-

Mr Paddy Price
Information Office
Room B2
Parliament Buildings
Belfast
028 90 521137