NI election issues guide: Local government
- Published
Northern Ireland goes to the polls on 5 May to elect a new assembly. Browse the parties' key local government priorities below:
Oversee the implementation of the remaining powers to be devolved as soon as possible, including in particular urban regeneration
Monitor the effectiveness of the power-sharing framework
Audit the effectiveness of the new councils' plans for community relations to ensure this vital area is not dropped
Establish a credible register of members' interests and monitor donations from property developers to elected representatives in respect of planning decisions
We support devolving to councils the power and ability to lower business rates in their council area by up to 3%
We will examine the scope for a town centre regeneration challenge fund which local councils and other bodies can bid for to help them develop projects in their towns or high streets to improve social and physical infrastructure
We want councils to work in partnership with the Department of Infrastructure to develop a network of greenways across Northern Ireland
We believe councils should play their part in keeping household taxes low
Transparency in political donations, with the removal of Northern Ireland's exemption from the current legislation. Lower the limit so that all donations over £500 would have to be made public
Requirement to stand a minimum of one third female candidates in assembly elections, with a reduction in the financial assistance for political parties for any party which fails to do this
Lower the voting age to 16 to encourage young people's participation in politics
Increase the level of participative democracy
Introduce gender quotas to guarantee at least 30% female and male candidates
Explore scope for councils to assume additional powers as part of a review of quangos
Ensure councils use general power of competence to develop their role
Empower new district council-led economic development partnerships
The SDLP has delivered real political reform at local government level
We worked to ensure that ratepayers receive nothing less than excellence in public services while minimising the annual rates burden
After years of political stalemate around the Review of Public Administration (RPA) it was the SDLP who finally delivered the new councils and provided for a smooth transition
Despite major cuts to his DoE budget, Mark H Durkan maintained and guaranteed the level of rate support grant given by his department to the less well-off councils
We will fight to ensure that the interests of areas which once had a council don't lose out now that they have been swallowed up into much bigger councils
Ensure no area is overlooked and communities get the funding which they deserve
Many ratepayers who live in areas which traditionally had low rates now find themselves aligned with an area where rates are much higher
All councils should be required by law to fly the union flag on designated days with an option to fly it more often if the council so wishes
Transfer of regeneration powers from Stormont as local councils are best placed to deliver local solutions
Protect ratepayers from having to pay the price of the recent reform of local councils
Speed up the planning process
Keep the rates burden on local homes and businesses to a minimum
Transparency in political donations, with the removal of the exemption for Northern Ireland of current legislation and a move towards lowering the limit such that all donations over £500 would have to be made public
Requirement to stand a minimum of one third female candidates in assembly elections, with a reduction in the financial assistance for political parties for any party which fails to do this
Lowering the voting age to 16 to encourage young people's participation in politics
Increase the level of participative democracy
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Parties listed alphabetically