成人快手

Super Councils looking weaker!

• Martina Purdy
• 30 Mar 07, 06:53 PM

I have been out interviewing Cllr Arnold Hatch, a vice-president of the Northern Ireland Local Government Association and his organisation is gleeful over the prospect of devolution. That's because they're hoping the DUP and the other parties will convince Sinn Fein to scrap the idea of reducing our 26 councils down to seven super councils. No doubt Sinn Fein will extract some concession for this move (a proposal the party only supported belatedly). Cllr Hatch is already suggesting the Local Government Boundary Commissioner Dick Mackenzie's report has become irrelevant. Mr Mackenzie published his proposals for the names and boundaries of the seven new councils last Autumn and after consulting the public over Christmas and New Year published another report today. He only made modest proposals to change boundaries and in the absence of consensus has not suggested any new names for the super councils. Is Mr Mackenzie sensing it'll be back to the drawing board soon?