The Fire and Rescue Services (Northern Ireland) Order 2006 updates fire services legislation. It gives effect to departmental proposals published in 2004 and follows UK developments enacted in 2004 and regulatory reform legislation enacted in 2005. The legislation establishes a new body, the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Services Board. It provides for the dissolution […]
The Local Government Act (Northern Ireland) 2014 represents the most comprehensive reform of local government in Northern Ireland for over 40 years. Changes are made within the context of local government. The councils and councillors are granted enhanced powers in certain areas. The existing 26 councils are amalgamated and recast into 11 new so-called super […]
Executive Arrangements A council must operate a committee system. The decision to operate executive arrangements or prescribed arrangements must be taken by a qualified majority. The executive system may consist of a committee of the council as a cabinet-style executive; or more than one committee, streamlined committee executive. The chair and deputy chair of the […]
A council may erect nameplates and street names. They may be in English or any other language. It may erect a second name in another language. In deciding whether or not to exercise its powers to name a street in another language, it shall have regard to the views on the matters expressed by the […]
If it appears to a District Council that premises are in a defective state such as to be prejudicial to health or a nuisance, and an unreasonable delay in remedying the defective state would arise by following the procedure in the Public Health Act, in respect of statutory nuisances, it may serve on the person […]
District Councils have powers in respect of noise abatement. They are obliged to calls of district to be inspected to detect anything which ought to be dealt with under noise abatement legislation. Where a District Council is satisfied that noise amounting to a nuisance exists, or is likely to occur or recur in its district, […]
The council must prepare estimates of its income and expenditure annually for the following year. Before a prescribed date, it is to prepare estimates, revise as necessary, and approve them, authorizing expenditure included in the estimate. This is to fix the amount required to be raised by means of a council rate. Expenditure is not […]
Bye-laws Councils may make bye-laws in accordance with legislation for the good rule and government of the whole or any part of a district for the prevention and suppression of nuisances in the district or for any purpose for which bye-laws may be made under any other provision. Bye-laws shall be made under the seal […]
Rates are made annually by the Department and District Council. The departmental rate is a regional rate, and the District Council rate is a district rate. A rate is levied as an amount in the pound for reference to the rate of a valuation. A regional rate is made by the Department and is subject to […]
The Rates (Capital Value) (Northern Ireland) Order 2006 paved the way for a new domestic rating system based on individual capital values from April 2007. The Commissioner of Valuation was empowered to publish the capital value of every domestic property. Ratepayers were given the opportunity to make inquiries and seek an informal review before the […]