AQW 15702/22-27

Ms Kellie Armstrong
Alliance Party
Strangford

Tabled Date: 25/09/2024
Answered On Date: 07/10/2024
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister for Communities to detail (i) whether he has received the Northern Ireland Local Government Association recommendations in relation to councillors; and (ii) whether an Independent Panel will be appointed to consider councillor remuneration, in a similar same way the Assembly Commission maintains transparency by appointing an Independent Panel to review MLA remuneration.

Answer:

I have received a report from the Review of Roles and Responsibilities of Councillors Working Group. The Chair and one other member were appointed using the public appointment process. Other members of the group included representatives from the NI Local Government Association; National Association of Councillors; Irish Congress of Trade Unions/Northern Ireland Public Service Alliance, and officials from my Department.

I have not made any decisions yet on how councillor remuneration should be considered.