Draft Local Government (Payment to Councillors) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2016The Department is seeking views from consultees on the proposed legislation set out in the draft Local Government (Payment to Councillors) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2016 (the draft Regulations).
The aim of the draft Regulations is to update the legislative framework which makes provision for the payment of allowances to councillors under section 31(1), (3), (4) and section 43(2) of the Local Government Finance Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 (2011 c.10 (N.I.)).
The Regulations are divided into three Parts:
- Part 1 deals with citation and commencement of the Regulations, and interpretation of some of the terms used in the Regulations.
- Part 2 deals with a council’s scheme of allowances and details the allowances payable to councillors.
- Part 3 deals with administrative arrangements.
Generally these regulations are required due to consequential legislative changes stemming from the Reform of Local Government, for example references to the Local Government Act 2014 and the new role of councillors in planning. Due to the extent of amendments required to the existing regulations a new set of regulations is proposed.