IT’S no secret that public services in Northern Ireland are under significant pressure at the moment. The absence of central government at Stormont is having a major impact on all aspects of public service provision whilst external financial pressures such as high inflation are hampering economic growth and impacting local households and businesses.
Local government in Northern Ireland is not immune from these challenges. In recent weeks, councils and elected members have been striking their rates, seeking to find the fine balance between essential public service provision and minimising the financial burden on households and ratepayers, conscious of the existing pressures on families at the moment.
The last three years have also been extremely uncertain, not only internationally and nationally but also locally. The Covid-19 pandemic, exit from the European Union, the collapse of power-sharing at the central government level, and the worst cost of living crisis in a generation have placed an unprecedented amount of strain on public services, households, and businesses.
Despite this, Northern Ireland’s 11 local councils have continued to deliver for citizens on a daily basis. Whether it’s the staple responsibilities of bins, births and burials or the extraordinary support provided to local business and households during the pandemic, local government in Northern Ireland has been and continues to be a constant source of leadership during the most challenging of times.
As we look towards the middle of 2023, and a fresh democratic mandate across our 11 councils, now is the time to capitalise on the collective strength of councils and look to the future with confidence and ambition. Identifying and progressing opportunities to invest in Northern Ireland through initiatives such as City and Growth Deals, Shared Prosperity Fund, and Levelling Up will help generate greater economic growth and prosperity across our cities, towns, and villages.
The Local Government Conference 2023, led by Solace NI and the NI Local Government Association, is an opportunity to bring together the private, public and third sectors in Northern Ireland, to share ideas and best practice on how to lead effective and efficient organisations while delivering high-quality services for citizens.
This year’s conference theme is ‘Responding to Future Challenges’. It’s difficult to think of a more apt theme given where we find ourselves as a society right now.
There is much we can learn from other sectors and leaders to improve our service delivery and ensure that citizens and ratepayers get the greatest value for money in their local areas.
The conference will bring together business leaders, senior civil servants, elected representatives and third sector leaders to explore how we can collaborate better across different sectors and ensure that local government remains innovative, competitive and responsive.
By building on the knowledge and expertise of our partner organisations, we will be better placed to anticipate and address our future challenges and opportunities. Now is the time for local government to be proactive, take risks, influence the strategic direction of travel of the public sector, and lead the change we hope to achieve in Northern Ireland.
The Local Government Conference, led by NILGA and Solace NI and sponsored by the Small Business Research Initiative, will take place on February 23 at the Silverbirch Hotel, Omagh. To sign up, get in touch at events@nilga.org.
:: Roger Wilson is chair of Solace NI and also chief executive of Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council
