A LONG-AWAITED report into the cost and benefits of merging the north's councils has been delayed again.
The Department for Communities (DfC) confirmed at the end of last year that it had finally commissioned the review of what was billed in 2015 as 'the biggest shake-up in local government for a generation'.
However, the start of the review was put back due to Covid restrictions, with the department now saying it "should be completed in 2021/22".
One of the key aims of reducing the number of councils in the north from 26 to 11 was to save ratepayers money.
A report at the time by PWC forecast savings of £438m over 25 years.
However, next month's Local Government Auditor's report is expected to show that councils are still spending beyond their means, despite many working at reduced capacity since the covid pandemic.
The collective financial shortfall reported by the auditor last year was more than £100m.
The report also highlighted growing levels of debt, with the the total owed by 11 councils standing at more than £0.5bn.
Ulster Unionist MLA Andy Allen urged the department to complete its review at the earliest opportunity.
"When local government reform was driven through, the public were told that it would be the start of a new era. The public deserve to know what has been delivered," he told the Irish News.
A DfC spokesperson said the period covered by the review had been extended up to March last year to "bring it as up to date as possible" .
