The conference, supported by the Forum, was organised by the Institute of Revenues, Rating & Valuation and the keynote speaker was Minister of Finance and Personnel, Sammy Wilson MP MLA who said that the [Northern Ireland] Executive must work together to manage the impact of budget cuts: "My position is clear, we must first maximise efficiencies before asking people to pay more. This means collectively addressing the cost of government, or rather over government, in Northern Ireland, including the number of Departments, Quangos, and not forgetting MLAs."
He said: "Available money must also be used in the best possible way. While much is being done to remove slack from the system, there is also much more there for the taking. £790million is being made available to Departments this year as a result of ongoing efficiency savings. Much more could be available through improving the way public services are delivered, driving efficiency and realising savings." - Link to Press Release.
Other issues discussed included the partnership between local authorities and DFP's Land & Property Services - the agency responsible for mapping, land registration, valuation and rating. Also discussed were the Review of Public Administration and The Economy - the effect of the downturn on the public sector including collection issues.
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Contact Fraser MacPherson, IRRV's Development Manager for Scotland and Northern Ireland.