With Northern Ireland’s 11 councils going to the polls today the region has been branded ‘uncompetitive and inert’ due to the Stormont stalemate.
Today’s elections will see 462 councillors elected though Northern Ireland’s councils do not have the powers of their counterparts on the other side of the Irish Sea.
Social housing, trading standards, social services, transport, education and street lighting are all areas that are retained at the regional level in Northern Ireland.
Yet, political wrangling over post-Brexit trading arrangements mean the Stormont Government is not currently functioning.
The lack of a Stormont assembly means the British government has imposed a budget for the region, which amounts to a 3.3% cut when allowing for inflation, and this is expected to mean cuts of £800m in public spending.
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