https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/politics/ni-civil-service-more-belfast-centric-than-decade-ago-despite-sf-claims-of-leading-the-way-for-decentralisation/a1913815908.html
The Northern Ireland Civil Service is more Belfast-centric now than it was a decade ago — despite Sinn Féin claims that it was “leading the way” in terms of decentralisation.
The relocation of the headquarters of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) to Ballykelly was heralded as an example of what can be achieved.
However, more workers remain in the old east Belfast HQ than actually work in the new North West building.
Figures obtained under the Freedom of Information (FoI) Act show that 14,900 (53%) civil servants were based in Belfast in 2013, with the proportion rising to 13,749 (56%) in 2023.
Furthermore, when it comes to the highest-paid senior civil servants, 190 (84%) were based in Belfast 10 years ago compared to 230 (86%) now.
The combined salaries of staff based in Belfast is some £429m — almost 12 times that of the next council area.
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The Lisburn & Castlereagh district adjoining Belfast has the second highest number of civil servants with 1,844 on salaries worth £50.8m.
Ards & North Down, again connected to Belfast, is second in line when it comes to senior civil servants with 20 employed there.
Nationalist and republican parties have been most vocal about the need for Civil Service decentralisation, in order to benefit communities west of the River Bann — submitting more than 70 ministerial questions between them.
The SDLP said Executive ministers, including Mark H Durkan and Alex Attwood, had “relocated a number of NI Civil Service staff to the North West”.
Much was made of the transfer of the now Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs’ (DAERA) HQ to a new £16m facility in Ballykelly.
In 2015, former DARD minister Michelle O’Neill said: “The facts that I have moved forestry to Fermanagh, Rivers Agency to Loughry in Cookstown, fisheries to Down and that headquarters is going to Ballykelly, show that I am absolutely committed to delivering on the decentralisation of public -sector jobs.
“We have to see more of that. This will be the first Department to move completely out of the Greater Belfast area, and I want other Departments to also consider such a move when it comes to potential changes in the future.”
In 2016, Ms O’Neill said: “Decentralisation as a whole has been a very positive project, with the headquarters going to Ballykelly, and all the other decentralisation programmes that helped to create a fair distribution of public sector jobs, which helped to rebalance the economy.
“That is something that was taken forward that I can be very proud of.”
However, FoI figures show that far from the whole department moving out of Greater Belfast, only 365 staff moved to Ballykelly, while 540 remained at the old HQ, Dundonald House in east Belfast, as of last year.
The department has a headcount of 3,328 — of which just 10% is based in Ballykelly.
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Former deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness set up an Executive subgroup to address regional economic disparities.
In November 2016, Mr McGuinness said he believed the development at Ballykelly would bring “enormous benefits to people in the north-west, including Coleraine, Limavady and my city of Derry”.
The late Foyle MLA said then First Minister Arlene Foster was in agreement that companies interested in coming to NI “recognise that there is a big world outside Belfast, including the north-west”.
He added: “We are publicly on the record as having stated that. That will very much be a focus of our Programme for Government in the time ahead in terms of the issue of decentralisation.”
Former Sinn Féin MLA and now councillor Michaela Boyle also said the party was is “leading the way on issues like decentralisation”.
An independent review of policy on the location of public sector jobs, including Civil Service jobs, was established in December 2007.
It placed Derry at the top of its list for primary locations to decentralise services, noting its status as the second city, lower than average office rental costs, and a place where the “clustering” of public sector roles could be “more easily achieved” with former military sites Ebrington and Fort George “key development opportunities”.
The Department of Finance said the Civil Service operates a hybrid working policy, enabling people to work closer to home including from Connect2 hubs which are based in Downpatrick, Ballymena, Ballykelly, Bangor, Craigavon and Omagh.
“This is helping to promote the work-life balance and health and wellbeing of our staff. The blend of working from home, the office or a Connect2 Hub means that NICS staff are working across all parts of NI and allows the NICS to have a regionally balanced workforce,” a spokesperson said.
“The Department has an Estate Review in place which will lead to the NICS reducing its office accommodation by approximately 40%, the majority of the reduction is in the Belfast area.”
Sinn Féin MLA Caoimhe Archibald insisted the republican party is “committed to promoting regional equality and this includes decentralisation of public sector jobs”.
“While progress has been made, there is much more work to do to promote regional balance, particularly economically, and to address decades of underinvestment in infrastructure west of the Bann,” Ms Archibald added.
The SDLP said it continues to support decentralisation and figures show “more progress” is needed.
People Before Profit believes “working class people should be standing together to call for proper investment in all areas”.
The DUP, UUP and Alliance Party did not respond when asked if they support decentralisation.
by LoveLaughLarne