Policing Board set to continue as normal

The work of the Policing Board in Northern Ireland looks set to be uninterrupted by the suspension of the Northern Ireland Assembly…

The work of the Policing Board in Northern Ireland looks set to be uninterrupted by the suspension of the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Democratic Unionist and SDLP members of the board said they would accept reappointment, and Ulster Unionists were expected to do the same.

Membership of the board formally falls with the end of devolution at midnight, but Northern Ireland Secretary Dr John Reid said he was inviting existing members to continue to provide their "excellent service" to the community and he hoped that they would accept reappointment.

The Policing Board, which holds the Police Service to account and oversees reform, was widely agreed to be "one of the finest achievements" of the Belfast Agreement, he said.

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Unionists say they will remain on the board as long as Sinn Féin does not take its seats.

There is not thought to be any question mark over the continued membership of the board's independent non-party members.