Dear Minister

Here's an example you can use (but a personal message from you would be much more effective).

I am keen for planning powers to be devolved to local authorities at the earliest opportunity. I believe that in the right circumstances this will render those who make decisions about development more accountable to those who are affected. However, two vital safeguards to ensure public confidence in a transparent planning system are missing from Northern Ireland politics - namely the anonymity of party donors, and the implementation of a binding code of conduct for councillors. Whilst it is the responsibility of the Secretary of State to deal with the publication of donations to political parties, you can halt the transfer of planning control from the DOE to local authorities. Therefore, I ask you to call a moratorium on any devolution of planning powers to local authorities, beyond pilot projects, until such time as the Northern Ireland Office has ended anonymity for donations to political parties. I am also calling for a participative public process of devising both a new system of party political funding, and a binding code of ethical conduct for elected representatives. The Northern Ireland public must be given an opportunity to decide how our political parties are funded, and what we know about who is paying them, as well as being able to hold them to a set of rules about what is acceptable behaviour when holding an elected office. I am also supporting the campaign for the Northern Ireland Office to deliver this important reform to our political system, so that the right political environment for devolved planning powers is in place as soon as possible.

You can contact me by email (preferably - to save resources) or at the following address:

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Friends of the Earth is a collective name for Friends of the Earth Trust, registered charity 281681, company number 1533942, and Friends of the Earth Limited, company number 1012357, both of which may use the above information. In both cases the registered office is at 26-28 Underwood Street, London, N1 7JQ.