Vol. 531 No. 2
11 Mr. Deasy asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if, in the context of his plans to appoint full-time mayors of corporations and chairmen of county councils, he will outline their powers; and the way in which they will affect the existing powers of county and city managers. [5132/01]
29 Mr. Deasy asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if he will repeal the Managerial Act, 1942, and return power to representatives of local authorities. [5131/01]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 11 and 29 together.
The aim of the Government is to promote a local government system which is democratically based, strong, relevant, properly financed and working in partnership with the community it serves. The major programme of renewal under way is designed to underpin this objective. The Local Government Bill, 2000, is an intrinsic component of this ongoing process and will inter alia provide the statutory framework for the many initiatives in train and significantly enhance the role of the elected council.
The Bill will provide the council with the necessary framework, support and backup to make, steer and oversee policy development in a consistent way which can address the often difficult and sometimes unpopular choices facing local authorities and will replace the current management Acts. The introduction of strategic policy committees will place members at the heart of policy development from the early stages and involve relevant sectoral interests with proper back up from new directors of service. As each elected member will be represented on at least one SPC and the whole council is the ultimate decision making body, elected members will have the duty and opportunity for in-depth involvement in policy, development and review.
The introduction of a salary type payment and pension arrangements will provide practical support for councillors in this work. Likewise a major training and information initiative has commenced for cathaoirligh and SPC chairs and will soon extend to all members. The Bill provides a key role for the corporate policy group comprising the cathaoirleach and SPC chairs. This will give the cathaoirleach a central role in key corporate policy areas such as the annual budget, the corporate plan for the life of the council and overview of SPC operations. Specifically, the draft budget must be prepared in consultation with the corporate policy group which may avail of outside expertise for this purpose. Similar arrangements will apply in the preparation of the corporate plan. The cathaoirleach in his or her own right has access to all information, may require deferral of executive action by the manager and may convene meetings of the council at any time.
These changes are coupled with new arrangements for counties and cities to provide for a cathaoirleach who is democratically elected by direct vote of the people for a five year term and will thus have the opportunity to act as a real community leader accountable to the council and the community and who can ensure policy prop erly developed and adopted by the council is implemented by the executive. The cathaoirleach with a powerful democratic mandate will chair the corporate policy group and the county or city development board and is in a strong position to bring together the various interests and agencies to promote the economic and social development of the county or city. Experience elsewhere bears this out.
These and other interlinked measures such as improved funding, modern financial management systems, promotion of better efficiencies and customer service along with a range of mechanisms to oversee the direction of local authority business and the operation of the executive will, if taken up and worked fully, provide the opportunity and responsibilities for the elected council to reclaim its rightful place at the heart of local government and local communities in a modern society.
Will the Minister say if the new chairmen or mayors will have more power than the county manager? What current powers will the county managers lose? Will the County Management (Amendment) Act, 1942, be repealed? What will be the balance of power between the new chairman and the elected members of the council?
There will be a counterbalance between the manager and the directly elected members of the local authority in the form of the chairman, who will act in conjunction with the members. Two models can be adopted – the two models are the American one where the elected official directs the chief executive, or this one where a directly elected chairman works alongside the manager ensuring that the decisions of the members are executed.
Written Answers follow Adjournment Debate.
