Report of the Local Government Efficiency Review Group

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10.4.24 The Group also recommends that the planning-related functions of rating town councils be transferred to county councils. This along with the transfer of other responsibilities should yield cost savings each year (for further details see section 5.6). 10.4.25 There are also potential efficiencies to be gained in adopting a more streamlined and unitary approach to the preparation of development plans and local areas plans across administrative boundaries. 10.4.26 Planning policies for all of the borough councils and 22 of the town councils are spread over at least 2 development plans (i.e. borough/ town council plan and a separate environs plan). There are also examples where spatial planning of the town is dependent upon 3 development plans. 10.4.27 There are efficiencies to be gained if a single plan was to be prepared and adopted at the same time by the respective authorities. For example, evidence suggests that by combining the approach to specialist exercises such as the preparation of Strategic Environmental Assessment, unitary plans in the 22 town councils would save in the region of €250,000 per annum, with further similar savings to come from reduced plan preparation and administrative costs. 10.4.28 A number of other planning authorities (such as Dún Laoghaire – Rathdown County Council and Fingal County Council) are exploring the scope for enabling on-line submission of observations on draft development plans and local area plans, which is estimated to have potential significant savings in planning staff time, as well as more efficient working practices. Recommendations: 10.4.29 In summary, the Group recommends that: • Planning fees be increased with the aim of moving towards full cost recovery over a 5 year period, and maximum fees for large developments be terminated; • A range of efficiency measures be introduced, such as: - Over the counter validation of applications; - Pre-application consultations on demand for significant development proposals; and - Regular information sessions or planning advice clinics; • The introduction of e-planning be accelerated and business process re-engineering exercises be completed to strip costs from the system; • The number of planning staff be reduced by 10%; • The planning-related functions of town councils be transferred to county councils. 10.4.30 The total value of the savings and extra charges identified above is €38 million in a full year. 134
Financial Summary: Through a combination of savings and cost recovery measures a total of €38 million can be achieved based on the following items 1. An increase in planning fees to secure greater cost recovery – €30 million (€15 million in the short term, rising to €30 million after 5 years) 2. An accelerated move towards e-planning and completion of a business process re-engineering exercise leading to reduction in transaction costs, together with a reduction in the number of planning staff by 10% – €15 million in the medium term (once the majority of planning applications are received and processed by means of e-planning processes) (of this amount, €7 million has already been accounted for in the section on staffing) Total Amount: €38 million 10.5 Waste 10.5.1 County and city councils play the primary role in waste management at local level, although many town councils play a specific role in areas such as litter management. 10.5.2 The responsibilities of local authorities in the waste area include: • Waste management planning (usually operating in regional groupings); • Waste prevention and minimisation initiatives; • Recycling facilities and civic amenity sites; • Operation of waste management facilities; • Issuing of waste facility permits and waste collection permits; • Refuse collection (a minority of local authorities only); • Handling registrations or notifications under various producerresponsibility waste schemes (such as for packaging waste, electrical and electronic waste, waste batteries, and end-of-life vehicles); • Litter pollution control; • Environmental enforcement; and • Environmental education and awareness initiatives. 10.5.3 The total budgeted expenditure for waste management services in 2010 by local authorities is €482 million, which includes the operation and aftercare of residual waste facilities whether operated directly by local authorities or by way of contract (e.g. landfill), waste collection services, street cleaning, the provision and operation of recycling facilities, litter management and the discharge of statutory duties including enforcement of waste management legislation. Costs in this area are largely driven by EU and national regulatory requirements and legacy costs, for example associated with landfill remediation. According to figures collected by the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, in early 2010 the number of 135
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Report of the Local Government Effi
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5. Organisational Efficiency Issues
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14. Recommendations 14.1 Recommenda
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associated Government Statement, ne
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more focussed than previously on mu
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ating town councils is largely repr
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• The provision of quality custom
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1.7 Compliance Requirements on Loca
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2.1 National Public Finances 2. Bud
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Figure 2.2 - Total Local Authority
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evenue were needed for the local go
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Figure 2.3 - Sources of Local Autho
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Figure 2.4 -Sources of Local Author
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Figure 2.5 - Local Authority Curren
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Payroll Expenses Table 2.4 - Breakd
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2. Reintroducing domestic water cha
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Income €m € 1,600.0 € 1,400.0
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3. Local Government Experience of E
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maintenance are provided by the cou
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well as reductions in the number of
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4. Context - Looking Forward 4.1 Na
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4.2.6 Aside from keeping costs down
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5. Organisational Efficiency Issues
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statutorily vested in certain ratin
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5.5.6 Roads are classified into nat
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the majority of town councils, a pl
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5.7 Other Local Bodies 5.7.1 A smal
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• County council offices / area o
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Figure 6.1 - Local Authority Staff
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Figure 6.2 - Staffing per 1,000 Pop
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Figure 6.5 - Staffing Per 1,000 Pop
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Cluster Data Cluster Mayo Roscommon
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senior management staff - for examp
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ut this figure varies from 22% to 5
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eplacement with lower level staff w
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Corporate Services, HR, IT, and Fin
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to provide services in the corporat
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Recommendations: 6.11.1 In summary,
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7.1 Local Government Audit 7. Value
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through open recruitment. Opportuni
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the Director and relevant local gov
Page 83 and 84: 7.6.3 Local authorities should cons
Page 85 and 86: 8. Shared Services 8.1 Shared Servi
Page 87 and 88: 8.2.6 Many parts of the United Stat
Page 89 and 90: 8.4 Shared ‘Back Office’ Servic
Page 91 and 92: 8.4.12 For example, recruitment to
Page 93 and 94: approach which will be used to asse
Page 95 and 96: enefits in terms of pooling resourc
Page 97 and 98: while also improving the service fo
Page 99 and 100: Implementation Group suggested in s
Page 101 and 102: 9.2.4 The Local Government e-Procur
Page 103 and 104: forms are now captured online. This
Page 105 and 106: Table 9.1 - Non-Pay Items Procured
Page 107 and 108: 9.5.10 LAQuotes is used by the vast
Page 109 and 110: sectoral level, to promote exchange
Page 111 and 112: 10.1 Housing 10. Efficiencies in Pr
Page 113 and 114: 10.1.9 Two issues arise in this res
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Page 119 and 120: 10.2.6 To date, the emphasis of tol
Page 121 and 122: 10.2.14 The Group also noted the la
Page 123 and 124: • Allocating grants to improve th
Page 125 and 126: 10.3.11 It would also facilitate th
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Page 129 and 130: Financial Summary: Through a combin
Page 131 and 132: current levels of resourcing for pl
Page 133: educe the number of such transactio
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Page 141 and 142: detail in issuing licences. Motor t
Page 143 and 144: 11.1 Treasury Management 11. Other
Page 145 and 146: for the overdraft, has the potentia
Page 147 and 148: • The online Roadworks Control sy
Page 149 and 150: management, etc. Use of professiona
Page 151 and 152: • Projects to streamline existing
Page 153 and 154: 12. Local Government and the Wider
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Page 157 and 158: City Enterprise Boards with county/
Page 159 and 160: suggests that financial incentives
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Page 163 and 164: 13.1.11 The Group considers that th
Page 165 and 166: Minister for Education and Skills t
Page 167 and 168: legislation provides that arrears o
Page 169 and 170: Recommendations: 13.5.1 In summary,
Page 171 and 172: 14.1 Recommendations 14. Recommenda
Page 173 and 174: 25. Financial performance indicator
Page 175 and 176: Housing 48. Housing sections within
Page 177 and 178: Planning monitoring by other public
Page 179 and 180: Local Government and the Wider Publ
Page 181 and 182: that just because these recommendat
Page 183 and 184: Appendix 1 - List of Submissions Re
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Appendix 2 - Local Government Effic
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Gross Current Income by Source and
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County Councils Housing and Buildin
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Town Councils Housing and Building
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Non-Rating Town Councils (1) Paymen
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Regional Assembly Payments Receipts
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Local Authority Current Expenditure
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Town Council Population Size (Censu
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Appendix 5 - Local Government Net B
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Former Town Commissioners 2010 Net
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Appendix 7 - Performance Indicators
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Appendix 9 - Unaccounted for Water
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Appendix 11 - Membership of County
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Report of the Local Government Efficiency Review Group

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