Report of the Local Government Efficiency Review Group

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• The ‘off-the-road’ facility allowing car owners to self-declare vehicles as not in use be removed, subject to exceptional and specified circumstances; • The cost of a ten-year driving licence be increased from €25 to €40, and the cost of a replacement licence from €15 to €30. 10.6.20 When implemented in full, the total value of the savings and extra charges identified above is €115 million in a full year. Financial Summary: Through a combination of savings and measures a total of €115 million can be achieved based on the following items 1. Cessation of the ’off-the-road’ facility – €75 million 2. Enabling the online tax renewal of goods vehicles and other vehicles – €2 million 3. Introduction of a €10 handling charge for counter and postal applications – €33 million (but expected to decline over time) 4. Increase charge on driving licences – €5 million Total Amount: €115 million in a full year 142
11.1 Treasury Management 11. Other Operational Efficiencies 11.1.1 There are a number of dimensions to treasury management, including: 11.1.2 Liquidity management is vitally important for the normal flow of any business activities and it is essential to establish the optimum level of short term and long term assets. An incorrect margin may result in financial difficulties, with councils unable to meet needs or being unable to take advantage of investment opportunities as they arise. Maintaining a cash surplus enables a council to carry on normal transactions and avoid treasury gaps. The disadvantage in being too conservative is the opportunity cost, as the return on the cash balance is lower than the return on productive investments. 11.1.3 Operational management in local authorities is largely concerned with optimising the purchase-payment cycle and the income-cash cycle. The prompt payments requirements set a defining boundary on the purchasepayment cycle but unfortunately the same does not apply to the incomecash cycle. Rates and rents account for a significant portion of local authority income. Electronic payments are used where possible, although door-to-door collection has proved to be the most effective in collecting rents from tenants. Specific proposals have been made elsewhere in this report regarding rent collection (see section 10.1). Given current economic circumstances, some rate payers are experiencing difficulties in meeting their obligations. In the light of this, most local authorities agree instalment payments for such ratepayers in difficulty. Receipts from central government have slowed considerably in the last couple of years and, as a result, the income-cash cycle has been expanded considerably. 11.1.4 Banking management in the past has largely been concerned with the procurement of banking facilities and was achieved by competitive tender. All local authorities have a bank reconciliation section and accounts are monitored online on a daily basis to ensure full value date is achieved. The current situation in the banking system – with some banks withdrawing from the market – may result in reduced competition, though this may be offset by the increased relative desirability of local authority business. 11.1.5 Management of surpluses is largely subject to prudential considerations – that is, the overriding concern should be the protection of capital. The local authority model of investment seeks low risk investments. The underlying principle of fiduciary responsibility to the ratepayers and taxpayers is paramount and best value is sought within these parameters. 11.1.6 Exchange rate risk management is of little concern in local authority treasury operations. Local authorities borrow and lend in euro, and they do not have significant foreign exchange exposures. 143
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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
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7.6.3 Local authorities should cons
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8. Shared Services 8.1 Shared Servi
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8.2.6 Many parts of the United Stat
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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
Page 115 and 116: that may arise in this respect as p
Page 117 and 118: the new Housing and Sustainable Com
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
Page 127 and 128: consumption (see also section 9 in
Page 129 and 130: Financial Summary: Through a combin
Page 131 and 132: current levels of resourcing for pl
Page 133 and 134: educe the number of such transactio
Page 135 and 136: Financial Summary: Through a combin
Page 137 and 138: in the trend of rationalisation of
Page 139 and 140: Table 10.1 - Motor Taxation Classes
Page 141: detail in issuing licences. Motor t
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
Page 155 and 156: significant administrative overhead
Page 157 and 158: City Enterprise Boards with county/
Page 159 and 160: suggests that financial incentives
Page 161 and 162: 13. Cost Recovery and Revenue Issue
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
Page 185 and 186: Appendix 2 - Local Government Effic
Page 187 and 188: Gross Current Income by Source and
Page 189 and 190: County Councils Housing and Buildin
Page 191 and 192: 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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