Report of the Local Government Efficiency Review Group

• Projects to streamline existing management/ administration
arrangements, including where personnel efficiencies can be achieved;
• Projects to improve economy and reduce inputs (such as projects to
streamline or secure efficiencies in procurement of goods and
services).
11.6.6 Proposals would have to include descriptions of the project, costings of the
proposal and importantly, the likely or potential outputs in terms of efficiency
and in service delivery.
11.6.7 The Group considers that an appropriately represented assessment panel
should be established to select project applications for funding from the
Innovation Fund having regard to a set of criteria to be determined by the
Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government along the
following lines:
Recommendations:
• Scope of efficiency dividend – possible savings to be generated;
• Cost of project/ extent of work by local authority;
• Potential wider application of measures to other programmes of
activity, and to other local authorities or other public bodies;
• Innovation; and
• Joint approach between local authorities and/ or local authorities and
other publicly-funded bodies.
11.7.1 In summary, the Group considers that a number of reforms could be made
to improve treasury management practices within local government,
including securing value for money with banks. The Group also considers
that the statutory requirements on local authorities to regularly place
advertisements in newspapers should be revised to reflect modern
communications tools and online participative methods. At a minimum local
authorities should be able to publish notices in summary form and refer
readers to a webpage for further information. Local authorities should also
reduce the professional fees and payments made to consultants in various
service areas, and make greater use of in-house expertise, of expertise
available in other local authorities on a shared service basis, or from
regional or national sources.
11.7.2 Thus the Group recommends that:
• Regular competitive tendering be carried out for banking services and
overdrafts, and local authorities should use their purchasing power to
procure uniform overdraft rates at national level;
• The best rates available be obtained for investments/ deposits –
markets should be checked regularly to ensure best rates are being
obtained;
• A treasury management best practice forum be established (including
a mentoring system between local authorities geared towards those
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