Report of the Local Government Efficiency Review Group

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6.3.6 Staffing in suburban local authorities varies from Clare, with 7.4 staff per 1,000 of population to Meath at 4.3 WTE per 1,000 population (the lowest level in the country). Figure 6.4 – Staffing per 1,000 Population (Suburban Areas), end-2009 7.4 5.6 Clare Limerick Co Kildare Meath Source: Survey of County and City Councils, 2010 6.3.7 Given a national average of 7.6 WTE per 1,000 population, this analysis would suggest that larger local authorities (Clare, Limerick County, Kildare and Meath) have sufficient scale to operate at lower staffing levels. 5 6.3.8 For the remaining 18 counties, staffing levels range from 10.4 per 1,000 (Leitrim) to 6 per 1,000 (Laois). The question of minimum efficient scale needs to be addressed in the cases of Leitrim, Longford and others. This analysis suggests that there is a need to find a means to provide critical mass across county/ city boundaries. The Group considers this further in the context of Joint Administrative Areas (see section 6.4). 4.3 60
Figure 6.5 – Staffing Per 1,000 Population (Other Counties), end-2009 Le itrim 10 .4 Longford 9. 6 9.3 9 8 .7 Ro sc ommon W aterford Co S lig o Tipp Sout h 7 .8 7. 7 7. 6 Monagh an Tip p North Source: Survey of County and City Councils, 2010 6.4 Joint Administrative Areas Cavan 6 .9 Offa ly 6.7 6.5 6.5 6.4 6.2 6.1 6.1 6 6.4.1 As part of any efficiency review, the question of scale efficiencies has to be addressed. This is particularly the case where staffing is concerned, given the high percentage of overall cost for which it accounts. The concept of scale efficiency and the associated concept of the minimum efficient scale relate, in a staffing context, to the principle that there is a minimum staffing requirement to complete a task of a certain scale. Below this scale, the task can be said to be performed inefficiently. Increasing the scale of the task can lead to greater levels of efficiency where staffing levels do not increase proportionately. 6.4.2 In a local government context, tasks can be considered as the services of the local authority, and the concept of scale is currently circumscribed by the boundaries of the local authority (i.e. the maximum scale currently being achieved is the performance of a task at a county level on behalf of all of the structures within the county). However, given the range in size of local authorities across the country, the potential to achieve scale efficiencies varies greatly. Dublin City Council, Cork County Council, and the other larger counties have sufficient scale to enable them to achieve scale efficiencies. However, smaller counties cannot be expected to achieve minimum efficient scale in several areas, regardless of how well they work. This leads to a situation where the staffing per 1,000 of population is very high in several of the smaller counties. It can also lead to a situation where the management overhead being carried is excessive for the volume of work being undertaken. As an example, the Group suggest that the current Carlow Wi cklow Kilkenny Lo uth W estme ath W exford La ois 61
Page 1 and 2:
Report of the Local Government Effi
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5. Organisational Efficiency Issues
Page 5 and 6:
14. Recommendations 14.1 Recommenda
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associated Government Statement, ne
Page 9 and 10: more focussed than previously on mu
Page 11 and 12: ating town councils is largely repr
Page 13 and 14: • The provision of quality custom
Page 15 and 16: 1.7 Compliance Requirements on Loca
Page 17 and 18: 2.1 National Public Finances 2. Bud
Page 19 and 20: Figure 2.2 - Total Local Authority
Page 21 and 22: evenue were needed for the local go
Page 23 and 24: Figure 2.3 - Sources of Local Autho
Page 25 and 26: Figure 2.4 -Sources of Local Author
Page 27 and 28: Figure 2.5 - Local Authority Curren
Page 29 and 30: Payroll Expenses Table 2.4 - Breakd
Page 31 and 32: 2. Reintroducing domestic water cha
Page 33 and 34: Income €m € 1,600.0 € 1,400.0
Page 35 and 36: 3. Local Government Experience of E
Page 37 and 38: maintenance are provided by the cou
Page 39 and 40: well as reductions in the number of
Page 41 and 42: 4. Context - Looking Forward 4.1 Na
Page 43 and 44: 4.2.6 Aside from keeping costs down
Page 45 and 46: 5. Organisational Efficiency Issues
Page 47 and 48: statutorily vested in certain ratin
Page 49 and 50: 5.5.6 Roads are classified into nat
Page 51 and 52: the majority of town councils, a pl
Page 53 and 54: 5.7 Other Local Bodies 5.7.1 A smal
Page 55 and 56: • County council offices / area o
Page 57 and 58: Figure 6.1 - Local Authority Staff
Page 59: Figure 6.2 - Staffing per 1,000 Pop
Page 63 and 64: Cluster Data Cluster Mayo Roscommon
Page 65 and 66: senior management staff - for examp
Page 67 and 68: ut this figure varies from 22% to 5
Page 69 and 70: eplacement with lower level staff w
Page 71 and 72: Corporate Services, HR, IT, and Fin
Page 73 and 74: to provide services in the corporat
Page 75 and 76: Recommendations: 6.11.1 In summary,
Page 77 and 78: 7.1 Local Government Audit 7. Value
Page 79 and 80: through open recruitment. Opportuni
Page 81 and 82: 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
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10.1 Housing 10. Efficiencies in Pr
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10.1.9 Two issues arise in this res
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that may arise in this respect as p
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the new Housing and Sustainable Com
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10.2.6 To date, the emphasis of tol
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10.2.14 The Group also noted the la
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• Allocating grants to improve th
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10.3.11 It would also facilitate th
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consumption (see also section 9 in
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Financial Summary: Through a combin
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current levels of resourcing for pl
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educe the number of such transactio
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Financial Summary: Through a combin
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in the trend of rationalisation of
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Table 10.1 - Motor Taxation Classes
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detail in issuing licences. Motor t
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11.1 Treasury Management 11. Other
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for the overdraft, has the potentia
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• The online Roadworks Control sy
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management, etc. Use of professiona
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• Projects to streamline existing
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12. Local Government and the Wider
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significant administrative overhead
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City Enterprise Boards with county/
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suggests that financial incentives
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13. Cost Recovery and Revenue Issue
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13.1.11 The Group considers that th
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Minister for Education and Skills t
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legislation provides that arrears o
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Recommendations: 13.5.1 In summary,
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14.1 Recommendations 14. Recommenda
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25. Financial performance indicator
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Housing 48. Housing sections within
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Planning monitoring by other public
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Local Government and the Wider Publ
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that just because these recommendat
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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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