Report of the Local Government Efficiency Review Group

to provide services in the corporate area using a combined pool of staff
could enable savings (see section 6.4 above).
6.8.5 The Group recommends that a saving of 10% on the overall corporate
staffing level should be targeted for local authorities operating through joint
administrative areas. In addition, a 5% reduction should be targeted in
those other local authorities that have relatively high numbers of staffing in
the corporate services area.
6.9 Roads
6.9.1 The roads function accounts for almost 7,000 WTE staff, some 22% of the
entire local government staffing level. This figure varies hugely depending
on the characteristics of the local authority. For urban authorities, it can be
below 10% of staff. In contrast, for rural authorities it can represent as much
as 46% of total staff. Apart from the geographical area and length of road
surface of the county, the staffing profile for roads will be driven by the scale
of the maintenance requirement (driven in part by the nature of the terrain),
as well as the operational policies and service delivery mechanisms
adopted by the local authority (driven in part by the need to use direct
labour). However it is clear from a comparison of the length of road per staff
member that significant variances exist with, for example, Donegal
managing almost twice the length of road per staff member as Mayo (see
Figure 6.11). On this basis the Group suggest that significant efficiencies
can be achieved leading to reductions in the levels of staffing in the roads
function in a number of local authorities.
6.9.2 Further analysis is needed to examine the cost of maintaining roads across
local authorities with a view to establishing unit costs and reviewing staffing
levels and operational approaches accordingly. This exercise would need
to be carried out in conjunction with the Department of Transport and local
authorities. Given that current staffing levels in the roads area vary
significantly, even when allowing for county characteristics, it is reasonable
to demand a significant efficiency dividend in this area. In this context, the
Group considers that a reduction in overall roads staffing of 250 can be
achieved (see section 10.2).
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