WHAT IS the Government doing about political reform within Local Government? Apart from carry-over decisions involving the amalgamation of Limerick city and county councils and of the councils of north and south Tipperary – to take effect from 2014 – Minister for Local Government Phil Hogan appears to have devoted his attention to funding issues involving charges for homes and septic tanks. Funding local services is of huge importance. But the impetus towards political and administrative reform should not be lost in the process.
Last year, a Local Government Efficiency Review group suggested ways in which savings in excess of €500 million could be made on council expenditures, their cost base and the number of staff employed. It recommended the amalgamation of 20 city and county councils; the transfer of powers involving planning, roads and housing from town councils to county councils; a reduction in staff numbers; and increased powers for the remaining managers. As if that weren’t radical enough, a Fianna Fáil submission suggested all towns with populations below 17,000 should lose their councils because they were inefficient, lacked focus and were “not delivering” for citizens. Larger “town and district” councils would replace them. The previous government accepted the recommendations.
The outcome of the general election has caused political parties to review the positions they adopted at that time. But the necessity to reduce public waste, amalgamate county councils and address the need for town commissioners has not gone away. At a time when a referendum is being planned to abolish the Seanad and save money, it would be hard to argue in favour of retaining town commissioners. The Government may respond that, like the “Bord Snip” report, this review group document should be regarded as an a la carte menu, rather than a definite plan of action. An embargo on public service recruitment will certainly generate savings. But if the Croke Park agreement is to deliver on its potential, structural and political reforms of the kind proposed will have to be implemented.
The review-group report envisaged a reduction of 15 to 30 per cent in the number of middle, senior and top managers as a result of the amalgamation and restructuring of local authorities. Confining change to Limerick and Tipperary will kill off that prospect and ensure an inefficient and wasteful use of existing staff and resources. Many local authorities are in dire financial trouble.
That is likely to worsen in the short term because of a cut in exchequer funding for next year and its replacement by a household charge. The Government’s decision to bring forward plans for a graduated property tax in 2013 may reflect that situation.
To ensure value for money and eliminate jobbery, annual audits of council spending will be conducted and council positions will be filled through the Public Appointments Service.
Such changes are to be welcomed. But they should not distract from the need for comprehensive reform.