Modernising Local Government

With the launch of the ‘Better Local Government’ initiative by the Minister for the Environment, North Tipperary County Council commenced rolling out the various strategies incorporated in the initiative in 1999. The primary focus of the strategies was to modernise the manner in which we provide services to the public and to enhance local democracy. This led to the establishment of Strategic Policy Commitees and a Corporate Policy Group and to the re-launching of Area Committees.

Strategic Policy Committees

Four Strategic Policy Committees (SPC) were established by the Council in 2000. Each SPC is comprised of elected Councillors and sectoral (or non-elected) representatives. Each SPC has its own Chairperson (who must be a Member of the Council and is appointed by the Council) and is supported by a Director of Services (a full time official of the Council) and his/her staff. The SPCs meet on a regular basis, as is necessitated by the workload allocated to them.

The role of the SPCs is to formulate, develop and review policies for their respective areas of responsibility. However, the Council retains its function as the decision-making authority and makes the final decision on all matters of policy. It is the responsibility of the SPCs to provide advice and make recommendations on policy matters through the Chairperson of the SPC to the full Council. Reports on meetings of the SPCs are presented to the full Council at the County Council monthly meeting.

It should be noted that while the policy formulation role is central to each SPC, they do not have a role in respect of the day to day operation of the Council or other non-policy matters.

Following the 2004 Local Elections, a review of the SPC structure was carried out and a new SPC configuration was adopted by the Council, details as follows:

Housing Services;
Environment and Emergency Services;
Community & Enterprise and Planning and Development Services;
Transportation, Roads and Water Services;

Corporate Policy Group

The Better Local Government initiative also established a Corporate Policy Group (CPG) for each Local Authority. This Group is comprised of the Mayor as its Chairperson, together with the Chairpersons of each of the SPCs and is supported by the County Manager and the County Management Team. The CPG links the work of the different SPCs, acting as a sort of cabinet and providing a forum where policy positions affecting the whole Council can be agreed for submission to the full Council. It also considers the draft annual budgets. However, as with the SPC, the full decision-making authority remains with the Council. The Members of the CPG also represent the County Council on the County Development Board. The CPG usually meets on a monthly basis, prior to the County Council meeting.

Area Committees

As previously stated, there are four electoral areas in North Tipperary and an area committee has been established for each area – each committee is comprised of the Members of that electoral area together with the Mayor of any Town Council located within the area. Each committee meets on a monthly or bi-monthly basis and is assisted by the Area Manager (each of the four Directors of Services has been delegated responsibility for an area). The primary function of the area committee is to consider local issues and to make recommendations to the full Council with regard to area issues. Reports on area committee meetings are submitted to the next meeting of the Council for noting.

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