Local Government, local development and citizen participation

DRAFT 16/11/00 LOCAL GOVERNMENT, LOCAL DEVELOPMENT AND CITIZEN PARTICIPATION LESSONS FROM IRELAND Jeanne Meldon, Jim Walsh and Michael Kenny 1 1. Introduction........................................................................................................................................3 The value and purpose of participation..........................................................................................3 Defining Participation.....................................................................................................................3 Report Structure...............................................................................................................................4 2. The Local Government System: an overview....................................................................................5 Local Government structures..........................................................................................................5 The role of elected members...........................................................................................................5 The citizen and Local Government.................................................................................................6 Introduction ....................................................................................................................................6 Citizens and Planning.....................................................................................................................6 Case study.......................................................................................................................................6 3. Citizen Participation and Local Governance....................................................................................9 Local Development Structures.........................................................................................................9 Introduction ....................................................................................................................................9 Partnership and participation..........................................................................................................9 Area Partnerships..........................................................................................................................10 Case-study ....................................................................................................................................10 LEADER ......................................................................................................................................11 Case-studY....................................................................................................................................12 4. The Reform Of Local Governmentenhancing citizen participation............................................14 Introduction.....................................................................................................................................14 A new model for Local Governance..............................................................................................14 Strategic Policy Committees.........................................................................................................15 County Development Boards........................................................................................................15 Citizen participation on SPCs and CDBs .....................................................................................17 Case-studies..................................................................................................................................18 Facilitating Citizen Participation..................................................................................................21 Better Delivery of Local Government Services............................................................................21 Introduction ..................................................................................................................................21 Case Study....................................................................................................................................22 5. Local Authority Initiatives...............................................................................................................24 Introduction.....................................................................................................................................24 Local Urban and Rural Development...........................................................................................24 Town and village renewal.............................................................................................................24 Case-study ....................................................................................................................................24 Integrated environmental management – Partnership approaches...........................................25 Local Agenda 21...........................................................................................................................25 Case-studies..................................................................................................................................25 6. Promoting Citizen participation.......................................................................................................29 Lessons learned...............................................................................................................................29 Conclusions ............................................................................................................................... 31 2 1. INTRODUCTION 1The purpose of this report is to provide a guide to citizen participation in local government and governance in Ireland as an aid to fostering best practice in local development. The remit of the local government system in Ireland is to deliver a range of services to the community that it serves, through a democratic system of locally elected councillors. However it is increasingly recognised that development is a multi-dimensional process incorporating quality of life objectives, which can only be successfully delivered through direct participative governance and cross-sectoral partnerships. The guide will discuss citizen participation in local government and governance in Ireland through the use of case studies and examples, set within the context of an understanding of the concept of participation. THE VALUE AND PURPOSE OF PARTICIPATION The issue of participation, or the lack of it, has found its way on to national and international agendas. In many parts of the world, interest in research and development into participatory development approaches is increasing. It is now accepted that citizen participation in local development is the key to the equality, inclusiveness and sustainability of development. DEFINING PARTICIPATION It is impossible to establish a universal definition of participation. An understanding of the concept is often assumed; in practice, development actions are often based on differing perceptions of participation and different perceptions of the level and quality of participation being sought, partly because of the lack of experience of effective participation practice. The literature gives a series of definitions of participation ranging from “token involvement of people”, to, “autonomous decision making by popular organizations at local level” At its most basic, participation is "to take part" - this is very simplistic and implies that everyone is participating at some level in every action. If we are to understand participation we need to explore beyond "taking part" and look to other commentators who have explored the extent and nature to which people “take part”. Platt (1996) refers to the three types of participation of local communities and individuals. These are: - Physical participation - being present, using one's skills and efforts; - Mental participation - conceptualising the activity, decision-making, organization and management; - Emotional participation - assuming responsibility, power and authority Participation can be top-down or bottomup, uniform or diverse, simple or complex, static or dynamic, controllable or uncontrollable, predictable or unpredictable. By introducing professionals, controls, bureaucracy and systems, participation can loose its spontaneity, its flexibility and its 1 3 usefulness. An accurate definition of participation needs to accommodate the complexity inherent in participation and the power relationships that enable or hinder participation. Reversing power is the key to participation. "Putting people first in development projects is not just about organizing people but it means empowering them to be social actors rather than passive subjects and take control over the activities that affect their lives." (Cernea 1985). Participation is generally considered a core value in community development. While community development has for a long time been recognized as a beneficial process, the importance of participation within community development has been inadequately stressed. This is partly due to the lack of a clear interpretation of development, and, therefore, of the key constituents of effective development. The need for a new paradigm to address this deficiency was highlighted by the UNDP in its Human Development Report, 1994. The UNDP's paradigm: "Puts people at the centre of development; Regards economic growth as a means and not an end; Protects the life opportunities of future generations as well as the present generations". The "Third Sector" has been referred to as the innovator of participatory research and development. Third World development approaches have long recognised the centrality of participation not only as a development strategy but also as a development objective. However, in our “developed” societies we have not accepted the importance of participation to the same extent until now. According to one expert in the field of community development, “There is a fundamental redefinition occurring in Irish society...a new vision for the future...happening at the fringes of Irish society rather than at it's centre...at the bottom rather than at the top...more likely to be found in community groups rather than in universities; amongst women than amongst men and amongst voluntary groups rather than in state bodies" (Collins quoted in Reynolds and Healy, 1993, p 103). This shift is being pushed by the empowerment of citizens through local development initiatives, the general increase in awareness and the growth in community based approaches to development which reflects the failure of 'conventional services' to solve problems. The work undertaken in local development in Ireland has provided a laboratory to experiment with varying processes of participation. However, little, if any, critically reflective energy has up to now been invested in identifying the models of good practice. As Ireland moves rapidly into post modernism with the introduction of new “integrated and inclusive” structures for local development planning and management, we may see the dawn of a new highly participative society. REPORT STRUCTURE This report will present an overview of local government and governance in Ireland with an emphasis on citizen participation and models of good practice. Local Government structures together with mechanisms for participation are outlined in Section 2. The local authority system provides a framework for delivery of a range of services ranging from housing through to waste management. The emergence of local development structures outside of the local government system, summarised in Section 3, has illustrated the necessity for direct citizen engagement in the development process. Central government has responded to the challenge with a reform of local government designed to enhance participatory democracy (Section 4) and by supporting area-based local development programmes (Section 5). In addition a number of local authorities have become pro-actively involved in championing local initiatives that are primarily process oriented. Some examples are included in Section 5. Lessons learned are explored in Section 6. 4 2. THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT SYSTEM: AN OVERVIEW LOCAL GOVERNMENT STRUCTURES The Local Government system in Ireland includes the local authorities and the regional authorities. The elected local authorities are the county councils (29), the five county borough corporations (representing the larger urban centres), five borough corporations, urban district councils (49) and boards of town commissioners (30). The members of these authorities are elected by a system of proportional representation, with elections taking place every five years. Each constituency is sub-divided into a number of local areas from within which candidates are elected to sit on the council. The membership of county councils and county boroughs ranges from fifteen to fifty-two. Borough councils have 12 members and urban district councils and boards of town commissioners have nine members. The county councils and county boroughs are the principal agents of public administration with a lesser range of functions coming within the ambit of the other bodies. Town Commissioners have a more limited range of functions than the other authorities. The principal services provided by the local authorities comprise: • Housing and building • Road transportation and safety • Water supply and sewerage • Development incentives and controls including planning • Environmental protection • Recreation and amenities • Agriculture, education, health and welfare • Miscellaneous services Compared to other European states, the Irish local government system is relatively weak with a more limited range of functions and powers. Local authorities have no role in policing, public transport or personal social services. Powers in respect of education, health and agriculture have been severely constrained (Local authorities administer higher education grants; county vocational education committees do not come within the city and county management system). The only social function is in respect of housing. THE ROLE OF ELECTED MEMBERS The functions of local authorities are divided into executive and reserved functions. The reserved functions are performed directly by the elected members and comprise major matters of policy and principle. Such functions include the adoption of annual estimates, borrowing of money; the making of development plans; making, amending or revoking bye-laws; bringing enactment into force and 5 nominating persons to act on other public bodies. Any function that is not a reserved function is the responsibility of the executive. The policy role of the elected members has not been fully realised, partly due to the lack of adequate support systems. THE CITIZEN AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT INTRODUCTION Structures for participation in local government are in a state of flux in Ireland with the recent establishment of Strategic Policy Committees and County Development Boards. These structures are examined in more detail in Section 3 below. In addition, in recent years local authorities have been involved in an increasing number of initiatives involving citizen participation in the delivery of services (see Section 4). Historically, apart from representation through the democratic process, citizens have participated directly in local government through a limited number of committees and through the planning process. CITIZENS AND PLANNING Planning is a significant function of the local authority. Day-to-day planning decisions on individual planning applications are an executive function while the adoption of Development Plans is a reserved function. Under current legislation and structures a draft Development Plan is prepared by the Council Executive and is put before the Elected Members. The Draft is adopted and put on public display for three months, prior to its final ratification 2 by the Council. Opportunity for public participation is largely limited to reaction to the draft Plan. Such involvement may be termed passive consultation. The terms of a new Planning Act (2000) enhance the scope and range of participation for citizens in the planning process. There is now a statutory obligation on the Planning Authority to advertise its intention to prepare a draft plan and to invite comments and submissions. Individuals or community groups or organisations also have a right to make submissions on planning applications. Under the new Planning Act (2000), the manager is required to take into account any objections lodged on planning applications whereas previously they may or may not have been taken into account by the planning authority. Despite the limitations inherent in the current system there are some examples where citizen participation has extended beyond the scope of the regulatory framework thus pointing to opportunities for developing models of good practice for active involvement in the planning process. CASE STUDY CITIZEN PARTICIPATION IN LOCAL AREA PLANNING IN COUNTY CLARE Overview Ballinruan/Crusheen are two townlands five miles from the county town (Ennis) in the MidWestern coastal county of Clare, in the West of Ireland. These rural based townlands have just 2 There are related procedures if the Draft Plan is materially altered as a result of amendments resulting from the public display. 6 fewer than 400 houses. The townlands are characterised by pockets of high population growth and pockets of severe rural disadvantage. There are closed houses and a significant number of houses with single elderly occupants. The local economy is strongly supported by an active working population who travel out of the area for work in Ennis or further afield. The local development council became very concerned that the rural setting of these townlands would be radically altered by the spill-over of housing from Ennis. They feared, from the experience of many other rural communities on the outskirts of fast developing urban centres, that permissions for housing development would be granted without consultation. Because of the concerns of the local group, these townlands were selected as pilot areas for a Clare LEADER (RRD) initiative called the Local Development Planning Programme. The objectives of the programme were: - To engage maximum participation of the community in the drawing up of the plan - To provide relevant training to build the capacity of the community in the formulation and implementation of the plan This programme is an innovative and comprehensive approach to the assessment of needs by communities in rural areas. In 1997 the parish of Crusheen/Ballinruan together with Rural Resource Development (RRD) and Clare County Council came together to formulate a local development plan for the two townlands. The participatory planning process that emerged was very innovative in the context of local development and is a model of good practice on positive citizen participation. Process Following initial meetings the partners in this process proposed to use the ‘house meeting’3 model as a way of jointly assessing needs. The committee planned the process, prepared work sheets, called a briefing evening for house meeting hosts and leaders, oversaw the carrying out of the process and then through a workshop assembled the feedback into a booklet. Sixteen house meetings were held with almost one hundred and fifty people attending. A wide range of occupations and ages were represented. The feedback from the house meetings was very positive mainly because they were friendly and informal. There were high levels of participation. People met as neighbours and friends to discuss the issues that concerned them and expressed a wish to do so again. At a second round of house meetings, nominations were taken for at Steering Committee, made up of stakeholders in the local planning process, to oversee the planning process and to take responsibility for the many aspects of it. This Group, including the volunteer local development grouping, met to agree collaborative actions for more effective partnership in meeting needs and improved the quality of life in those rural communities. Thirty-four people became actively involved in the process. This planning forum met regularly with active participation to develop a local development plan to meet local needs. In the following months, a vision statement and objectives were prepared and the professional planner was engaged to assist with the process. This involved formulating and devising a questionnaire to gather information from the people of the community which, following analysis, would identify the options for project and programme development in the local area. The next stage of the process is underway, at present, to prioritise options from the analysis and it is expected that the draft plan will be available to the general community, for consideration in the near future. During the process, the community was consistently kept informed of progress. This 3 This model builds on the concept of house stations in the west of Ireland. 7 was an important factor in ensuring almost 87% response from all households through a completed questionnaire. Outcomes The house meeting consultative process and the planning forum is deemed to be a very good model of local participation and partnership in planning local development. The planning forum, which continues to meet, is a very open process of two-way information exchange of information from Clare County Council and the local areas. A high level of trust has developed with recognition of the openness and flexibility of Clare County Council planning officials. As the process is ongoing, the outcomes in terms of more acceptable decisions, more effective service delivery and more sustainable local development structures have yet to be proven. An integral component of the Local Development Planning process was the introduction of the capacity building programme Training for Transformation. It has made the difference in building the capacity of community by recognizing their own knowledge and experience and by empowering participants to take action on matters relating to community life. The process is being replicated in the adjoining parish of Feakle and a similar process is underway. The experience of the pilot project in Crusheen/Ballinruan was of huge benefit to all of the partners involved, in this latest initiative, and while some changes have been made to the original process, the overall model and objectives have been adhered to. The entire process has taken more than two years to complete, with huge commitment from both communities. The Local Development Planning model brings the term "partnership" into a new dimension, which allows for participation, consultation and transformation. Source: A Review of Rural Resource Development Ltd. And LEADER II in Clare 1999 8 3. CITIZEN PARTICIPATION AND LOCAL GOVERNANCE LOCAL DEVELOPMENT STRUCTURES INTRODUCTION The emergence of area based local development structures outside of the local authority system has taken place in the context of a growing realisation globally, nationally and locally that to be sustainable, development should bring about not only an improvement in social and physical conditions but it must also contribute to an improvement in the capacity of people and communities to control and sustain those conditions. The limitations of both central and local government systems together with the perceived failure of the statutory agencies to address persistent problems of urban unemployment and disadvantage and of rural deprivation, led to the first pilot area-based local development initiatives in the 1980’s. EU funding mechanisms under the Structural Funds provided the opportunity for further expansion of such initiatives during the period of the first Community Support Framework (CSF) for Ireland, 1989-1993. Sixteen area-based partnerships were established on a pilot basis to tackle long-term unemployment with the support of a global grant administered through ADM (Area Development Management). County Enterprise Boards (CEBs) were established on a pilot basis to promote and support micro-enterprises. In addition under the LEADER 1 Community Initiative, 16 LEADER groups were established in selected areas of the country to promote an area-based approach to rural development. The LEADER II Community initiative covering the period 1994-1999 provided funding for groups on a countrywide basis. Under the terms of the Operational Programme for Local Urban and Rural Development 19941999, further funding was made available to deliver integrated programmes on (i) Local Enterprise delivered through the mechanism of the County Enterprise Boards on a countrywide basis, (ii) Integrated development of designated disadvantaged and other areas to be delivered largely through the Area Partnerships, and (iii) urban and village renewal. These measures were to complement the funding made available through LEADER II. The objective of the Operational Programme was to bring about social and economic development at local level, to involve and to enable local communities to be involved in that development in a formal way and to achieve physical improvements to the environment (OPLURD 1994-1999). The programme recognised the role which local initiatives can play as a catalyst for local economic, social and environmental development and the importance of locally based measures to complement the national approach. For example, the role of the County Enterprise Boards is to develop indigenous potential and stimulate economic activity at local level, through the provision of financial assistance and technical support for the development of micro enterprises undertaken by individuals, firms and community groups and support the creation of an enterprise partnership at local level between the social partners, financial institutions and local communities that had not been achieved at local government or statutory levels. PARTNERSHIP AND PARTICIPATION Significantly the Operational Programme acknowledged the particular importance of direct 9 - Simplicity The functions and roles of bodies at local level should be clear-cut & simple as feasible; - Thematic and area-based approaches The two should be combined for maximum affect; - Voluntary effort Existing voluntary effort should be retained and harnessed; - Local Government Must become participative as well as representative; - Linkages with other programmes Including the delivery of EU programmes - Value for money The recommendations of the Task Force led to the establishment of County Development Boards with effect from 1st January 2000 as part of the integration process between local government and local development at county level. The composition and functioning of the Boards is intended to reflect the set of principles set down by the Task Force. These boards will replace County Strategy Groups, which previously had a limited coordinating role for some local services. The primary functions of the CDBs will be to draw up a comprehensive strategy for economic, social and cultural development within the county and to oversee its implementation. It is envisaged that CDBs will have a particular role in ensuring co-ordination of local service delivery. The CDB will develop a vision at local level to encompass various local and sectoral plans; provide the focus for co-operation on a continuing basis at county level in the work of the various agencies, promote co-ordination and by bringing together the various interests, seek to maximise the effectiveness of spending on programmes and projects at local level included in the National Development Plan. The recently appointed Directors of Community and Enterprise have drawn up a register of community and voluntary organisations in their areas interested in participating in the Board and its support structures. Voluntary and community groups from a range of sectors including community or rural development, conservation, culture, heritage, Gaeltactht, community infrastructure or the environment, recreation, disadvantage, disabled and others were invited to register with the County Council in order to join a Community and Voluntary Forum for each electoral area from which representatives have been nominated to the Boards. As Table 1 illustrates, the different local partnerships (ADM Partnership Companies, LEADER companies and CEBs) are all represented on the Boards. For the first time the community and voluntary sector is being supported to fulfil its role as a social partner at local level (see case study Meath CDB). One of the central tasks of the CBD is to draw up a strategy for economic, social and cultural development within each county/city area. The strategy which is due to be finalised by January 2002 will be an agreed framework of overall objectives and targets into which relevant plans can fit and not a detailed sector-by-sector plan. Responsibility for the delivery of detailed sectoral plans will remain with the relevant partners, including sectoral agencies and Partnership companies. 16 Table 1 County Development Board Typical Membership Structure Sector MEMBERS Local GOVERNMENT • SPC Chairs • Cathaoirleach • County /City Manager • Urban Representative LOCAL DEVELOPMENT Two representatives from each of the following types of local development bodies: • County Enterprise Boards • LEADER Groups • ADM-supported Partnership Companies & Community Groups STATE AGENCIES Representatives of state agencies active in the area as appropriate: including Heath Board, FAS, VEC, Teagasc, Enterprise Ireland, IDA, Udaras na Gaeltachta, Dept. of Social, Community & Family Affairs and the Regional Tourism Authorities. SOCIAL PARTNERS • Employers and Business Organisations (1) • Trade Unions (1) • Agricultural & Farming Organisations (1) • Community & Voluntary Organisations (2) In addition to the involvement of the Board itself in the preparation of the strategy, ad hoc working groups covering a variety of themes as appropriate to particular counties, such as social inclusion, adult learning, rural transport, tourism, spatial planning and others will be set up to facilitate consultation and participation in the process of preparing the county strategy. These groups will include community representatives. CITIZEN PARTICIPATION ON SPCS AND CDBS Introduction The Better Local Government Programme referred to above, seeks to enhance the electoral mandate within local Government by strengthening the corporate position of elected members through the formulation of a restructured committee system, namely Strategic Policy Committees (SPCs). The proposed new system acknowledges that elected representatives should be engaged at an early stage in policy formulation. It also seeks to broaden involvement in Local Government through the participation of a range of sectoral interests. The Department of Environment and Local Government issued guidelines in November 1997, setting out a framework within which each local authority should devise and establish an appropriate SPC structure. 17 The intention is that SPCs should: • Assist the Council in the formulation, development and review of policy • Reflect the major functions or services of a local authority within a broader context The SPC system is intended to give councilors and relevant sectoral interests an opportunity for full involvement in the policy-making process from the early stages, when policy options are more fluid. SPCs can provide advice/reports etc. directly to the Council on matter within their range of responsibilities or on related issues, either their own initiative or as decided by the Council. In terms of citizen participation the most important sectors represented on the SPCs and CDB are the public representatives and the representatives of the community and voluntary sector in the county. This process was the first time that the community and voluntary sector were, as a matter of government policy, being invited as full partners to participate in strategic planning at county level. It was also a very significant step in enhancing citizen participation and, hopefully supporting representative democracy with participative democracy. CASE-STUDIES DUN LAOGHAIRE-RATHDOWN STRATEGIC POLICY COMMITTEES Dunlaoghaire-Rathdown is located to the south of Dublin city along the coast and is a largely urban area with Dunlaoghaire Borough at its core. It extends into the foothills of the Dublin Mountains. Structure and Membership of SPC's Dunlaoghaire-Rathdown County Council has established five committees to cover the following areas of policy: Culture, Community Development and Amenities; Environment; housing; Economic Development and Planning; and Transportation. Each committee is chaired by a Councillor and typically has eleven councillors representing the local government sector, one representative from each of the farming, business/commercial sectors, two community/voluntary/disadvantaged sector representatives and one to three from environment, conservation/cultural interests as appropriate. Formation & Constitution of SPCs: election of Community Representatives A first round of Strategic Policy Committees was established in 1998/1999. The committees were reestablished in 2000 following the issuing of new guidelines by Government. The Council undertook consultation with the community to fill the places on the various committees. For the initial round the Council undertook the following consultation process with the community: • Contacted organisations that they are aware of • Placed public advertisements inviting applications • Held public meetings • Employed independent facilitators for selection meetings For the second round the Council: • Wrote to all those that attended previously • Contacted over 300 groups on the County Development Board mailing list • Attended the Community Platform (which represents the community and voluntary sector) While the election of community representatives was the responsibility of the organisations, the Council specified a number of sub-sectors that they wished to have represented on the relevant SPC 18 such as: • Sport • Residents/Other • Youth • Travellers • Disability • Environment/culture Each sub-sector through a facilitated election process elected a nominee(s) to the relevant SPCs. There were in total seven community/voluntary/disadvantaged sector representatives elected to the committees. A total of 104 community/ voluntary/disadvantaged sector groups responded to the process. It is the responsibility of each of the sub-sectoral representatives to provide feedback to the groups within their sub-sector. The council will facilitate this process through the provision of a mailing list and of a venue should they wish to meet with the groups within their sub-sector. Training is being provided to the SPC members on how the Local Authority works. Further training will be organised nationally by central Government to cover areas such as consensus building, teamwork, the nature of decision-making, etc. The SPC's have only met once so far at an informal plenary meeting. The first formal meeting is to take place next month. It is therefore not possible to measure the outcomes of the process. However some of the SPCs during the first round had made recommendations to the council, which were adopted and resulted in changes, been made. COMMUNITY REPRESENTATION - MEATH STRATEGIC POLICY COMMITTEES & COUNTY DEVELOPMENT BOARD This case study will detail the process of selecting and electing of representatives form the community & voluntary sector in County Meath to participate in the allotted positions in both the SPCs and CDB. Process The first step in selecting community & voluntary representatives was to inform and consult the community & voluntary sector in County Meath regarding local government reforms and the opportunity for their participation. This task was undertaken by the newly established office of the Director of Community & Enterprise in County Meath. This is a local authority contract appointment. A public information meeting targeted at all those groups and individuals’ active in the community and voluntary sector in County Meath was called in mid February 2000. At that meeting it was agreed that the following process would be utilised in relation to the establishment of the County Meath Platform for the Community and Voluntary Sector and the selection of representatives to sit on the Meath County Development Board (CDB) and the four Strategic Policy Committees (SPC’s) to be established by Meath County Council: • Registration of all community & voluntary sector groups for the purpose of making a nomination(s). A set of criteria to determine those eligible to register was agreed. • Nominations for the positions on the CDB and SPCs were invited according to agreed 19 procedures. Nominations were submitted to the office of the Director of Community & Enterprise by an agreed date. • At the first meeting of the newly formed County Meath Platform for the Community and Voluntary Sector nominees were invited to speak for 5 minutes on their reasons for going forward and what they would bring to the role. The meeting also facilitated a roundtable of nominees to discuss issues. • A second meeting of County Meath Platform for the Community and Voluntary Sector was called to ratify the nominations and agree the voting process. • Ballot papers were prepared by Meath County Council officials and were sent to all registered voting groups registered to the County Meath Platform for the Community and Voluntary Sector and the office of the Director of Community & Enterprise. • Meath county council officials officiated at the voting process that was held in conjunction with the next meeting of the County Meath Platform for the Community and Voluntary Sector. Voting was conducted according to the proportional representation system and results were announced that night at the meeting. • Elected candidates met as a group with an external facilitator to clarify roles, to determine a collective process and to agree priorities. A process of feedback through the County Meath Platform for the Community and Voluntary Sector was agreed and a support mechanism for these voluntary elected representatives proposed. Outcomes The process was implemented as agreed and proved both effective and educational. As an outcome, the platform is established and nine people from the community and voluntary sector have taken their places on the SPCs and CDB. They are working as a team and have the platform as their forum within the sector to consult on an on-going basis. The inaugural meetings of the CDB and the SPCs were held and work is ongoing. The feedback from the information dissemination process, the nomination process, the election process and the team working of the elected representatives was very positive. However it still remains for the effectiveness of the community & voluntary sector representatives on the board of the CDB and SPCs to be demonstrated. Equally the effectiveness of the feedback mechanism to the County Meath Platform for the Community and Voluntary Sector, and the effectiveness of this platform, has still to be proven. It must be noted that the above process marks a significant step forward in terms of citizen participation, particularly citizen activists in the community & voluntary sector, because: • It is the first time that the community and voluntary sector has been recognised officially as a key partner in local development at county level • It is the first formal organisation of activists in the community and voluntary sector at county level • It is the first integrated representation of the community and voluntary sector on the strategic planning committees of the county • It is the first time that the local authority has committed to providing resources to support the organisation of the community and voluntary sector at county level. This process is a strategic recognition of the learning and work achieved through local development organisations in Ireland over the last decade and the impact of the EU funding to strengthen the community & voluntary sector 20 It is also the first applied recognition of the role and relationship of participative democracy side by side with representative democracy, and it is the first real challenge to the community and voluntary sector to participate fully and equally with the social partners, public representatives and the statuary sector in the preparation of, and consequent delivery of, a detailed strategic document for the integrated development of the whole county. FACILITATING CITIZEN PARTICIPATION A number of issues need to be addressed to ensure that community representatives will be able to participate fully. The level of readiness to participate in such structures varies significantly with some representatives well used to dealing with state agencies in the course of their work while others have no such experience and feel over-awed by the process. Gaps exist in the level of knowledge of how the local authority works. In the view of a local government official, the Strategic Policy Committees offer potential for enhanced citizen participation but it is expecting a lot from voluntary people to contribute to complex issues such as social housing, planning, etc. especially as less and less people are willing to volunteer. The training referred to above will help to overcome some of these barriers. There is also a resource issue for community representatives because of the time input involved for members representing a voluntary committee that would not have either the financial or administrative resources to support that person. Holding meetings in the Council Chamber is an issue for some. This is regarded as councillors’ territory and some of the other sectors feel at a disadvantage. The degree of acceptance by other sectors of the involvement of the community sector varies from potential opportunity to intrusion. BETTER DELIVERY OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT SERVICES INTRODUCTION The development of new structures to enhance citizen participation in local government and to aid the integration of local development systems has to be accompanied by new and innovative measures to improve the delivery of local services. In order to improve the delivery, a number of local authorities have embarked on a decentralisation programme to bring services, which require direct contact between citizens and staff closer to citizens. For example in Donegal, six new council offices are planned with three already built. In the case of Donegal, the new offices will be staffed by the appropriate personnel actually dealing with the service involved – such as planning, motor tax, waste collection, connection to water services, etc. It is envisaged that staff working at local level will be delegated to take decisions in respect of certain functions. Space is being provided in the new local offices to accommodate area based staff from local development agencies including LEADER companies, Partnership Boards, County Enterprise Boards and Community information Centre Services. 21 CASE STUDY ENHANCING DELIVERY THROUGH INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY & ONE-STOPSHOPS IN COUNTY MEATH Background Meath County Council is committed to citizen access to all activities of the county council as a means of sustaining local development, of encouraging effective interaction with citizens and as the most efficient method for decision-making. The County Council has developed a strategy to decentralise access to information and decision making to the local electoral area level through “One-StopShops”. Information technology (IT) is central to this process. With central government support Meath county Council initiated a strategy to open an integrated local authority service point or “OneStop-Shop” in each electoral district, supported by a roll out of accessible information provision through various technologies. To support this initiative, Meath County Council commissioned a report in February 1998 to devise a model for quality public service delivery in the North Meath area, served by the town of Kells. The consultants were asked to review the perceptions of people living in North Meath regarding public service provision, to consult state agencies regarding their method of service delivery and to propose a “One-Stop-Shop” model for enhanced and sustainable public service delivery to the area. This report identifies the possibilities for citizen participation through IT and is an excellent practical document to guide the planning and implementation of a rural based “One-Stop-Shop” for the delivery of public service and local information/services. The report notes that the development of a local IT service centres, or “One-Stop-Shop”, provided an opportunity to define services according to the needs of the community. Rather than just a new office location providing the same services that were always available, it could provide the opportunity to develop a valuable resource centre and a forum for ongoing assessment and coordination of local services. The consultation process showed a readiness on the part of service providers and the community to work towards such an area-based public service delivery approach. The report made the following recommendations. • An inter-agency committee is established to set up the “One-Stop-Shop” with full IT facilities • An inter-agency forum is established to look at and develop models of integration of public service delivery in areas such as joint needs assessment, consultation and strategic planning • Service provision agencies should adopt a common planning process, producing five year public service plans based on a common and integrated assessment of needs in each local area • A partnership model (public agencies, social partners and community representatives working together) for public service delivery be adopted at area level, through a “One-Stop-Shop”, and then at local community level based on an area plan • The “One-Stop-Shop” be established as a single point of contact in a central location for the integrated provision of general and specific information on public and local services with a follow-up targeted referral service • To facilitate networking, joint training days be arranged for staff from all agencies to increase awareness of each agency’s focus and services • Staff from all agencies to attend customer care courses together. • That IT provides the most useful cost effective tool for need monitoring, remote consultation and integrated service delivery. 22 The follow on to the report demonstrates the difficulty in responding to the challenges of IT for citizen participation in service delivery. These include: • Inaccessibility and lack of familiarity of IT with the average citizen, but particularly among those most excluded • The lack of familiarity among service agencies with IT as a medium of service delivery • The individualised nature of statutory service providing agencies • The cost and inconvenience of shifting from the familiar model of service delivery to the less familiar outreach/one stop shop/IT model of service delivery. Actions & Progress In tandem with the report Meath County Council is implementing a phased process of setting up local authority “One-Stop-Shops” in each local electoral area. These “One-Stop-Shop” centres will have a state of the art IT infrastructure to support local citizen participation, full transparency of information and empowerment of decision-making. This initiative by Meath County Council is a clear indication that the local authority expects other state service providers to follow this lead and deliver integrated services locally. Meath County Council has opened a “One-Stop-Shop” in two electoral areas in County Meath in the last year. In both centres all feasible efforts are being made to decentralise decision-making and to maximise public access to information. Initiatives are underway to improve communication systems for local authority staff working out of the “One-Stop-Shop”. However, when compared to the report recommendations, much more needs to be done to enable greater citizen participation. Some of the action areas yet to be developed include: • Dialogue with statuary providers of targeted services, e.g. services to those with disabilities • Dialogue with private sector service providers, e.g. transport providers • Dialogue with community and voluntary groups to increase impact, e.g. access to most marginalised • Dialogue with citizens through participative fora and panels to determine needs and most appropriate means of delivery • Greater use of IT public assess points for information access • Greater use of public notice boards • Awareness and training of local authority and public service agency staff on the use of IT • Increased familiarisation of IT among the public Concurrently, the establishment of the County Development Boards are ‘encouraging’ all sectors in Meath to co-operate in developing integrated models of service delivery. Furthermore, the establishment of a county level community and voluntary sector platform and local electoral area community and voluntary sector for a will provide the fora to optimise interaction with community organisations. The CCDB process together with fully resourced “One-Stop-Shops” could help to ensure universally equitable access to public services, using the most appropriate technology. 23 5. LOCAL AUTHORITY INITIATIVES INTRODUCTION Local authorities in Ireland have been involved in a number of initiatives, some stimulated by EU funding mechanisms such as the town and village renewal scheme, others by the Local Agenda process such as the Cork Environmental Forum which have provided the opportunity for a more participative approach to the delivery of local services. Other initiatives have developed from local authority and community co-operation set within a Local Agenda 21 context and facilitated by funding sources that included the LIFE programme, the EU financial instrument for the environment. Two examples of such projects that directly involved local authorities were the Beatha eco-label project and the Bantry Bay Charter. LOCAL URBAN AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT TOWN AND VILLAGE RENEWAL Under the measure for town and village renewal, included in the sub-programme on Local Urban and Rural Development which was part of the CSF for Ireland 1994-1999 (see also Section 3 above), schemes were drawn up in consultation with local communities for renewal of town and villages in many parts of the country. Through consultation between Council officials and councillors from each electoral area, parish councils, local development groups, chambers of commerce, social and community service organisations, priorities for each town or village were negotiated, the local infrastructure was improved and renewal and regeneration measures were put in place. The extent of the participative process involved varied from one local authority to another but the better-managed schemes serve as useful models of community involvement in the delivery of local improvement schemes and as prototypes of a more participative approach for the preparation of Development Plans and planning schemes generally within local authorities. CASE-STUDY WESTMEATH URBAN & VILLAGE RENEWAL SCHEME 1994-1999 In Westmeath local council members selected a number of towns and villages from those that met the requirements, to participate in the scheme. When approval was received for the selected towns and villages Westmeath County Council promoted the schemes by a range of methods including notices in local newspapers, newsletters, public meetings and local radio. In addition direct contact was made with local groups such as Tidy Towns by local councillors and area engineers particularly in the case of the Village Renewal Scheme to encourage them to be involved in the implementation of the scheme. The timescale for preparation of plans and implementation of the scheme limited the opportunity for public consultation. Examining the level and nature of the citizen involvement within the scheme in Westmeath a mixture of feedback was received. Some felt that the timeframe for the preparation of plans was too tight to allow for any real consultation from the public. On the other hand some groups were very happy with the level of consultation and involvement they had throughout the scheme. The level of satisfaction or otherwise with the consultation was to some extent determined by experience in local participation, commitment to the process as well as the workload of the 24 County Council staff involved. During the course of the implementation of the Programme, the Council became increasingly aware of the value of working with the local community in designing and implementing the Scheme within the selected towns and villages. Thus those communities involved at a later stage in the process tended to have a more positive experience of working with the County Council. In parallel with the Urban and Village Renewal Scheme the Westmeath LEADER group was working with local communities and Tidy Towns Groups in developing Village enhancement plans. These actions fed into the scheme and also gave the local community the confidence and resources to work with the County Council. Through involvement with both the LEADER Programme and the town and village renewal scheme, the local communities became more aware of the Local Development process, how Local Government worked and how they could have a role in the enhancement of their own town or village. This awareness was also created by groups networking and through newsletters. Westmeath County Council has also become more conscious of the local development process and the long-term value of encouraging and assisting citizen participation and ownership in the work it does. Some staff felt that they need more training to assist them in working with local communities in order to allow them to work more effectively to encourage community participation and ownership in the development of local areas. INTEGRATED ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT – PARTNERSHIP APPROACHES LOCAL AGENDA 21 Agenda 21 is a blueprint endorsed by over 150 countries at the 1992 UN Conference on environment and development in Rio de Janeiro for how the nations of the world can work individually and collectively towards sustainable development. Sustainable development is not just about environmental protection; it is also concerned with the quality of life, with equity, including the distribution of resources, and with the interactions between environment and development. Local Agenda 21 is part of the process of defining and articulating sustainable development at a local/regional level and identifying how it can best be achieved. Consultation and consensus building are essential elements but local authorities may choose different means to develop the process. Sustainable development can only be brought about through cooperation and partnership between different interests and groups in society. CASE-STUDIES CORK ENVIRONMENTAL FORUM The Cork Environmental Forum was established by Cork County Council early in 1995 as a crosscommunity based initiative to foster, promote and implement sustainable development within the Cork region under the auspices of Local Agenda 21 and in accordance with the broad objectives of and the European Union Fifth Action Programme on the Environment, Towards Sustainability. The Forum includes representatives from a range of sectoral interests including community organisations and statutory agencies. Meetings and workshops take place about every six weeks at various locations around the county and are open to all interested parties. 25 5. Models of best practice in optimum participation need to be integrated into local structures regularly. 6. Real citizen participation requires a change in culture among formal organisations and a change in expectations among citizens. 7. Levels of citizen participation need to be graded from minimum involvement to a full sense of ownership. 8. Real participation processes require a commitment of resources from all sections to make all participants stakeholders. 9. Citizen participation is not just a change in structure or the introduction of new structures. Real citizen participation is an integrated way of working. 10. Citizen participation needs to achieve demonstrable outcomes that motivate all stakeholders to maintain their commitment to participation. Most of the structures that have been put in place in Ireland are too recent to be able to fully evaluate their impact. Many other innovative initiatives have been of a temporary pilot nature and have not been subject to full evaluation of either methodology or outcomes. Even where the process is clearly of value the initiative cannot make a lasting contribution to enhancing participation unless a decision is made to mainstream and to provide on-going funding. Monitoring and evaluation of both local development initiatives and local government structures is required to ensure that the participative process is inclusive and that the outcomes will make a difference. 32 Case study sources include A Review of Rural Resource Development Ltd. And LEADER II in Clare 1999 Bantry Bay Coastal Zone Charter, Bantry Bay Charter LIFE project, 2000 Web: hhtp://www.ucc.ie/ucc/research/crc/life.html Cork Environmental Forum Web: http://www.corkenviroforum.com References Area Development Management Ltd.(ADM) , 1996, Local Development Strategies for Disadvantaged Areas: Evaluation of the Global Grant in Ireland (1992-1995) A Report prepared by Trutz Haase, Kieran McKeown and Stephen Rourke, Feburary, 1996. Cernea, M.M, 1985. Sociological Knowledge for Development Projects, in Putting People First: Sociological Variables in Rural Development. Oxford University Press. Collins, T. 1988. Community Enterprise: Participation in Local Development. 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