Letter to the Editor

Dear Editor,

 

There is a democratic deficit in local government.  Local councillors do not, individually or as a group, have the full range of powers and responsibilities required to allow them to properly serve the public or their needs.

 

In the early years of the state councils were very powerful organisations with a vast range of responsibilities (much like the system it is modelled on in the UK) but over the years huge chunks of powers have been chipped off and handed over to central government, state bodies and officials.

 

The system of managers for councils was supposed to relieve councillors of having to make day to day decisions and allow them to concentrate on broader policy issues and that is still the "ideal" today.

 

But the truth is that these powers often referred to as "executive functions" have in fact set up a rival power and policy base centred on the manager which is often used to counter or limit the powers and roles of councillors and to push agendas which usually originate from central government policy decisions, such as waste management and rural planning issues.

 

The powers of councillors are still many and powerful but they can be listed in a couple of pages in the councillors' handbook, but the definition of executive powers is "everything else" not written down as a reserved power! 

 

Currently it is proposed to bring directly-elected mayors for cities and county councils but not for town councils such as Ballina, Castlebar and Westport.

 

I passionately believe all towns need one strong voice and the consistent policies that can only be provided by a directly-elected mayor serving a five year term of office.

 

I believe councillors need to have the power to effect real changes in their areas and this requires them to have powers over policing, transport, education and health matters in addition to strengthening their powers over existing council functions.

 

I believe we must strengthen the role of the elected council, in order to provide the citizen with accountable public services. Councillors must have the power to seek accountability from any agency, whether public or private, which is providing public services in their area. Councillors need to have the powers to seek reports from service providers and to question, in public, the appropriate managers on aspects of their service.

 

Councils should have a consumer protection role in relation to private sector services. Private refuse collectors, telecoms, private schools, local rail and airline services, local banks and cable TV providers should be amenable to public questioning by the elected representatives of the people, on their public service remit.

 

We need to give town councils directly elected mayors with a mandate and vision for their town's future, give councillors more powers to effect change and policy and remove the role of officials from policy and let mayors make the day to day decisions based on advice from their officials.

 

For the first time in years there is a move to reform local government and currently submissions are being invited from the public on the above issues.  I would ask all your readers to make a submission to the Dept of the Environment on what they would like to see done about local government before the closing date of July 31^st.

 

Submissions can be sent in to

Green Paper Consultation
Local Government Project Development
Room 2.07
Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government
Custom House
Dublin 1

 

Or emailed to  greenpaper@environ.ie

 

 

Yours sincerely

 

Councillor Keith Martin

Westport Town Council

 

Phone/Fax 098 24852

Mobile 086 0691182