Kildare Local Authorities Corporate Plan 2009–2014
Making
Kildare the Place: to
live, to learn, to work, to visit and do business
Foreword
This plan is one of a series of documents setting out aims and principles that will inform the activities of the Kildare Local Authorities over the period 2009-2014. Its focus is on the ways in which services are to be developed and delivered, and it will be supplemented by detailed annual business plans, budgets and sets of performance indicators. As well as guiding the authorities, it will make local government more transparent, relevant and accountable by offering citizens an opportunity to assess the level of service given by local councils and encourage active citizenship.
The delivery of local authority services takes place in a complex and ever changing environment. Local authorities are political organisations with legally defined structures. They are funded from multiple sources, they operate within a legislative framework and are subject to guidelines and policies that are determined at European, national, regional and local level. They are accountable to the community, their own governing bodies, the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, the Local Government Auditor, the Comptroller and Auditor General, the Ombudsman, the Information Commissioner, the Data Protection Commissioner and the courts.
Their local nature makes them accessible to citizens and their public consultation processes ensure that the community has a clear influence on what they do. They co-operate with national government, other public agencies and local communities in providing a range of services for the public benefit. In County Kildare, these services have a current annual monetary value of ?275 million, but their continuing contribution to economic and social wellbeing is worth very much more than the financial cost of all services.
The delivery of these public services must be undertaken in a planned and structured way, and so this document is a necessary part of the local authorities’ duty to the public. It can, however, serve another useful purpose by providing citizens with a means to understand, assess and participate in the process of local government.
We welcome such participation as an essential element for the delivery of good public services.
Mission
Statement
Making
Kildare the place-
-to
live
-to
learn
-to
work
-to
visit
-to
do business
Foundations
The functions of a local authority as set out in law are -
(a)
to provide a forum for the democratic
representation of the local community, . . .and to provide civic leadership for
that community,
(b)
to carry out such functions as may at
any material time stand conferred on the relevant
authority . . . ,
(c)
to carry out any ancillary functions.
. . . , and
(d)
to take such action as it considers
necessary or desirable to promote the community interest
Local
Government Act 2001
(Section
63)
Local
Government in Context
Main Service Areas by Sector
County Manager
Transport and Public SafetyRoad Design,
Construction and Maintenance for Non National Roads, National Roads Design Office, Road Safety, Traffic Management, Public Lighting, Surface Water Drainage, Fire Services, Civil Defence, Health and Safety
Housing, Community and Culture
Local Authority Housing, Housing Supports, Architectural Services, Traveller Settlement, Leisure and Recreation Services, Libraries and Arts, Service to County Development Board, Monitoring County Strategy, RAPID Programme, Community Development and Participation
Planning and Economic Development
Forward Planning, Development Control, Planning Enforcement, Building Control, Heritage and Conservation, Tourism Development, Business Parks, Economic Marketing and Promotion
Corporate and CulturalAffairs
Service to Councillors, Service to Citizens, Franchise and Elections, Education Grants, Motor Taxation and Driving Licences, Finance, Human Resources, Information Technology, Internal Audit, Consumer Protection, Risk Management
Water Services and Environment
Water Supply, Wastewater Treatment, Flood Alleviation, River Basin Management, Waste Management and Pollution Control, Environmental Awareness, Enforcement, Burial Grounds, Derelict Sites,Veterinary Section and Animal Control
Naas Electoral Area
Councillor
Anthony Lawlor: Fine
Gael,Contact
Details: 045
877660/087
2753942
Councillor
Darren Scully: Fine
Gael, Contact
Details: 086
3860955
Councillor
Paddy MacNamara: The
Labour Party, Contact
Details: 045
896590
Councillor
Seamie Moore: Non-Party, Contact
Details: 045
879241/087
2497813
Councillor
Willie Callaghan: Fianna
Fáil Contact
Details: 045
875565/086
2341009
Kildare Electoral Area
Councillor
Fiona O’Loughlin: Fianna
Fáil, Contact
Details: 045
436792/01
8691663/087
2345160
Councillor
Francis Browne: The
Labour Party, Contact
Details: 045
526934
Councillor Micheál
‘Spike’ Nolan: Fine
Gael, Contact
Details: 087
3296900/045
486881
Councillor
Paddy Kennedy: Non-Party, Contact
Details: 045
433310/086
1705199
Councillor
Suzanne Doyle: Fianna
Fáil, Contact
Details: 045-521046/087-9521232
Councillor
Tony O'Donnell: Fine
Gael, Contact
Details: 045
533803/087
9081649
Athy Electoral Area
Councillor
Mark Wall: The
Labour Party, Contact
Details: 059
8634530/059
8632874/083
3341488
Councillor
Martin Heydon: Fine
Gael,Contact
Details 087
6262546
Councillor
Martin Miley Jnr: Fianna
Fáil, Contact
Details: 087
3998478
Councillor
Richard Daly: Fine
Gael, Contact
Details: 087
6248886
Clane Electoral Area
Councillor
Brendan Weld: Fine
Gael, Contact
Details:045
869340/087
7828649
Councillor
Liam Doyle:Fianna
Fáil,Contact
Details: 01
6287629/086
3849424
Councillor
Pádraig McEvoy: Non-Party, Contact
Details: 086
8658262
Councillor
Seamus Langan: Fine
Gael, Contact
Details: 045
9553058/0872871347
Celbridge Electoral Area
Councillor
Catherine Murphy: Non-Party, Contact
Details: 087
2696450
Councillor
Colm Purcell: The
Labour Party, Contact
Details: 087
2539493
Councillor
John McGinley: The
Labour Party, Contact
Details: 01
6285293
Councillor
Kevin Byrne: The
Labour Party, Contact
Details: 086
6009449
Councillor
Paul Kelly: Fianna
Fáil, Contact
Details:01
6243624/01
6280382/086
2560548
Councillor
Senan Griffin: Fine
Gael, Contact
Details:01
6285177/087
2331267
to provide a forum for the democratic representation of the local community, . . .and to provide civic leadership for that community
Droichead Nua Town Council
Mick Deely, Murty Aspell, Damian Molyneaux, Micheál "spike" Nolan, Paddy Kennedy, Mr Thomas Hunter McGowan - Town Manager, Ms Anne Greene - Town Clerk, Willie Hamilton - Mayor, Fiona O'Loughlin, Emma Kiernan and Pat Black
Athy Town Council
Paddy Wright, Thomas Redmond, Richard Daly, Mark Dalton, Mark Wall, James Mahon, Aoife Breslin - Cathaoirleach, Mary O'Sullivan and John Lawler
Leixlip Town Council
Joe Neville, Colm Purcell, Pat Burke-Walsh, Bernard Caldwell, Anthony Larkin, Catherine Murphy, Teresa Byrne - Cathaoirleach, Sean Purcell and Shane FitzGeald
Naas Town Council
Alan O’ Kelly, Darren Scully, Willie Callaghan, Ger Dunne, Seamie Moore, Emer McDaid, Pat Clear – Mayor, Anne Breen and Rioghnagh Bracken.
Where
we fit in
Our approach
We have served the people of County Kildare for over 110 years and we will continue to put their interests first. A key function of Local Authorities is to provide a democratic forum for the community. We are also given responsibility to make decisions on behalf of that community. Our actions will reflect the views and needs of the Public. This will be underpinned by good information on what we do and why we do it. We welcome participation by our local social partners. Making service provision possible for individual citizens, businesses and local communities is fundamental for us.
We are answerable to the community through our elected town and county councillors. We expect our partners to share accountability both to the local authorities and their respective organisations. The pace of economic change and population growth are a huge influence on the county. Coping with this requires us to constantly seek new and innovative ways of giving effective, courteous and efficient service to the community.
As the county continues to develop, we have a special responsibility to protect the best of its physical, natural environment and cultural characteristics and to ensure that everyone benefits in terms of economic and social wellbeing. We have a special duty to ensure that those who are not well-resourced can have their say and achieve an adequate quality of life.
Citizens expect us to use our regulatory powers to protect the environment and to control undesirable behaviour: we recognise that this is their entitlement. We will try to ensure that development gives future generations an opportunity to have a fair share of natural resources and a healthy environment. Our actions will always be open to independent judgement by the people of the county and by government and regulatory agencies at national level. Public information and consultation will be fundamental to our work.
Changing
Demographics
The population of the county went into decline between 1841 and the end of the nineteenth century. From the early twentieth century the population of the county remained relatively static for nearly eighty years, as can be seen from Figure 1 below. From the late 1970s the population of the county increased consistently year on year.
Some
key facts from the changing demographics of the county:(1)
Total
population as per 2006 census: 186,335
Percentage
living in urban areas: 65.5%
Average
annual increase in population 2002-2006: 5,598
Percentage
of population under 25 38%
Percentage
of population under 15 23.1%
Percentage
of households with lone parent 18.3%
Percentage
of population born in Eastern Europe 5.1%
Percentage
of population born in Africa 1.3%
Population
forecast for 2016 (2) 234,422
1
Based on data from the 2006 census
2
Draft RPG population guidelines
The projected growth in population combined with the emerging cultural diversity and high percentage of young people in the county will offer significant opportunities and challenges for the delivery of services and to maintain social inclusion.
Core Values
The
focus of the Kildare Local Authorities is the delivery of improved services and
enhanced local democracy. All our
activities and interactions with the citizens of Kildare will be grounded on
the following core values.
Local
Democracy
To encourage and facilitate greater community involvement while recognising and respecting the democratic mandate of the directly elected members
Public
Service
To provide efficient services and to give all staff the necessary skills to deal with the public in a courteous and friendly manner.
Sustainability
To ensure that the County develops in a manner which does not compromise the quality of life or economic prospects of future generations.
Social
Inclusion and Community Development
To work to meet the needs of the citizens of the county without regard to social status, ethnicity, nationality, religion, age or ability, while giving priority to vulnerable individuals or groups.
Efficiency
and Accountability
To improve efficiency and to build a culture of accountability among staff.
Key
Strategic Objectives
Kildare Local Authorities will endeavour to deliver a high quality of service in all areas of activity. An ongoing systematic control and review process will be used to monitor progress and manage resources. Kildare Local Authorities will focus on the following key strategic objectives;
1.
Support and enhance local democracy
2.
Facilitate and encourage sustainable economic growth and employment
3. Develop and grow Kildare’s social and physical infrastructure
4. Improve efficiency and effectiveness in
the delivery of services by Kildare Local Authorities
5. Promote and develop Kildare as a place to
live and do business
1: To support and enhance local democracy
1.1 To recognise that local democracy has placed
Councillors at the heart of the Local Authorities
as accountable public service providers.
1.2 To work to enhance community participation
and active citizenship
through capacity building and training.
1.3 To promote consultation and communication
through partnership with employees and citizens.
1.4 To work to improve the accuracy of the
electoral register
and to explore the use of focused public information
programmes and new technologies to improve participation in the
electoral process.
1.5 To review and enhance the role of Strategic
Policy Committees.
1.6 To ensure that the County and Town
Councillors are
provided with timely information, advice and training to carry out their roles as
public representatives.
1.7 To continue to work with existing community/residents’ associations and support
the development of new residents associations in urban
areas.
1.8 To continue to focus on social inclusion as
a means of tackling poverty and disadvantage.
1.9 To develop the community leadership role of
the Councils through
the County Development Board and with the Community and Voluntary fora.
1.10 To continue to maximise tenant involvement in
home improvement, estate development and community development
1.11 To provide countywide access to library
facilities and opportunities
for all to engage with the Arts.
1.12 To continue to work to increase the delivery of services on an outreach basis as
resources allow.
1.13 To continue to engage in open consultation procedures to ensure broad
representation for planned works.
2:
To facilitate and encourage sustainable
economic growth and
employment
2.1 To strive to minimise the impact on the
environment from all our activities
through energy conservation and
reduced carbon emissions.
2.2 Implement the Waste Management Plan and
develop policies to increase recycling levels.
2.3 Work to create opportunities for sustainable
employment and high quality residential areas.
2.4 To promote high standards of design and construction for all projects while
encouraging creativity and innovation in
architectural design.
2.5 To ensure Kildare’s natural and
architectural heritage is protected, conserved and
maintained to the highest standards.
2.6 To continue to install and improve water and wastewater services in accordance with
best environmental practice and consistent
with Local and Regional Development Plans.
2.7 As an employer Kildare Local Authorities
will promote a culture of respect for the
diversity of employees and provide them with a flexible and quality working life.
2.8 To ensure that all Local Authority premises
comply with sustainability requirements through energy audits and low carbon
emissions.
2.9 To continue to migrate the Councils’
transport fleet to sustainable and renewable energy fuels as funding permits.
2.10 To support and facilitate existing and
alternative agricultural and rural based economic activities.
2.11 To facilitate and support the construction of
broadband infrastructure throughout Kildare.
2.12 To continue to work with the Road Safety
Authority (RSA), Gardaí and other agencies to promote Road Safety.
2.13 To continue to seek improvement of water
quality in rivers and streams and to implement
River Basin management plans
2.14 To ensure adequate supplies of potable water
to meet demand and to
ensure that sufficient waste water treatment capacity is available to meet the needs of Kildare.
2.15 To promote access to community based sports
and recreational opportunities.
2.16 To ensure full compliance with guidelines on air quality through air monitoring
stations and reporting procedures.
3:
To develop and grow Kildare’s
social and physical infrastructure
3.1 To provide a well-maintained public road
network based on a minimum maintenance cycle of ten years
subject to financial and human resource constraints.
3.2 To deliver a programme for design and
construction of
local/regional/national roads subject to available finance.
3.3 Strive to achieve high quality and
sustainable development in both urban and rural
areas.
3.4 To continue to facilitate Group Water
Schemes subject to available budget.
3.5 Provide improved access to information on
services provided by the Councils via
kildare.ie website and though local
print and broadcast media.
3.6 To ensure that there is existing or planned infrastructure to service new
development.
3.7 To improve travelling times and road safety
by implementing efficient traffic management measures and build on the capabilities
and scale of the Council’s traffic management
centre, subject to appropriate funding
3.8 To support the development of sustainable communities by the provision of
appropriate community support.
3.9 To assess and provide appropriate housing
measures to meet housing needs in the county.
3.10 To provide car parking facilities and
regulated parking in towns and villages subject
to available budget.
3.11 To continue to enhance and develop library
building stock and resource local libraries as focal points of the community.
3.12 To support the development and enhancement of
local sports, leisure, recreational and arts facilities.
4: To improve efficiency and effectiveness in the delivery of services by Kildare Local Authorities
4.1 Optimise the use of new I.T. and
Communications technologies to improve service delivery.
4.2 To ensure value for money in the procurement of goods and services through the use
of best practice and compliance with national
procurement policies.
4.3 Examine energy usage at all Local Authority facilities and work to minimise energy
costs through enhanced conservation and the
use of new technologies subject to
availability of resources.
4.4 To minimise loss and waste in the public
water system through ongoing Water Conservation
and Leak Detection programmes.
4.5 To continue to extend the council’s own
sourced water supply
to as many locations as possible.
4.6 Focus on teamwork and the importance of cooperation across disciplines,
sections and geographic areas.
4.7 Support staff to reach their full potential
through learning, experience sharing and skills transfer.
4.8 Create a culture throughout the Local
Authorities of quality public service, transparency, accountability and value for money.
4.9 Continue to respond to citizens’ needs
through best practice models and an integrated
approach for delivery of services.
4.10 Increase co-operation between the Kildare
Local Authorities
to minimise duplication and inefficiency in
the delivery of services.
4.11 Seek feedback from the public on the quality
of service delivery
and customer experience in dealing with
the Kildare Local Authorities.
4.12 Continue to promote ease of access for all to
council services and premises.
4.13 To facilitate and support effective internal,
national and EU financial oversight.
4.14 To issue payments in accordance with the
Prompt Payment of Accounts Act.
4.15 To continue with the programme of improved internal processes in moving to a
modern integrated Human Resources, Organisational Structure and Payroll Systems,
incorporating modules for superannuation, recruitment and
training
4.16 To establish a comprehensive database register of assets, comprising a mapping record
of all lands and property in the Councils’ ownership
5: To promote and develop Kildare as a place to live and do business
5.1 To promote County Kildare as a strategic
location for investment and for the creation of
employment.
5.2 To work to enhance the links with NUI
Maynooth to develop employment opportunities
through the competencies of the college in
Research and Development and its experience of
joint ventures with world class industries.
5.3 To encourage and facilitate the reuse and regeneration of land and existing
quality buildings in our town centres.
5.4 To continue to work with state agencies, Fáilte Ireland, Kildare Fáilte and
other local stakeholders to promote Kildare as a
unique tourist destination.
5.5 To enhance and develop the appearance and environment of Kildare.
5.6 To continue to meet and /or exceed EPA
standards for the quality of water supply and wate water treatment systems.
5.7 To continue to implement robust measures to enforce waste management regulations
and reduce litter.
5.8 To promote the potential of the waterways in
the county, as both a tourist attraction
and an enhanced living environment.
5.9 To
work with all the key stakeholders in the equine and horse racing industries to
maximise employment and to promote equine
related tourism.
5.10 To continue to work with the Office of Public
Works and the Department of Defence to facilitate the proposed decentralisation projects
to the county.
5.11 To protect and maintain the natural
environment of Kildare.
5.12 To promote and enhance the cultural and
artistic life of Kildare.
5.13 To work with local and national sports
organisations to promote and develop sporting
facilities in the county and to create an environment
that fosters participation in sports, arts,
community and cultural activities
Implementation
Successful implementation of the corporate plan will involve a partnership approach at a number of levels:
–
between staff across the whole
organisation and through full operation of the partnership committee
–
between Councillors and staff
working as a cohesive unit delivering agreed programmes
–
between the Authorities and national
and local public bodies
–
between the Authorities and local
development agencies, interest groups and citizens
Business
Plan
Each service area will prepare an annual business plan and budget based on the key objectives set out in this plan. The formation of the business plans will be done in association with the yearly budget process.
Annual operation plans will be reviewed in detail each year.
Each service unit will develop work plans including targets set at individual and/ or unit level.
Judging
our Performance
Service indicators for local authorities have been established at national level. Further refinement and additions to the metrics can be expected during the life of the plan and the councils will follow national guidelines in preparing the annual Service Indicator reports. While the indicators will contribute to a basis for judging performance, a judgement cannot be realistic unless it takes resources into account and measures quality as well as quantity. Apart from national service indicators, the Kildare Local Authorities will develop relevant local service indicators.
The Local Authorities will continue to use their customer care system, based on a citizen charter, and will use data gathered from this to assess customer and citizen satisfaction levels.
The Local Authorities will also continue to participate in citizen surveys, which assess attitudes within the county and especially attitudes to the authorities and their activities.
The Local Authorities will continue to publish annual financial statements and annual reports.These will give useful information to citizens who wish to assess the authorities’ performance.
Appendix
1
List
of Strategies and Plans influencing Local
Government in Kildare:
National
/EU
- National Development Plan and associated Strategies
- National Spatial Strategy
- Guidelines on Sustainable Rural Housing
- The
Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government
Statement of Strategy 2008 – 2010
- Transport 21
- Government Guidelines on Procurement
- Branching
Out, Report on Library Services
- Transforming Public Services- Report of the Task Force on the Public Service
- Smarter Travel
- Partnership
for the Arts (National Arts Council strategy)
- National Heritage Plan
- National
Biodiversity Plan
Regional
- Regional
Planning Guidelines
- Liffey Valley Strategy
- Platform for Change
- Retail Strategy for the Greater Dublin Area
Local
- County
and Town Development
- Plans and Local Area Plans
- Competing
in a Globalised World – Economic
Development Strategy for Kildare
- County Waste Management Plan, County Heritage Plan
- Ideas Matter (Co. Council five year Library plan)
- Making Inroads (Co Council five year Arts plan) , Arts in Health Strategy, Public Art policies
- Kildare Biodiversity Plan
2008–2012
- Kildare Heritage Plan 2004–2019
