Navan could get 'municipal council' under Govt proposal

Navan Town Council could become a new 'municipal council' to cover the town and a wide hinterland, with full powers including the imposition of rates, if a Government-proposed shake-up of local government goes through. A discussion document - Local Government Reform Proposals - proposes a new "reinvigorated local government system" and suggests that "it is time to move to a model for town local government that is common all over the world" - municipal councils that encompass large urban areas and their hinterlands with full powers. Navan, with a population in the town and outlying areas of 27,000, is earmarked as one of the centres which could go for municipal status. The document suggests that the decision on whether to seek municipal council status would be made by the members of the town council concerned but the final decision would be the subject of a countywide plebiscite because of the implications for the entire county. The document appears to be Fianna Fail-based and it is not known whether the views of the minority party in the coalition Government have been canvassed when it was being drawn up. It says that proposals for the reform of local government were a recurring theme in Irish political life. The last reforms took place almost a decade ago and are now firmly embedded in the system. However, it argues that for something as critical to democracy and to citizens generally, it was important that it was reviewed, revised and improved on a regular basis. It points to the fact that, while critics could point to some serious failures of services in some individual councils, it was "fair to say that the system has, by and large, delivered well despite a number of serious challenges". It identifies the challenges as the delivery of major parts of the National Development Plan, coping with major population growth in many areas, a major increase in net inward migration, which tends to add serious cost to the local government system; increased urbanisation, extra responsibilities imposed by central government and EU law without necessarily receiving commensurate with increased responsibilities, and huge social change especially reflected in changed households and household make-up. The document sets out a 'vision' for a reformed local government system which is responsive to the needs of the local community and which provides integrated solutions for the provision of public services for all citizens. It also plans to ensure effective, efficient, quality services for all citizens, is democratically-led, fully accountable and responsible to the electorate and is financially self-sufficient in the provision of local services. The new councils will also be the centre of innovation, enterprise, economic development and employment in each area. The range of functions that is performed by local government units is currently decided on the basis of history rather than any practical or financial reality, the document states. "This has to change. We need a new streamlined, properly organised and properly financed system," it adds. It says that there is "widespread agreement" that the country should continue to have a three-tier system of local government - sub-county, county/city and regional. It identified the sub-county level as being "ineffective, lacks focus and is not delivering for the citizen or for the democratic system". "While the county/city tier is strongly supported to remain the premier tier of local government, there is a strong belief that it, too, needs reform and that we should not be totally tied to a 'one size fits all' solution at this level. "On balance, a regional tier focused on strategic planning is seen as important for the future. Now is the time to try new solutions and structures to ensure the most effective local government," the document adds.