Don’t wipe out 20 years of local development experience
Tourism managers from throughout Europe, Australia and the US have sought advice and guidance from its brand management, hoping to replicate Fuchsia’s success in their own destinations. It is managed by local development company, the West Cork Development Partnership.
In the north west of the county, their IRD Duhallow counterpart has similarly supported and funded local enterprises, which created over 1,200 jobs and sustained 1,500 existing jobs, since 1989. They trained 6,000 people, created 650 childcare places, and supported 130 community and voluntary groups to deliver over 850 projects to improve the quality of life in the Duhallow region, and placed over 800 people in local jobs. In the past year, their rural transport service carried over 58,000 passengers, delivered over 23,000 meals to the elderly, insulated over 400 homes and 13 community centres, carried out 844 care and repair jobs, made over 7,000 phone calls to those living alone, placed 120 unemployed in community work through Tús, and ran the Rural Social Scheme for 58 small farmers.
Largely funded by the EU, nearly 50 other development companies, employing about 2,000, carry out similar work nationally.
Unfortunately, they fear there will be no place for them when socio-economic committees (SECs) in each county and city council take responsibility for local and community development.
This is scheduled to happen by 2014, as Environment Minister Phil Hogan busily delivers on the Government programme commitment to review delivery of local services, while reducing duplication, and raising efficiency, effectiveness, and accountability.
In September 2011, he commenced investigation of alignment of local government and local development, and recommendations in a report approved and published by the Government last October are now ready for implementation.
The Environment Department will establish an alignment implementation group, but there is more than enough good advice to hand already from the existing development companies.
For example, they are challenging the SECs (which will bring together local authority, local and community interests and appropriate State agencies) to build upon the known competencies, successes and track record in local community and economic development — not just integrate local development resources into local authorities.
They are reminding SECs that the European Court of Auditors says local action groups where decision making was dominated by local authorities, haven’t done well.
The SECs will also have to satisfy the ultimate bankrollers of local development — the EU. But they are so happy with existing Irish elements such as LEADER that they want them adopted EU-wide in their 2014-2020 funding period.
Local companies warn against dismantling existing local structures built around LEADER, the Local Community Development Programme, Rural Social Scheme, Better Energy Warmer Homes Scheme, Tús, Rural Recreation, etc.
They advise: Don’t plan around local authority county/city boundaries, follow the natural areas of development.
Don’t confuse statutory local authority responsibilities with development work; don’t create additional, more costly layers of administration and bureaucracy that would soak up the 20% administration funding for development projects. Don’t remove decision making from local needs, SECs are advised.
Don’t wipe out 20 years of experience in planning and delivering local development.
If it’s not broke, don’t fix it!
