Leitrim County Council has issued a revised Scheme for the Strategic Policy Committees for the present term of the newly elected council, 2019 – 2024. This has been issued so that comments and observations can be made to inform the adoption of this Scheme for the next 5 years.
There are some minor changes to the topics covered by each of the Strategic Policy Committees and their new titles reflect this. The document lays out the roles and responsibilities and gives a good overview of how SPCs should work and where Leitrim PPN fits in.
To download the document click on the image below: 
Why is this Important to Leitrim PPN Members?
Representation: As members, you have 5 representatives on the three Strategic Policy Committees. Elections for these positions will be held in Autumn 2019. These representatives must attend meetings and provide feedback to you through the PPN. More importantly, you are entitled to raise questions and provide information and issues relating to the topics they discuss which the representatives can bring to the policy committees. Once raised, some response must be provided.
Nominations: The revised Scheme for SPCs gives a very good outline of what might be expected of PPN Reps. This is useful in considering whether you or someone you know might like to be nominated. When nominations are in, you can base your vote on whether or not you think the candidate will fulfill the role.
Overview of Responsibilities: The revised scheme outlines responsibilities of the Council, elected members and representatives to the council, constituents and Leitrim PPN
Please submit to Leitrim PPN by Monday 29th July 2019.
If you have comments or observations or questions, you can make them individually OR send them in to Leitrim PPN and we will make a members’ submission.
Contact:
Email: info@leitrimppn.ie
Post to: Leitrim PPN, Aras An Chontae, Carrick on Shannon, CO. Leitrim N41 K2VA
Phone: 071 96 20005 ext 544 or Mobile: 087 183 1253
For more about Strategic Policy Committees see below.
Strategic Policy Committees – What Are They?
Strategic Policy Committees (SPCs) must be set up within local authorities as per the Local Government Act 2014. While the Council makes final decisions on actions, the job of an SPC is to advise and assist the Council in creating, developing and reviewing policy.
Within Leitrim Council:
Since 2014, Leitrim has had three Strategic Policy Committees:
- Economic Development, Enterprise & Planning;
- Housing, Social & Cultural Development;
- Environment, Transport & Infrastructure.
These are now changing to:
- Planning, Economic Development and Infrastructure Strategic Policy Committee;
- Housing Community and Culture Strategic Policy Committee;
- Environment, Climate Action and Agriculture Strategic Policy Committee.
What are they for?
The role of the Committees is to advise and assist with the creation, development and review of council policies. The ultimate decision on policy remains with the Council.
Who sits on them?
The new scheme outlines how each SPC will be formed. This is usually a mix of elected members, and sectoral representatives. Leitrim PPN Representatives are sought based the pillar they represent. That means they will be from the Social Inclusion OR Community and Voluntary OR Environmental Pillar. Your group has one vote in one of these pillars depending on which you select when you join or re-register for membership of Leitrim PPN.
The proposed make up of the new SPCs is as follows:
| SPC | Membership | Sectoral Representation (& Nominating Body) | |
| Planning, Economic | 10 members – | – | Business/Commercial (National Pillar) |
| Development and | 6 Elected Members | ||
| Infrastructure | 4 Sectoral | – | Development/Construction (National Pillar) |
| Strategic Policy | Representatives | ||
| Committee | – | Environmental/Conservation (Environmental Pillar | |
| and associated Environmental College under PPN | |||
| arrangements) | |||
| – | Social Enterprise (PPN) | ||
| SPC | Membership | Sectoral Representation (& Nominating Body) | ||
| Housing Community | 10 members – | – | Social Inclusion (PPN) | |
| and Culture Strategic | 6 Elected Members | |||
| Policy Committee | 4 Sectoral | – | Community/Voluntary (PPN) | |
| Representatives | ||||
| – | Voluntary Housing Sector | |||
| – Cultural / Creative Sector | ||||
| SPC | Membership | Sectoral Representation (& Nominating Body) | ||
| Environment, Climate | 10 members – | – | Agriculture/Farming (National Pillar) | |
| Action and Agriculture | 6 Elected Members | – | Agriculture/Farming (National Pillar) | |
| Strategic Policy | 4 Sectoral | – | Environmental/Conservation (Environmental Pillar | |
| Committee | Representatives | and associated Environmental College under PPN | ||
| arrangements) | ||||
| – | Business/Commercial (National Pillar) | |||
Example of PPN SPC Representation:
Late in 2018, the SPC for Economic Development, Enterprise and Planning was shown a presentation in preparation for a review of Leitrim Council’s policy on Forestry. This has been an issue of some concern to many in the county and the Environmental Representative, Scott Coombs, suggested that a public consultation be had to see what Leitrim PPN members had to say about how our policy should be changed. The consultation took place through an online and paper-based survey and continued until February 2019.
Findings with observations and ideas for objectives of the new policy were presented to Leitrim Council. As well as presenting the findings, a motion was passed that ensured that the findings of the consultation would be acknowledged. Also, the motion ensured that each objective raised with regard to new policy would be considered and that a response to each would be provided as to why an objective can or cannot be met – regulations, laws, other policies, etc.
See our article on the findings and motion – CLICK HERE.
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