Undertake a Feasibility Study on Possible Means of Enabling Further Citizen Engagement in Local Authority Budgetary Processes (IE0020)

Recognising that the elected members of a local authority have direct responsibility in law for all reserved functions of the authority, which includes adopting the annual budget, request the Members’ Association and the County and City Managers’ Association to undertake a feasibility study in 2015, in consultation with key stakeholders, on possible means of enabling further citizen engagement in the local authority budgetary processes.

2.4: Citizen Participation in Local Governments (2.4.1, 2.4.2, 2.4.3)

2.4.1 – Pilot Approach to Implementation of Public Participation Networks

2.4.2 – Provide legal base for public participation framework in local government

2.4.3 – Undertake a feasibility study on possible means of enabling further citizen engagement in local authority budgetary process

Commitment Text:

Action 2.4.1 – Pilot Approach to Implementation of Public Participation Networks - The Report of the Working Group on Citizen Engagement with Local Government proposes that a “Public Participation Network (PPN)” be developed in each local authority area (engaging in and within municipal districts and at the County/City level) to enable the public to take an active formal role in relevant policy making and oversight activities of the Local Authority. PPN structures will be put in place across local government during 2014;

Action 2.4.2 – Provide legal base for public participation framework in local government: Regulations will be made and guidelines will be issued by the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government to provide for the adoption by each local authority of a framework for public participation, which will enable local authorities to take all appropriate steps to consult with and promote effective participation of local communities in local government;

Action 2.4.3 – Undertake a feasibility study on possible means of enabling further citizen engagement in local authority budgetary process: Recognizing that the elected members of a local authority have direct responsibility in law for all reserved functions of the authority, which includes adopting the annual budget, request the Members’ Association and the County and City Managers’ Association to undertake a feasibility study in 2015, in consultation with key stakeholders, on possible means of enabling further citizen engagement in the local authority budgetary processes.

Responsible institution: Department of Environment, Community and Local Government

Supporting institution(s):

Action 2.4.1: Community and Voluntary Group (not specific)

Action 2.4.2: Local authorities (not specific)

Action 2.4.3: The Members’ Association and the County and City Managers’ Association (not specific)

Start date: 1 July 2014                                                                      End date: 31 December 2015

Commitment Aim

This commitment seeks to promote civic participation in decision making at the local level. This is particularly important in Ireland where 40% of the population live in rural areas, making local government significant to the everyday lives of many citizens.^{[Note 24: For a link to World Bank data on the rural population of Ireland, see bit.ly/1nrOnT0 (last accessed September 24, 2015)]} To promote participation at the local level, Action 2.4.1 seeks to introduce Public Participation Networks (PPNs). According to the Working Group Report on Citizen Engagement with Local Government, the PPNs aim to help the public take an active role in the policy-making and oversight activities of the Local Authority’s areas of responsibility.^{[Note 25: Working Group Report on Citizen Engagment with Local Governments http://www.housing.gov.ie/sites/default/files/migrated-files/en/Publications/Community/CommunityVoluntarySupports/FileDownLoad%2C36779%2Cen.pdf ]} Hence the commitment seeks to set in place the civil society structures at the local level that allow CSOs and voluntary organizations (VOs) the opportunity to participate in the PPNs. Action 2.4.2 is aimed at producing regulation that would formally adopt PPNs in all local governments by providing a legal base for public participation in local politics. Action 2.4.3 seeks to bring citizens into the local budgetary processes.

Status

Midterm

2.4.1: Complete

2.4.2: Substantial

2.4.3: Not started

As reported in the IRM progress report, the pilot stage to implement PPNs was completed in the first year of the action plan. This included PPNs in four Local Authority Areas: Galway, Tipperary, South Dublin and Carlow, reflecting that substantial effort was made on providing the legal basis for PPN framework in local government. Nevertheless, the feasability study on means of enabling citizen engagement in local authority budgetary processes was not started in the first year.

End of term

2.4.1: Complete

2.4.2: Substantial

2.4.3: Not started

Pilot implementation of the PPNs (Action 2.4.1) was completed in year one of the action plan and since then, PPNs have been rolled out in all local authority areas. The Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government anounced a funding mechanism to support the PPN.^{[Note 26: http://communityworkireland.ie/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/CWC-Update-July-2015.pdf]} With regard to the legal framework for public participation at the local level (Action 2.4.2), the government’s end of term report states that steps remain to be implemented, including making a firm set of regulation on PPNs and setting up an oversight group to monitor implementation and securing resources to ensure effectiveness of said implementation. Local authorities, in this regard, have been in communication with all potential stakeholders to increase awareness of joining PPNs.^{[Note 27: For more detailed  information on how PPNs work, please see bit.ly/1PuHfv0]} In May 2016, the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government released a PPN User Guide^{[Note 28: PPN User Guide https://www.socialjustice.ie/sites/default/files/attach/civil-society-article/4398/ppnuserguidev1may16.pdf ]} and a publication of Frequently Asked Questions^{[Note 29: PPN FAQ https://www.clarecoco.ie/community/information-for-residents/community-contacts/public-participation-network/ppn-frequently-asked-questions-20279.pdf ]} to support implementation of the PPN. Nevertheless, Action 2.4.3 – to perform a study on means of enabling citizen engagement in budgetary processes - had still not been started at the end of year two of the action plan. The government has nevertheless indicated in its end of term report that it is in the process of doing so.

Did it open government?

Access to information: Did not change

Civic participation: Marginal

Public accountability: Did not change

PPNs are in their initial phase and their effect on policy making is still unknown. Therefore, it is difficult to conclude that Actions 2.4.1 and 2.4.2 have had more than a marginal effect on opening government practices. So far, the government has taken basic steps to support the PPNs like allocating funds and creating guidelines. According to the guidelines, Local Authorities can engage PPNs to seek feedback, input and participation in decision making on policies. PPNs function as the only source where Local Authorities must select “All environmental, social inclusion, community and voluntary representatives on their Boards and Committees.” The guidelines also indicate that eligibility to participate in PPNs is determined by requirements such as registration, physical address and more established governance structures. Experts Arceneaux and Butler, in their article for Public Administration Review Journal argue that even though local government committees that allow citizens to provide input may offer a valuable tool for policy makers, “they suffer from low participation and tend to underrepresent economically disadvantaged citizens.”^{[Note 30: Arcenaux K and D. Butler, 2016. How Not to Increase Participation in Local Government: The Advantages of Experiments When Testing Policy Interventions. Public Administration Review, Vol 76.1, January, page 131}

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Considering the concerns raised by experts on underepresentation and the current guidelines, the current roll out of PPNs, if not appropriately supported with resources and guidance, might compromise their integrity by favoring more structured CSOs possibly excluding informal volunteer groups. Also, it may slow down decision-making process while PPNs adopt said guidelines and regularization requirements to operate.

It should be noted that the OGP value reference for 2.4.3 is unclear, as also reported in the IRM midterm report; moreover, because it does not prescribe any real legislative change with a law and has not even got off the ground, one can conclude that Action 2.4.3 has not changed government practice toward access to information, civic participation or public accountability.

Carried forward?

Commitment 7 of the Irish Government’s new action plan for 2016-18 seeks to perform a ‘feasibility study (that) will inform and guide the next steps on how further citizen engagement in local authority budgetary processes can be facilitated,’ which is like Action 2.4.3 on National Action Plan 2014-16. Further, building on action 2.4.1 of this action plan, Commitment 2 of the new 2016-18 plan seeks to establish a fully representative PPN advisory group to support the development of PPNs. Considering the lack of progress throughout the last two years, the IRM researcher recommends continuing with this initiative.