Mr. Michael Ewing:

The committee has seen our document, but I would like to reiterate our concerns and what we would like to see happen. As we have outlined, we have been heavily involved at local level in community development and local government in so far as this is possible without being elected. We would like to continue with this process. It is essential that the environmental pillar be present in an independent fashion within the new structures of the LCDCs which we believe should be renamed in any case. They should be called sustainable community development committees to get across the idea that sustainability is fundamental to what they do. If something is not named, it will not happen.

It is like that dreadful advertisement about what it says on the tin. If it is named a sustainable community development committee this is what it will be. If it is not, it will not be about sustainability and we believe it is essential this is the case. Sustainability should be an underlying part of the remit of this new body, whatever it is called, and should underlie every decision it makes and every process in which it is involved.

Three new regional bodies are proposed. It is essential there is a connection between them and the communities for which they develop policies. The policies they develop at regional level will have an overarching authority over the plans of local communities, and there needs to be toing and froing between the local and regional structures. At present this is done with regard to elected representatives but civil society also needs to be involved.

We already have economic strategic policy committees, SPCs, in some local authorities but not in all. Under the proposed local government reform there will be a new economic and enterprise SPC in every local authority with a significant role in developing the local economy. For sustainable development to be part of this it is essential the environmental pillar has nominees on it. The new SPCs should engage with local communities through the metropolitan district structures. At present there seems to be a disconnect between the metropolitan district structures and the new LCDCs, and there is an unfortunate blurring of connections which we would like to see resolved before the amending local government legislation comes into force.