Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 912: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if it has been brought to his attention that as part of the rationalisation of State agencies a decision was made in 2009 to merge the Local Government Management Services Board and the Local Government Computer Service Board into a single body, the Local Government Management Agency; if it has further been brought to his attention that the majority of members on each board are city and county managers; if it has been brought to his attention that the merger of the two organisations from an administrative perspective was completed in 2010; if it has been brought to his attention that the boards and subcommittees of the boards of the two agencies have failed to merge and continue to act independently at significant cost; his views on whether this is acceptable; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19144/12]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The Local Government Management Services Board (LGMSB) and the Local Government Computer Services Board (LGCSB) were established under the Local Government Corporate Bodies Act 1971. The LGMSB and the LGCSB were subsequently placed on a primary legislative footing under the Local Government Services (Corporate Bodies) (Confirmation of Orders) Act 2008.

Under the terms of the Local Government Management Services Board (Establishment) Order 1996 (S.I. No. 410 of 1996), the Board is made up of not less than four and not more than ten qualified persons appointed by the Council, and such officers of the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government as the Minister shall appoint from time to time. A qualified person is a manager or assistant manager of a county borough or the personnel officer of the Right Honourable Lord Mayor, Aldermen and Burgesses of Dublin, or a manager or assistant manager for the purposes of the County Management Acts 1940 to 1994. The Council is made up of the persons who are for the time being qualified persons.

Under the terms of the Local Government Computer Services Board (Establishment) Order 1975 (S.I. No. 212 of 1975), the Board is made up of not more than eight and not less than six qualified persons appointed by the Council, not more than two serving officers of the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government appointed by the Minister, and one serving officer of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform appointed by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. A qualified person means a manager or assistant manager of a county borough, or a manager or assistant manager for the purposes of the County Management Acts 1940 to 1994. The Council is made up of the persons who are for the time being qualified persons.

The Local Government Management Services Board and the Local Government Computer Services Board are merging as the Local Government Management Agency. A single Chief Executive and joint management arrangements are currently in place.

Both boards comprise the same membership with the addition of one Ministerial nominee, on the LGMSB, and a representative from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform on the LGCSB. Board meetings and Audit Committee meetings are held jointly and recorded in accordance with governance requirements. There is no duplication of any sub-committee and all committees report to the joint Board meeting.

The dissolution of the LGMSB and the LGCSB, as well as the statutory establishment of the Local Government Management Agency will be facilitated by the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2012, which is due to be published in the current Dáil session.

Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 913: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if the Association of County and City Councils and the City and County Managers Association submit their respective annual audited accounts to his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19149/12]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Audited accounts of the Association of County and City Councils, the latest of which cover the year ending 31 December 2010, have been received in my Department. The Local Government Management Services Board provides administrative, secretariat and research services to the County and City Managers' Association (CCMA) in the context of joint working of local authorities through the Office for Local Authority Management. The CCMA does not publish separate accounts.