COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

south dublin county council crest

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, January 13, 2014

MOTION NO.

MOTION: Councillor D. Looney

That this Council will seek to introduce an element of participatory budgeting in formulating its 2015 Budget, in order to greater enhance democracy in decision-making over the Council's finances.

REPORT:

The proposed Annual Budget Meeting timetable is considered annually by the members at the September meeting of the Organisation Procedure & Finance Committee and noted by the Council at the following monthly meeting.  The Annual Budget Meeting must commence within the period of time prescribed by the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government.  The prescribed period is usually the last week in November to mid January. 

The following timetable of meetings and consultations were arranged in 2013 to consider budgetary proposals and financial updates prior to the 2014 Annual Budget meeting:

Preliminary Budget discussions included in CPG Agenda 14-Oct-13
Preliminary Budget discussions included in CPG Agenda  11-Nov-13
CPG Budget Meeting   15-Nov-13
CPG Budget Meeting   02-Dec-13
Special O, P & F Meeting  05-Dec-13
Statutory Budget Meeting   12-Dec-13
                     

Section 102 of the local Government Act 2001 provides that 'the draft local authority budget shall be prepared under the direction of the Manager in the format prescribed by regulations made by the Minister showing the amounts necessary for the functional programmes of the authority' and additionally 'that the Manager shall…consult the corporate policy group in the preparation of a draft local authority budget'.  The legislation does not prescribe the consultation process but the County Manager facilitates an extensive and collaborative consultation process with the Corporate Policy Group when preparing the draft annual budget.  This approach has worked well in recent years and was again part of the process of preparing the 2014 Budget.  If this motion is passed the Manager will continue to collaborate and consult with the Corporate Policy Group in the preparation of the annual budget for 2015.