COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, June 13, 2022

HEADED ITEM NO. 12

HEADED ITEM: C. Performance and Change Management Directorate

€300K HAVE YOUR SAY SHORTLISTED PROJECTS – RATHFARNHAM/TEMPLEOGUE ELECTORAL AREA – FOR APPROVAL

REPLY:

Following the launch of the €300K Have Your Say initiative for Rathfarham – Templeogue LEA on Wednesday 6^th April in Ballyroan Library, a series of online and in-person workshops were held and a promotional communications campaign took place between 6^th April and 6^th May, the close of the submission period.

The communications around the initiative during this period focused first on promoting the workshops and then on obtaining idea submissions from the public through the €300k Have Your Say website. This was done through social media, local press and leaflets delivered to households and local businesses in the area advertising the initiative. The Council’s community team also reached out to local groups and the Public Participation Network during this time.

By the close of the submissions period on 6^th May with the Council had received 249 project submissions from the public, the highest amount ever received for €300k Have Your Say. Each submission was assessed under the agreed criteria by the Executive team and considered by the Steering Group. The following is the agreed criteria for assessing the suitability of projects:

• A project that would benefit a significant number of people living in their community
• A project that is achievable within the maximum €300,000 allocation and without significant maintenance costs thereafter
• A project that is deliverable in 2022
• A project that is not already planned for by the Council within an existing programme of work
• A project that is within the remit of the Council and is not the responsibility of another government department or public body
• Is not project that would be considered for funding through an existing grant scheme, such as the Council’s Community Grants Scheme
• On land that is in public ownership and is not on private property? Land must be in public ownership.
• A project that is within the Tallaght Central Electoral area
• The purchase of vehicles is excluded from this initiative

The resulting shortlist of projects has been finalised through this process and is being recommended by the Participatory Budgeting Steering Group for approval to the June Council meeting.

Following approval by the Council, the Public Vote stage will go live immediately for a two-week period from June 13^th to midnight 26^th June. Arrangements will be made to hold a paper-based vote on Thursday 23^rd June in suitable locations in the LEA.  The winners of the public vote will be announced at an event on the evening of 30^th June.

Everyone who submitted an idea will be contacted and advised whether their idea was successfully listed for the public vote. Those whose ideas had to be eliminated will be provided with an explanation of the reason why their idea did not meet the criteria.