LCDC
DUBLIN CITY
LOCAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
COMMITTEE
CONSTITUTION
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Foreword:
Dublin City is critically important for the national economy. It is the engine for Ireland’s economy. Economic
recovery will emanate from Dublin. Dublin has attracted significant investment from transnational companies
creating jobs and economic activity and needs to build on its potential as the country’s economic centre to
remain competitive internationally.
The city is a popular tourist destination and a cultural centre offering an attractive and creative environment for
visitors and investors. Dublin, like most cities, also contains areas of economic disadvantage and has a
number of clusters of neighbourhoods that are affected by severe structural problems, deprivation and longterm unemployment.
Addressing these issues is vital for a city that aspires to have a people focus, to identify new opportunities for
attracting and retaining creative people and to develop employment and retraining initiatives for vulnerable
(low-skilled) sectors and unemployed people (Economic Development Action Plan for the Dublin City Region
2009).
Dublin needs to become a dynamic city that is an excellent place to do business, to work, to live and to
socialise. To achieve this, we need to engage all of its citizens in a meaningful and creative way.
We must create a city based on inclusion and social solidarity; a city that all citizens can be proud of.
Background to Local Community Development Committee
In line with government policy, a Local Community Development Committee will be established in Dublin City
Council’s administrative area. This Committee will be a Committee of the City Council but will have
independent status under legislation as a public-private partnership of socio-economic interests comprising
representatives of the local authority, other State agencies, the voluntary and community sector, and
economic and social partners.
The Committee will have strategic planning and oversight responsibility for local and community development
interventions at City level. It will be responsible for developing a 5-year Local Community Plan for the City and
pulling together, on an area basis, a range of local and community development spending from different
programmes and structures – accordingly, it is intended, over time, for oversight responsibility for the
management and disbursement of local and community development funds and the matching of resources to
locally identified priorities to be vested in the Committee.
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Dublin City Local and Community Plan
It is a stated intention of the Government’s ‘’Putting People First’’ strategy that a 5 year Local and Community
Plan be developed in all Local Authority Areas encompassing all State funded local and community
development interventions. An interim plan may be created in the Committee’s first year to allow for continuity
following local elections and to accommodate the “bedding in” of the new Committee.
The Local and Community Plan will be prepared by the Local Community Development Committee.
The Dublin City Local Community Development Committee will prioritize the following two key issues:
1. Employment
2. Wellbeing of City Communities
Guiding Principles
The work of the Committee will be guided by the following general principles:

A developmental ‘bottom-up’ approach is a key feature of local and community development –
meaningful community participation in identifying priorities and solutions, shaping local initiatives and a
vision for those communities is important and it will be open to the broadest possible range of interests.

The democratic mandate of the local elected members on the Committee, or on any of its substructures as representatives of Communities in Dublin City will be recognised and respected;

The experience and contribution brought by all other Committee members will also be recognised and
respected.

Local government will be the main vehicle of governance and public service at local level, leading
economic, social and community development, delivering efficient and good value services and
representing citizens and local communities effectively and accountably.

There will be a clear focus on social inclusion – marginalised communities, and the marginalised within
communities, should be afforded opportunities to participate in local decision-making arrangements
processes and have the power to influence and shape local decisions;

The promotion of enterprise and employment development, and training and education, to support this,
is an essential element in supporting sustainable communities and building their capacity;
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
The strengths and experiences of all local actors, working in partnership and collaboration and the
harnessing of existing local and community development infrastructure, are key to ensuring the
beneficial, effective and efficient use of resources for citizens and communities;

The
integration
of
sustainable
development
considerations
into
policy
development
and
implementation is crucial in developing, supporting and maintaining vibrant communities;

Voluntary activity and active citizenship will be pursued as vital elements of flourishing communities.

There will be a clear focus on making the best use of available resources and achieving value-formoney.
Terms of Reference:
The Committee will:

Have primary responsibility for coordination, governance, planning and oversight of local development
spending, whether the spending is delivered by local authorities or on behalf of the state by other
development agencies and structures.

Bring a more coherent approach to the implementation of local and community development
programmes and interventions, seeking to ensure an integrated approach to local community,
enterprise and local development services between providers and delivery structures.

Drive meaningful citizen and community engagement in the scoping, planning, delivery and evaluation
of local and community programmes.

Ensure a more efficient administration of local and community programmes and delivery structures, the
appropriate matching of resources to prioritise and the achievement of value-for-money in the delivery
and governance of programmes and the management of local delivery arrangements.

Explore and pursue opportunities for additional funding resources for the city whether Exchequer, EU,
private or other sources.
Functions
The Committee will be responsible for the strategic co-ordination, governance, planning and oversight of the
range of local development actions, as agreed by central funding Departments/agencies, within the council’s
administrative area. In this regard the functions of the Committee will be to:

Develop a Local Community Plan for the City encompassing the broad range of local and community
development programmes and interventions within the City Area.

Identify needs, and prioritise and allocate resources to address those needs.
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
Ensure that all publicly funded local and community development programmes and policies accord with
the Local Community Plan for the City.

Review the Local Community Plan on an ongoing basis and adjust according to outcomes, needs
arising and availability of resources.

Identify, gaps in service provision and seek to fill those gaps in accordance with the strategic direction
set out in the Local Community Plan;

Identify, highlight and where possible seek to address instances of overlap and duplication of local
services and ensure that relevant interventions are targeted appropriately.

Engage with the full range of local service providers, acting as a forum for the exchange of information
and a catalyst for cooperation and collaboration between local support and development agencies to
bring a co-ordinated approach to the full range of local and community interventions at local level

Consider mechanisms that could be developed for:
 Securing joined-up delivery of services at local level
 Providing feedback on local programmes implementation for the purpose of
influencing national policy development and resource allocation
Performance of functions
The Committee will have regard to the following considerations when performing its functions:

Funding and other resources that are available, or might become available in the future, and the need
to make the most beneficial, effective and efficient use of such resources;

The need to co-operate and co-ordinate its activities with other public funded agencies or bodies
operating within or for the benefit of its geographical area of responsibility, particularly where the
activities of those agencies or bodies affect, or are likely to affect, its activities;

The need to consult with those other public funded agencies or bodies in the performance of its
functions;

The need for adequate consultation with stakeholders, including citizens, businesses and social
partners;

The need for appropriate participatory channels for all interested parties;

Government policies and objectives and any policy direction given by the Minister for the Environment,
Community and Local Government or other Government Minister which may either affect or relate to
its activities;

The need to promote sustainable development and incorporate sustainable development
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considerations into all decision-making processes;

The need to promote social inclusion;

The need to promote economic development.
Membership of the Dublin City Local Community Development Committee.
General
In line with the recommendations of the Government’s Alignment Steering Group and best international
practice, the Committee will have a tightly defined membership.
The Dublin City Local Community
Development Committee will have a maximum of 19 members, with representation from Dublin City
Council (Elected representatives and officials), the Local Development Sector, and Social, Economic and
Community Interests.
To ensure an appropriate public/private representational balance a maximum of 9 public and 10 private places
will be appointed.
Representation/Membership:
The Committee will comprise a range of public and non-public (“private”) socio-economic partners drawn from
the Council’s administrative area. The membership of the group will be constituted so as to ensure an
appropriate representational balance between public and private interests, while also facilitating an
appropriate mix across the broad range of actors across Dublin City.
The Dublin City Local Community Development Committee will be limited to 19 members and its
composition has been approved by Dublin City Council as recommended by the Corporate Policy
Committee and as proposed by the special Transition Group that was established by the City
Development Board in December 2012.
Dublin City Council Executive
The City Manager or his nominee will be a member of the Committee. The Head of the Local Enterprise
Office will also be a member. It is proposed that senior representatives from all the relevant City Council
Departments/Services will be invited to attend occasionally and present at meetings of the Committee in a
similar way to the arrangements in place for various Government Sub-Committees.
Elected Representatives
In determining the number of Local Government representatives, regard will be had to:

The overall number of public representatives required to ensure an appropriate public-private
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representational balance.

The need to ensure that all relevant private interests are represented on the Committee;
Dublin City Council will nominate the Chairpersons of its six Strategic Policy Committees. The City
Council will also nominate a member from the Independent Group of Councillors. (Total – 7
Councillors)
State Agencies
State agencies will not be represented initially as members on the Committee.
It is proposed instead that:
1. Senior representatives from the relevant State Agencies/Departments will be invited to attend
occasionally and present at meetings of the Committee in a similar way to the arrangements in place
for various Government Sub-Committees.
2. Selected representatives from some key State Agencies/Departments may be invited to participate on
the Committee without becoming members.
Local Development Sector
The proposed membership on the Committee from this sector will be as follows:

Two representatives from the Local Development (Partnership) Companies in the City.

One representative from the Drugs Task Forces in the City.
The Local Development Company representative will be a Board member or a nominee of the Board such as
the Chief Executive Officer. The Drugs Task Forces representative will be a Chairperson or Co-ordinator.
The need for additional local development sector members will be determined in the first instance by the City
Manager and subsequently by the Committee in accordance with local needs and priorities. Participation by
Local Development Bodies in the City area, which are not represented on the Committee, may be facilitated
through sub-structures or other appropriate mechanisms that seek to secure participation by these bodies.
It is proposed that representatives from relevant Local Development Bodies will be invited to attend
occasionally and present at meetings of the Committee in a similar way to the arrangements in place for
various Government Sub-Committees.
Social, Economic and Community Interests
At local level, public sector policies impact most on the wider community. In addition, the new local
governance arrangements envisage greater involvement for citizens and community groups in decision7
making processes that affect them. It is important, therefore, that local voluntary and community groups are
adequately and effectively represented at Local Community Development Committee level.
In general, the City Manager (with the approval of the Corporate Policy Group) will ensure that the
selected community and voluntary nominations are as representative as possible of a broad range of
community interests.
The number of representatives from the sector is a matter for local determination by the City Manager.
The three representatives from the voluntary and community sector will be drawn from the existing
Dublin City Community and Voluntary Forum.
The selection of community and voluntary representatives will be guided by the following principles:

Representation should be from community and voluntary organisations, and representatives must have
a clear mandate from their nominating organisations.

Selected community organisations must have a proven track record of community development.
Under the Guidelines from Government Local Authorities are tasked with strengthening and reinvigorating the
Community and Voluntary Forum in their jurisdiction, where this necessary, and ensuring that community
interests and the community/voluntary sector are effectively represented on the Local Community
Development Committee and its sub-structures.
The City Manager (subject to approval of the Corporate Policy Group) will select four other members
from this category representing Commercial and Enterprise interests in the City.
It is proposed therefore that there will be a total of 7 members to represent Social, Economic and Community
interests in Dublin City on the Committee as follows:
Community and Voluntary Forum (3)
Dublin City Business Association (1)
Chamber of Commerce (1)
Trade Unions (1)
Social Enterprise Sector (1)
It is intended that representatives from relevant Community/Voluntary, Business, and Enterprise interests in
the City be invited to attend and present occasionally at meetings of the Committee in a similar way to various
Government Sub-Committees.
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Therefore the initial Dublin City Local Community Development Committee will comprise of the
following:
Sector
Represented
Public/Private
Number
Nomination


Local Authority
Public
9



State Agencies
Public
0


Local and
Community
Development
Private
3



Social, Economic
and Community
Interests
Private
7



TOTAL
19
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One City Manager Nominee.
(Assistant City Manager)
Six Chairpersons from Dublin
City Council Strategic Policy
Committees.
One
Member
from
the
Independent
Group
of
Councillors.
Head of Local Enterprise Office
(Leo)
Senior representatives from
State Agencies will be invited to
present to SEC.
Some representatives from key
State Agencies will be invited to
participate on SEC without
becoming Members.
Two representatives from Local
Development Companies
(Partnerships) in the City.
One representative from the
City Drugs Task Forces
Three representatives from the
City Community and Voluntary
Forum.
One representative from the
Chamber of Commerce.
One representative from Dublin
City Business Association.
One representative from the
Social Enterprise Sector.
One representative from the
Trade Union Sector in the city.
Chairperson
The Chairperson of the Committee will be selected by majority decision from among all the members of the
Committee. The Chairperson will be appointed for a maximum period of three years, whereupon he/she will
retire as Chairperson.
A member will not serve two consecutive terms as Chairperson.
Rotation of Members
Each member will serve a three year term, serving a minimum three year term in the first instance to allow for
the rotation of members to commence at the third AGM.
Rotation of members will commence with one fifth of the members retiring at the third AGM, thereafter one fifth
of the members will retire automatically at every AGM
The order of retirement is determined by the length of office or, where this is equal, by random selection
unless otherwise agreed.
This rotation procedure will not apply to the Local Government Members as they are appointed to the
Local Community Development Committee by virtue of their position.
There will be a regular review of the membership to account for changing Local community Development
Committee objectives –provision will be made for the ‘standing-down’ of members, where this is appropriate
e.g. where the strategic need for members has been satisfied or new members are required to meet a specific
strategic need or members are not attending on a regular basis.
Gender Balance.
As far as possible the Committee will achieve a level of 40% female and 40% male representation.
Administrative Support for Dublin City Local Community Development
Committee
Establishment of Dublin City Local Community Development Committee.
The City Manager (with the approval of the Corporate Policy Group) will be responsible for establishing the
Local Community Development Committee in the first instance and for its effective operation thereafter.
In establishing the Committee, the City Manager will:

Arrange for the membership of the Committee to be filled;
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
Ensure that relevant sectors are adequately represented;

That there is an appropriate representational balance within and between the public and private
sectors;

That members have the necessary competencies and skills to effectively discharge their
responsibilities as Committee members, arranging for appropriate capacity building and skills
development as required.
Secretariat/Executive Support
Dublin City Council (Community and Social Development Section) will provide all necessary administrative
support to the Committee. These supports shall include all functions to ensure the efficient operation of the
Committee, such as but not limited to:

Arranging for meetings of the Committee to be convened;

Providing or arranging for the provision of accommodation for the holding of meetings;

Making necessary preparations for Committee meetings, including drafting and circulating meeting
agendas, taking, drafting and circulating meeting minutes, and generating or circulating Committee
notices and other documentation;

Providing other logistical, organisational and support activities.
Meetings
The Chair will decide on the frequency of meetings of the Committee (minimum 6 per annum).

Meetings will be convened in Dublin City Council offices, unless otherwise agreed by the members.

Meeting arrangements (e.g. place, date and time) will be notified to members no less than 10 working
days in advance of the meeting;

Notification of a meeting will include an agenda listing the business of the Committee;

A quorum for a meeting will be 50% (rounded up) where a quorum cannot be achieved, the meeting
will be postponed and rescheduled;

Minutes of a meeting will be drawn-up by the Secretariat.
Minutes
The minutes will include:
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
Date, time and place of the meeting;

Names of the members present at the meeting;

Conflicts of interest notified to the meeting and particulars of the steps taken;

Particulars of all decisions/votes taken at the meeting; and

Other matters considered appropriate.
Minutes of meeting will be:

Submitted for agreement at the next following meeting;

When agreed, published on the City Council Web Site.

Provided to any person applying for them.
The secretariat will be responsible for maintaining all official records relating to the management and operation
of the Dublin City Local Community Development Committee.
General
In general any expenses arising for a Local Community Development Committee member will be met by the
organisation the member is representing. However those Committee members whose expenses cannot be
met in this manner, will be entitled to travel expenses for attendance at Committee meetings and these
expenses will be met by the Local Authority.
Accounts
The Executive (DCC) will be responsible for ensuring that appropriate records are maintained in relation to all
monies received and disbursed by the Dublin City Local Community Development Committee (or Dublin City
Council on behalf of the Committee). The records will be retained by Dublin City Council and will be open to
inspection for members at all reasonable times.
The Executive will ensure that all relevant financial records are laid before a general meeting of the Dublin City
Local Community Development Committee.
Financial Arrangements
Subject
to
programme
requirements
and
service
level
agreements
with
Central
Government
Departments/State agencies, responsibility for the disbursement of programme funding will be vested in the
Dublin City Local Community Development Committee. To facilitate this, all monies to be disbursed by the
Committee will be held on trust for it by Dublin City Council. Payments to implementing and delivery bodies
or, where appropriate, programme beneficiaries will be made by the local authority on behalf of the
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Committee. Notwithstanding this, the specific arrangements for the management and disbursement of funds,
maintenance of bank accounts, audit and control arrangements, etc. will be a matter for agreement with the
relevant funders.
Maintenance of Records
Dublin City Council will be responsible for maintaining all official records relating to the management and
operation of the Dublin City Local Community Development Committee.
Decisions of Dublin City Local Community Development Committee:
All decisions of the Committee will be reached by consensus of the Committee members. Regard will be had
in the decision making processes for an appropriate representational balance between public and non-public
interests.
Transparent Procedures
The Committee will prepare and maintain non-discriminatory and transparent decision-making procedures.
Such procedures will allow for the possibility of appeal against decisions. Procedures will also provide for the
possibility of appeal decisions by written procedure.
Conflicts of Interest
Given the Committee will be responsible for managing and disbursing public monies, there is a need for
transparency in all dealings involving the members and the decisions of the Committee. From time to time
members may find that personal, family or business interests may touch upon Committee functions. In this
context, it is important that comprehensive procedures are established to deal with any potential or actual
conflicts of interests that might arise. A process for dealing with such cases is outlined in the following
paragraphs.
Upon appointment, each member will provide the City Manager with details of all interests, including
employment and business interests and community involvement that might involve a conflict of interest or
might materially influence a member in relation to the performance of his or her functions as a member of the
Committee.
A register of members’ interests will be maintained by the local authority.
Each member must declare at the relevant meeting of the Committee any interest they have in:

An application for funding or other support for decision by the Committee;

Any initiative taken by the Committee;

Any contract [service level agreement] or proposed contract that the member, or a person connected
with the member may be directly or indirectly involved; or

Any matter from which the member, or anyone connected with the member, might benefit directly or
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indirectly from as a member of the Committee.
Where a conflict of interest is declared by a member, that member will leave the meeting and will not be
entitled to vote on the matter in which they are interested. Upon returning to the meeting the member will be
notified of the decision by the Chair and no further discussion will take place.
Ethics in Public Office:
The Committee will comply with the requirements of the Ethics in Public Office Acts 1995 and 2001. It is
intended to prescribe all Local Community Development Committees under the Acts.
Citizen and community engagement and geographical spread
Area Sub Structures
To further embed and consolidate engagement with citizens and communities in Dublin City the Local
Community Development Committee will establish five Area Sub- Structures consistent with the City Council’s
Area Management (Political Structures). This will be an opportunity to broaden the range of stakeholders to
participate in the local Community Development process.
This will also be a suitable structure to oversee service mapping at local level and for the development of area
community plans consistent with the overall City Community Plan.
Dublin City Local Community Development Committee - Sub-Committees –thematic :
In addition it is proposed that, where required a number of thematic, but time limited, Sub Committees will be
established as part of the Local Community Development Committee to deal with specific issues.
Again this will be an opportunity to broaden out the range of stakeholders involved in the overall Local
Community Development process.
These structures will:

Provide a means for securing engagement and consultation with citizens and communities;

Publicise decisions of the Committee and inform citizens and communities of future plans of the
Committee;

Provide a mechanism for informing citizens and communities of performance and the impact of actions
undertaken by or under the oversight of the Committee;

Provide a mechanism whereby citizens and communities can make recommendations to the
Committee and seek explanations where the policies and actions of the Committee are at variance
with those recommendations.
Engagement with Educational Institutions in the City
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
It is proposed that that the Committee will foster a close working relationship with the main Educational
Institutions in Dublin. In particular it is proposed to develop a key strategic partnership with Dublin City
University in order for them to provide advice, research and evaluation assistance to the Committee.
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