Consultations may result in directly-elected Galway mayors

By Dara Bradley

Minister for Environment, Phil Hogan, has initiated an unprecedented consultation process on reform proposals for local government that could lead to a directly elected mayor of Galway City with increased powers.

Minister Hogan has written to the 1,627 elected councillors across Ireland, including the 15 Galway City Councillors, 30 Galway County Councillors as well as Town Councillors in Tuam, Loughrea and Ballinasloe, to illicit their views on what areas of reform are needed to make local government more effective.

The review could have implications for the role of City and County Managers, which may be altered; it could see a directly elected mayor in cities like Galway; as well as changing the way in which expenses are paid to local elected representatives, which is always a controversial topic among voters.

Minister Hogan has sent a detailed questionnaire to the councillors so that they are personally consulted on local government reform issues. The questions asked on the questionnaire relate to topics which form a central part of councillors’ concerns over the past number of years and which often feature on the agendas for meetings and conferences.

One of the questions asks: “Do you believe that the position of City/County Manager should be changed and replaced with that of Chief Executive, with a limited range of executive functions, primarily to facilitate to facilitate the implementation of democratically decided policy?”

This question appears to address the balance of power between elected councillors and those of elected officials, who elected members perceive to have too much power.

Another question asks: “Do you believe there should be provision for a directly elected Cathaoirleach/Mayor at local authority level?” This is a nod to the perceived shortcomings in the mayoral role at the minute, whereby mayors are figureheads with no real powers unlike in London, for example, where the Mayor has powers and a budget to implement his/her policy.

Another question asks: “What specific measures should be taken to enhance the responsibility and accountability of local authority elected members?”; and another, in relation to paying elected representatives asks, “Do you believe remuneration and expenses (including attendance at conferences) for local authority elected members needs to be reformed?”.

For more, read this week's Connacht Sentinel.