New roads’ plan ‘diminishes’ councillors’ power

The introduction of a new four-year Roads Plan covering 2013 to 2016 will diminish the power of elected members to carry out one of their main functions, North Clare councillors have warned.

Councillors in the Ennistymon Electoral Area were surprised to learn the 2013 Roads Works Programme has been scrapped by the Department of Transport and that funding for improvement works next year could be as low as 30% of Clare County Council’s 2011 allocation.

Councillors criticised the alleged lack of statutory input from elected members concerning approval for the final contents of the multi-annual roads’ programme following official confirmation any changes will only be accepted subject to prior approval of the National Roads Authority (NRA).

They voiced their dissatisfaction after senior executive engineer, Stephen Lahiffe revealed at an Ennistymon Electoral Area meeting on Friday the council has been requested by the Department of Transport to prepare a prioritised list of improvements works for completion from 2013 to 2016.

While no decision has been made on the exact allocation for 2013, Mr Lahiffe admitted early indications suggest the funding would not be more than 85% of the council’s 2012 improvement grant allocation, which in turn was 85% of the previous year’s allocation.
Based on the four-year programme, Mr Lahiffe explained that confirmation will be issued at the start of every year of the list of projects, which have been approved for funding.

The Department of Transport in conjunction with the National Roads Authority and the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA) has issued a manual for assessing Pavement Surface Condition Index (PSCI) on roads.

This manual forms parts of the pavement management system linking pavement distress to treatment measures.

Stating the existing 2013 roadworks’ programme is no longer valid, Mr Lahiffe stressed before and after PSCI ratings were required on all rural schemes included in the new four-year plan and had to be included in the submission for the Restoration Investment Programme.

He confirmed all public roads in North Clare, which councillors have requested to be included in the roadworks’ programme following proposals passed at meetings, will be considered and rates as part of the preparation of the four-year plan and the overall rating of roads.

Electoral Area chairman, Councillor Joe Arkins proposed a meeting of North Clare councillors should take place before roads are prioritised in the county plan before being presented for adoption at the March meeting.

Councillor Arkins wondered how councillors could have serious input into the prioritisation of roads for improvement works considering they were limited to three motions for every Ennistymon Electoral Area meeting.

Mr Lahiffe explained the list would be based on motions submitted by councillors in recent years, complaints from the general public about the condition of roads, the views of council engineers and overseers and the RSCI survey.
Stating the 2013 roads’ programme seemed to be a waste of time, Councillor Michael Kelly complained that the role and power of local councillors is being “diminished” and expressed concern about the enhanced status afforded to the NRA.

Expressing disappointment with this “order from on high”, Councillor Kelly wondered if it would take years before improvement works are completed on some roads in North Clare if they are deemed low on the RSCI index.

His concern was also shared by Councillor Bill Slattery who noted this new directive is coming from the NRA and the LGMA without any prior consultation from the council.
Mr Lahiffe acknowledged merits and downsides to the initiative.

Councillor Richard Nagle claimed Government promises about enhancing local democracy are a “joke” as this is yet another function, which is effectively being removed from local councillors.

Mr Lahiffe recalled the existing roads’ programme had to be changed due to the frost and bad weather, while the plan gives the council an opportunity to look back at all the roads where improvements were proposed.

One of the major benefits of the new plan, he said, is the provision of a new condition record of roads before and after any upgrading works and the rating will be available without having to inspect the road again.

“There will be some room for manoevure provided it doesn’t involve wholescale changes. Councillors can still submit a road for inclusion because of a change in the condition of the road,” he said.

Councilor Michael Hillery said he doesn’t want to see a situation where roads that are not in the existing programme would “fall off the scale” in the new programme due to lack of funding.
He lamented the reduction in the role and power of councillors as all roads would be rated on a computer.