A Councillor's Role
Within the local government system major decisions of policy rest with the elected council. The implementation or executive role of day-to-day management rests with a chief executive, the county manager.
Functions performed by the council are known as reserve functions which are reserved as the exclusive prerogative of the members. The reserve functions of a local authority are performed by the elected members by resolution passed at a meeting of a local authority. The involve decisions on major matters of policy and finance such as:
- Adopting the annual budget
- Detemining the annual level of commercial rate to be charged
- Borrowing money
- Making or varying a development plan
- Making a special amenity area order
- Adopting a scheme of letting priorities for local authority dwellings
- Demanding expenses from any other local authority
- Making, amending or revoking bye-laws
- Bringing enactments into force in the functional area of the local authority
- Nominating persons to act on committees or on other public bodies
- Nominating a candidate for the Presidency.
A wide range of reserved functions is specified both in the Local Government Act 2001 and across an extensive body of acts. For more information visit The Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government website http://www.environ.ie
Details of Elected Members (Councillors)
