Strategic Policy Committees

In an Action Programme for the Millennium, the Government set out its commitment to the restoration of real decision – making and power to local authorities and local people. An important step in this direction was the proposal to establish policy centered Strategic Policy Committees (SPC) and Corporate Policy Groups (CPG) within each city and county authority.

SPCs will prepare the groundwork for policies, which will then be decided upon by City Council.

Objectives and Structure of SPCs and the CPG

The Strategic Policy Committees:

• Assist the Council in the formulation, development and review of policy
• Reflect the major functions or services of a local authority within a broader context
• are tailored to size, membership and administrative resources of the local authority, and have a minimum one third of their membership drawn from sectors relevant to the committee’s work

The Corporate Policy Group:

• Comprises the Lord Mayor as its chair together with the chairs of each of the SPCs
• Links the work of the different SPCs and provides a forum for policy issues which transcend the remit of individual SPCs
• Is supported by the City Manager
• Is represented by the Lord Mayor at meetings of Council

Cork City Council at its meeting held on 29th May 2000 adopted a scheme to enable the setting up of Strategic Policy Committees and a Corporate Policy Group in accordance with the guidelines for the establishment and operation of Strategic Policy Committees. The Scheme provided for five Strategic Policy Committees:

• SPC 1 – Housing and Community Services
• SPC 2 – Environment
• SPC 3 – Roads and Transportation
• SPC 4 – Development and Planning
• SPC 5 – Recreation, Amenity and Culture

Each Committee has 9 members, 6 members of Council and 3 from sectoral interests.

Council, at its meeting on 17th July 2000, approved the membership of the Strategic Policy Committees and the first meetings of the Committees were held on Friday, 28th July 2000.

Chairs of the Strategic Policy Committees

Chair of Housing and Community Strategic Policy Committee

D. O’Flynn

Chair of Roads and Transportation Strategic Policy Committee

T. Shannon

Chair of the Environment Strategic Policy Committee

P. Gosch

Chair of Planning and Development Strategic Policy Committee

D. Cregan

Chair of RAC Strategic Policy Committee

T. O’Driscoll

Members of the Housing and Community Development Strategic Policy Committee

• Cllr. M. Ahern
• Cllr. D. Clune
• Cllr. D. McCarthy
• Cllr. M. Quill
• Cllr. C. O’Connell
• Cllr. D. O’Flynn (Chair)
• Mr. Michael Scanlon (Trade Unions)
• Ms. Patsy Supple (Business and Employers)
• Ms. Margaret O'Neill (Community/Voluntary/Disadvantaged)

Members of the Roads and Transportation Strategic Policy Committee

• Cllr. B. Bermingham
• Cllr. M. O’Connell
• Cllr. T. Brosnan
• Cllr. F. Dennehy
• Cllr. C. O’Leary
• Cllr. T. Shannon (Chair)
• Mr. John Bowen (Trade Unions)
• Mr. Sean Cullinane, (Business and Employers)
• Ms. Fiona MCSweeney (Community/Voluntary/Disadvantaged)

Members of the Enviroment Strategic Policy Committee

• Cllr. J. Kelleher
• Cllr. M. Shields
• Cllr. D. Counihan
• Cllr. M. Barry
• Cllr. C. Burke
• Cllr. P. Gosch (Chair)
• Mr. Pat Guilfoyle (Trade Unions)
• Mr. David Roynane, (Business and Employers)
• Mr. Charlie Hennessy (Environmental/Conservation/Culture)

Members of the Planning and Development Strategic Policy Committee

• Cllr. J. Corr
• Cllr. C. Clancy
• Cllr. D. Wallace
• Cllr. G. O’Flynn
• Cllr. A. Spillane
• Cllr. D. Cregan (Chair)
• Ms. Suzanne Mullins (Trade Unions)
• Mr. Donagh O'Riordan (Business and Employers)
• Mr. Pearse Barrett (Community/Voluntary/Disadvantaged)

Members of the RAC Strategic Policy Committee

• Cllr. J. Buttimer
• Cllr. D. Murphy
• Cllr. C. Lynch
• Cllr. T. Fitzgerald
• Cllr. J. O’Brien
• Cllr. T. O’Driscoll (Chair)
• Mr. Maurice McCarthy (Community/Voluntary/Disadvantaged)
• Mr. Denis Lyons (Environmental/Conservation/Culture)
• Mr. Gerry Kelly (Environmental/Conservation/Culture)