My first question at yesterday’s (20th June)  MD meeting, ‘In light of the Curragh Forum’s rejection of the council’s invite to meet with Municipal District Councillors to discuss ongoing littering, overgrazing, illegal encampments, damage to unique flora and fauna, and degradation of the Curragh Plains can Municipal District Councillors receive a written progress report on what if any progress has been made regarding any of these areas of concern; this report should include the Curragh Forum’s response to Municipal District Councillors request that they broaden representation on the Forum to include amenity users.

Here is the report issued by Mr T McDonnell, Director of Service, Housing and Corporate Services : ‘During the course of a discussion at the January meeting of the council (item 19/0118 – motion to ask the Minister for Defence in conjunction with the Minister for Heritage and the Minister for Agriculture, to address the legislative barriers preventing interested parties from progressing a vision for the Curragh Plains as a multifunctional recreational, cultural and heritage amenity for all of Kildare) the members were advised (as the creation of new primary legislation will take a long time) that the Chief Executive had confirmed that Kildare County Council had volunteered to prepare a vision document with respect to the Curragh . A draft report has been prepared, and was sent at the end of last month to the Department of Defence for their consideration. Thereafter the report will be circulated by the Department of Defence to the members of the forum, and at the same time the report will also be circulated to members of the Kildare-Newbridge Municipal District. Members have previously been advised that the request in relation to the Curragh Forum addressing the Municipal District, was forwarded to the Department.

My first motion at yesterday’s (20th June) MD meeting, ‘That the council alert the Public Participation Network in a timely manner each year re the availability of the discretionary Local Property Tax Fund (LPT) and publishes the LPT allocations for the Kildare-Newbridge Municipal District on its website to let constituents know how their LPT monies are being spent’.

Here is the report issued by Ms S Kavanagh, Director of Service, Economic, Community and Cultural Development;  The distribution of the Local Property Tax (LPT) fund is a matter for the elected members as this is a discretionary fund. If the Municipal District agrees that the Public Participation Network (PPN) should be alerted then this can be arranged. The publication of the allocations is also a matter for the elected members; if the members agree that this should take place then this can be arranged.

My motion at Monday’s (28th May) Protocol Committee meeting; ‘ To consider the removal of the Standing Order  (number 21) relating to the use of recording equipment and mobile phones in the council chamber.

Councillor Cronin’s  motion at Monday’s Full Council Meeting , (28th May)  ‘That the last paragraph of Standing Order 12, transcribed below, be deleted due to its arbitrary nature thereby placing the paragraph at variance with a democratically elected representative council. The Mayor, the Chairman of the Protocol Committee and the Chief Executive may decide on the listing of potentially controversial items on the agenda and the members submitting those items shall receive written notification of the decision.

Here is the report issued by: Ms M McIvor, Senior Executive Officer, Corporate Services. : Proposed amendments to Standing Orders should firstly be considered by the Protocol Committee and a report brought back to full council.

My motion at today’s Full Council Meeting, ‘ That the council clarify the role and function of the County and City Management Association including its role in relation to local authorities, re legislation, the number of meetings attended by the Chief Executive since 2015, the agenda of the meetings, duration of meetings, travel and subsistence and any state boards the Chief Executive is appointed to from here.’

Here is the report issued by: Mr T McDonnell, Director of Housing and Corporate Services : The County and City Management Association (CCMA) is the “representative voice” of the local government management network. Its members are Chief Executives of the County and City Councils and the Assistant Chief Executives of Dublin City Council. It operates through a number of established committees each of which is concerned with a specific policy area as follows:

Corporate;

Economic,

Enterprise,

Community and Culture;

Environment,

Climate Change and Emergency Planning;

Finance;

Housing and Building;

Land Use and Transportation;

Water

Each Committee, which is made up of County and City Council Chief Executives and Directors of Service / Heads of Finance, interfaces with senior management of the Department of the Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government (DHPCLG) and other relevant Departments and organisations. No travel and subsistence is paid and no appointments to state boards are made by the association.

The council recently adopted a new Town Twinning Policy which while welcome fails to address key governance concerns which triggered it. Can the council provide details of how much and by whom expenses have been claimed for Twinning Trips to include all twinned with Towns in the District, since 2011; and the status of the Argentre du Plessis twinning where the costing for the twinning was not provided in advance of the vote, as required by law?

Here is the report issued by: Ms. Ann Marie Connelly, Acting/Senior Executive Officer Community and Culture Section: The information below is drawn from our current Agresso system and does not include Newbridge Town Council figures as the former Town Clerk is on leave. When this information becomes available it will be provided. Total expenses claimed since 2014 is €2894. Councillor Aspell (€2508) and Councillor Kennedy (€386). All three local town twinnings are active.

My first question at today’s (16th May) Municipal District meeting, ‘Can the council clarify how and why the community benefit of ten acres promised by then Minister for Defence Simon Coveney has been withheld, including in the answer; the council’s rationale for refusing to take ownership of the land from the Department; and what if any discussion was had or commitment required of the developer in relation to the promised ten acre community benefit?

Here is the report issued by: Mr T McDonnell, Director of Service Housing and Corporate Services : Discussions with the Department have identified their understanding that the community benefit was realised when part of the lands were transferred from their ownership to allow the construction of school facilities. Kildare County Council has not refused to take ownership of lands from the Department.

Report Issued by: Mr Mark McLoughlin, Administrative Officer, Planning Section : The Planning Department has held pre-planning discussions with the developer in accordance with Section 247 of the Planning and Development Acts 2000, as amended and Section 5 of the Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Act 2016. The pre-planning process cannot address matters extraneous to the application in question.

My second motion at today’s (16th May) Municipal District Meeting, ‘That the council clearly outline each step of the process of nomination and allocation of potential tenants to Approved Housing Bodies (AHB) social housing units in the district including ; what person/s in the council identifies potential tenants from the council’s social housing list; how are the potential tenants identified using what criteria; how is the decision arrived at, is there a round table discussion of potential tenants; whose opinion is invited, either inside or outside the council in identifying potential tenants; how many potential tenants over and above the number of places available are identified for each unit; what role does the Approved Housing Body or any member of the Approved Housing Body have, either formally or informally in short listing or vetoing or influencing in any way the final selection of potential tenants.

Here is the report issued by: Ms S Scully, Administrative Officer, Housing Section : Kildare County Council has 100% nomination rights to properties provided by Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) under the Social Leasing Scheme and the Capital Loan and Subsidy Scheme; both schemes provide funding for general needs housing. The Capital Assistance Scheme (CAS) provides housing for special categories of need and, in accordance with the rules of the CAS, in instances where an AHB received only 95% of the capital cost of the scheme they will retain 25% nomination rights. In the event that an AHB purchases a property through the Mortgage to Rent Scheme (MTR), the previous owner is entitled to remain in the property, no nomination is required, however, MTR applicants must qualify for social housing. AHBs manage transfer requests within their own stock. Nominations to AHBs are made in accordance with Kildare County Council’s Allocation Scheme for Social Housing 2016, adopted by full council on 28 November 2016. Allocations are made on a time on the list basis, with a provision for priority status in certain circumstances (Part 2 of the Allocations Scheme refers). Where a vacancy arises in the AHBs stock, or a new property becomes available, one household from the housing list will be selected by the Allocations Team, following consultation with the Housing Officer, and referred to the relevant AHB. Each household nominated is Garda checked and the AHB has an opportunity to interview the potential tenant. As part of the annual compliance process AHBs are requested to supply details of tenants residing in their properties. This information is compared with the information provided in the previous year and this exercise ensures that, where required, Kildare County Council is notified of vacancies.

My first motion at today’s (16th May) Municipal District meeting, ‘That the council clarify what steps it has taken to ensure that the conditions that existed at the time public monies were allegedly stolen from an Approved Housing Body in the district no longer exist before distributing further public monies from the €86 million allocated to Kildare County Council to deliver social housing including ; the number of signatures required for cheques then and now; the financial/auditing expertise on the board then and now; the frequency and detail of financial reporting from the Approved Housing Body to the council; which policies/protocols of the Approved Housing Body in question have been changed to safeguard against theft/fraud in the future; what account has the then Chair been asked to give in relation to the board’s failure to safeguard against theft/fraud.

Here is the report issued by Ms S Scully, Administrative Officer, Housing Section: The role of Kildare County Council in relation to Approved Housing Bodies (AHB) is to (a) ensure Approved Housing Bodies compliance with funding schemes, (b) enter into new Payment and Availability agreements, Capital Advance and Leasing facility agreements and provide funding under the Capital Assistance Scheme (c) enforce the conditions of mortgage agreements (d) ensure Approved Housing Bodies compliance with tenant nomination policies. It is the responsibility of the Regulation Office to regulate the operation of Approved Housing Bodies by monitoring compliance with the standards laid down in the Voluntary Regulatory Code-‘Building for the Future, A Voluntary Regulatory Code for Approved Housing Bodies in Ireland’ (VRC). Approved Housing Bodies are required to complete an annual regulatory return, reporting on six aspects of their organisation, this includes governance and finance (Tier 1 AHBs). In order to qualify for new funding provided for by Rebuilding Ireland, it is a requirement that Approved Housing Bodies are signed up to the VRC. Kildare County Council requires Approved Housing Bodies and housing associations who have availed of funding under the Capital Assistance Scheme, Capital Assistance Scheme and Capital Loan and Subsidy Scheme to complete an annual compliance return, this return consists of information relating to (a) contact details (b) details of directors (c) insurance details (d) rent calculations (e) financial statements (f) maintenance allowance (g) occupancy statements and void rates. To date the housing association in question has achieved compliance with the annual compliance process.

It is not within the remit of Kildare County Council to carry out the type of investigation outlined in the motion.