Local Economic and Community Plans LECP | Guidelines 2021
Healthy Ireland/Healthy Cities and Counties The Healthy Ireland Framework 2013–2025 supports Government’s response to Ireland’s changing health and wellbeing profile. The Framework draws on existing policies but also proposed new arrangements to ensure effective co-operation and collaboration to implement evidence-based policies at Government, sectoral, community and local levels. It is about each individual sector helping to improve health and wellbeing for all. Actions identified as part of the Healthy Ireland initiative should be included as actions to achieve identified Health and Wellbeing objectives in the framework LECP. Climate Action As indicated above while actions to mitigate for climate change should be fully considered in their own right comprehensive climate change interventions are cross cutting and need to be considered across all areas under the LECP. The legal process that will underpin Irelands commitments to the achievement of Climate Change targets including the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021 will support Ireland’s transition to Net Zero and achieve a carbon neutral economy by no later than 2050. This includes a legally binding obligation to reduce carbon emissions by 50% by 2030. The role of the Local Authority is detailed in section 15 of the Bill and requires each Local Authority to make a Local Authority climate action plan, which shall specify the mitigation measures and the adaptation measures to be adopted by the Local Authority. The Bill goes on to outline that each LA Climate Action Plan should be consistent with the most recently approved national Climate Action Plan and national adaptation framework and also outlines the consultation that should be undertaken in developing the Climate Action Plan. A Public Consultation in relation to this plan took place under the NDCA in March of 2021 which will be published later in 2021. Consideration of Climate Action in the LECP should complement the role of the NDCA, LA Climate Action Plan and City/County Development Plan taking into consideration the specific role that local initiatives could have in achieving overall county goals as they relate to climate change.
Relevant National Policies and Strategies Section 66C(1)(d) of Local Government Reform Act 2014 require the Local Authority and its relevant committees to have regard to the need for consistency with the policies and objectives of the Government or other public authority in so far as they may affect or relate to the promotion of economic and community development. Lists of potentially relevant policies and strategies from both an Economic and Community Perspective can be found in Appendix 6. Each Local Authority should ensure that any relevant policies and strategies are fully considered as part of the LECP development process. Implementation Plans Each Implementation Plan should examine the High-Level Goals/Sustainable Objectives and outcomes as set out in the Framework LECP and determine the actions to be pursued in that particular planning period to contribute to the achievement of the goals and objectives. The Implementation Plan should include actions of all relevant stakeholders that can contribute to the achievement of the LECP High-Level Goals. The Implementation Plan should take into consideration the programmes and funding streams available under initiatives such as those described above and other potential funding streams, for example Clár, Community Enhancement Scheme, as well as the availability of other relevant resources. This prioritisation process should be collaborative and include consultation with relevant stakeholders to ensure the inclusion of all realistic actions that may contribute to the achievement of the overall objectives. While the Implementation Plan process does not require the comprehensive consultation process required to develop the framework LECP there should be ongoing collaboration through the relevant consultative structures to ensure that the actions identified are in line with what was envisaged in the LECP framework consultation. This is particularly important in the case of those organisations that are not formally represented on the LCDC who may not feel the same commitment to the process as those that are.
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