ROSCOMMON COUNTY COUNCIL CORPORATE PLAN 2019-2024 COMHAIRLE CONTAE ROS COMÁIN PLEAN CORPARÁIDE 2019-2024 Working with you. Working for you 1 CONTENTS 1 Message from Cathaoirleach and Chief Executive 2 2 Introduction 4 3 Our Country 6 Our Location 7 Our People 8 Our Places 8 Our Economy 9 4 Core Principles 10 5 Vision and Mission Statement 12 6 Consultation 14 7 Your Council 16 Elected Representatives 17 Committees and Associated Bodies 18 Our Services to you 19 8 Corporate Plan and You 20 Operating Environment 21 9 Our Priorities 28 Quality of Life and Well-Being for All 29 Economic and Community Development 32 Quality Service to Our People 34 10 Base Data - Measuring Performance 36 11 Monitoring 44 12 Appendix 1: Achievements 2014-2019 46 13 Appendix 2: Services Level Agreements 50 14 Appendix 3: Strategic and Policy Documents 52 1 Working with you. Working for you 3 MESSAGE from the Cathaoirleach and the Chief Executive As Cathaoirleach and Chief Executive of Roscommon County Council, we welcome the publication of the Corporate Plan 2019-2024. Eugene Cummins This Corporate Plan is a central component of the Local Authority business architecture, linking as it does key elements of National Chief Executive policy with the capacity and resources of the organisation to operational activity and inclusive community benefit. The Plan is our strategic framework for action across all areas of activity and will ensure that every citizen of County Roscommon will feel included, respected, be part of the decision making process and be assured that Climate Change mitigation will be the primary consideration in all decisions. Roscommon County Council will continue to take the lead in driving economic and community development and this Corporate Plan shows how we will do this and how our performance will be measured. This Corporate Plan will set us on a course of great change. On Councillor our journey ahead Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands will develop with a Paschal pace not realised in the past. We will witness and be prepared for Fitzmaurice the growth of Athlone as a Regional Growth Centre and our towns Cathaoirleach of and villages will get a new modern look as dereliction begins to County Roscommon be eliminated and the benefits of Rural and Urban Regeneration take positive effect. Our journey too will see our willing workforce becoming even more agile, where wellbeing will be a common topic of conversation and where new skillsets will be developed to service and meet the demands of all within the County. We are well advanced with our Digital Transformation Strategy which will allow for full transparency in everything we do, with the complete capture of all transactions, communications and interactions with our customers. Full data collection will allow for a full analysis of all business activity and will facilitate performance measurement of actions contained in the Corporate Plan. Our Corporate Plan will chart a steady course of action, focus and progress, that will bring the Local Authority nearer to every citizen, wherever they have come from, to make all feel included and wanted in our communities in a new more sustainable way. We will meet the challenges of Climate Change with a dogged determination to enhance and improve our environment, in every aspect of our work, for future generations. 2 Working with you. Working for you 5 INTRODUCTION from Cathaoirleach and Chief Executive This Corporate Plan will serve as Roscommon County Council’s strategic framework for action during the lifetime of the present elected Council from 2019 to 2024 in line with the Local Government Act 2001 as amended. It has also been prepared in line with the Council’s statutory obligations to eliminate discrimination, protect human rights and promote equality of opportunity under Section 42 of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Act 2014. Section 37 of the Garda Siochana Act 2005 places a statutory obligation on Roscommon County Council when performing our functions to have regard to the importance of taking steps to prevent crime, disorder and anti-social behaviour within our area of responsibility. Key to the development of this Plan is the consultation that was undertaken involving internal and external stakeholders. An extensive consultation process was undertaken with a large number of staff throughout the organisation. Public consultation was carried out by using a survey on social media platforms which we advertised in the local press. The Corporate Plan will be reviewed and proofed over the lifetime of the Plan as new Strategies and Plans, such as the LECP, are developed. This Corporate Plan sets out the Council’s objectives for the next five years under the following three priorities that will deliver our mission, reflect the views of our people and build sustainable communities in a changing environment: Quality of life Economic and Quality and well-being community service to for all development our people 3 Working with you. Working for you 7 OUR COUNTY Donegal Our Location The County is well positioned as a strategic central hub and is well placed to take advantage Sligo of the development of Athlone Monaghan as a Regional Growth Centre Knock Sligo Airport and beyond. Leitrim Cavan In addition, the County has Louth Roscommon easy access to third level Mayo institutions and is served by Longford Meath Westmeath road, rail and international Dublin airports. Athlone Airport Galway Dublin Roscommon’s unrivalled Galway Offaly Kildare location is complimented by the superior quality of life, Laois Wicklow clean green environment, Clare extensive forests, amenity parks, walks, cycle routes and Shannon Carlow Airport water-based activities. Tipperary Kilkenny Limerick Wexford Waterford Kerry Cork 8 Working with you. Working for you Our People Our Places The population of County Roscommon as recorded The County is rich in heritage and unspoilt in the 2016 census was 64,544, an increase of 0.7% landscape and boasts the longest shoreline of the on the 2011 figure and split evenly between males majestic River Shannon, island studded lakes and and females. People aged over 65 account for 17% internationally renowned tourist attractions forming of the population, with 21% aged under 15. We have key features of the one of the regions’ largest a highly educated population, with 36% of people indigenous industry. Roscommon is a rural County having a 3rd level qualification. dotted with towns and villages that support vibrant communities with residential, retail, commercial The figures confirm that our citizens value the opportunities and education and leisure facilities. quality of life the County provides with 73% of Roscommon Town is the principal town and residents living in rural areas and on average having administrative centre with a population of 5,876. a commute to work of 26 minutes. The County is well served by strategic road and rail network and is in the Ireland West Airport, Knock region. Working with you. Working for you 9 Our Economy Roscommon’s economy is underpinned by build on the existing nucleus of medical technology Professional Services (24%), Commerce/Trade companies, capitalise on tourism potential, (20%), Manufacturing (13%), Agriculture (9%), proactively achieve growth in the agriculture and Public Administration (8%), Construction (6%) and food sector and develop economic potential in the Transport/Communications (5%). While income green energy sector, including biomass and support levels are lower than the State average so too is the the rural economy with rural and social enterprise cost of living in Roscommon. initiatives. 94% of Roscommon enterprises are micro- Each of the six main towns have a strong enterprise enterprises, the highest in Ireland. The County is focus with Town Teams bringing together people home to some world class clusters in the medical from community, business and statutory sectors device, pharma and engineering sectors. to promote the various opportunities to live, do business or just enjoy their towns. The Council implement strategies to maximise technology and knowledge based enterprises, 4 Working with you. Working for you 11 CORE PRINCIPLES Accessibility We will commit to equality of access to all of our services Age Friendly We will lead on how public services are planned and delivered to an aging population. Civic Leadership We will work to achieve a common purpose within a framework of clearly defined functions. Collaboration We will work with all stakeholders to engage and inspire our citizens. Governance We will operate in an open and transparent manner. Promoting and demonstrating public service values We will uphold high standards of conduct and ethics. Sustainable development We ensure sustainability is integral to everything we do. 5 OUR VISION Working with you, working for you Mission Tapestry created by Frances Crowe OUR MISSION Ensuring, through collaboration and the provision of strong leadership in partnership with the community, that County Roscommon is an attractive, inclusive, prosperous and vibrant place to live, invest, work and visit 6 Working with you. Working for you 15 CONSULTATION Roscommon County Councils Corporate Plan 2019-2024 has been developed following a broad consultation process involving a range of stakeholders. Staff engagement sessions were held to help shape External Stakeholders including the public were the thinking at all stages of development of the plan. invited to make submissions to the Council to help inform the priorities and strategic objectives as well