Review of Local Community Development Committees

Review of

Local Community Development Committees

The Department of Rural and Community Development (the Department) commenced a review of Local Community Development Committees (LCDCs) in October 2017. The review sought to assess strategic and operational development of LCDCs in the three years since they were established and to identify opportunities to strengthen and support them in the coming years.

The review highlighted a range of challenges for LCDCs and findings are presented under four themes:

• Governance and Structure;
• Strategic Effectiveness;
• Participation and Engagement; and
• Administrative Support and Development.

The report recommends the Department takes a stronger role at national level, leading on cross-Government coordination of local development and community development and securing greater national and local buy-in to the nascent structures. This is supported by recommendations grouped under the following three objectives:

• effective communication of the LCDC role to relevant local and national stakeholders,
• comprehensive training and support for LCDC Chief Officers, LCDC members and local authority support staff, and
• streamlined supports for LCDCs to sustain effective programme delivery and impact monitoring.

The recommendations will be implemented in 2019 as a key action in the Government’s Five-Year Strategy toSupport the Community and Voluntary Sector in Ireland (read here).

To read the report please download the file below.