New governance plan for Indaver Community Grant Scheme

A NEW strategy of corporate governance is being introduced to The Indaver Community Grant Scheme to ensure greater transparency into the initiative.

The changes follow a heated debate at October’s Laytown/Bettystown Municipal district meeting where local representatives demanded a review into the committee.

A number of councillors previously claimed they were not being kept in the loop on proceedings and raised concerns that Indaver had failed to be held account at council meetings in recent years.

Under the planning conditions for the Indaver waste to energy plant, the organisation is obliged to give money to the local community for every tonne that is accepted into the facility with the funding administered by Meath County council.

The fund is managed by the Community Liaison Committee and is designed to provide financial assistance to local community-based clubs and voluntary organisations for the development of community projects and works in the locality.

The Liaison Committee established consists of two officials from the planning authority, two representatives from the developer, two local residents and two elected members of Meath County Council.

Independent Cllr Geraldine Keogan is the current chairperson of the committee and cathaoirleach of Laytown/Bettystown municipal district, Cllr Stephen McKee is the second committee member.

Cllr Keogan outlined the new system at the November meeting of the Laytown Bettystown Municipal District meeting. She said changes would be put in place to ensure the transparency of the committee and to also strengthen the governance.

she said changes would include the circulation of the minutes of each meeting to the Laytown, Bettystown MD members and same to be published in on the Meath.ie website.

It was agreed that any conflicts of interest would be declared going forward and must be recorded and documented at the meeting and in the minutes. Any committee member who is a member of any specific club, committee or group or a relative who is linked must declare it and they cannot partake in any discussions when assessing the allocation of the grant.

Another new condition outlined is that a marking sheet will be divided and used in the assessment of each grant application and marks will be awarded for their various criteria such as a grant application must demonstrate the project is located in the benefiting area and if not in the benefiting area it must demonstrate the benefit to the community of Duleek.

The applicant must also demonstrate the community gain of the project, value for money, a clear need and if previous grants awarded haven’t been drawn down, an extension for the project must be approved.

Cllr Keogan explained that marking sheets will be circulated to Laytown/Bettystown MD members. In addition, the application form will be amended to reflect all of the above changes and the marking scheme will be clearly explained and help would be given to any group requiring assistance in completing the application form.

Labour Cllr Elaine McGinty welcomed the move but pointed out that community committee members should change on a regular basis to reflect the changing dynamic of the area.

"It shouldn’t be the same two people, that is not good governance, it should change because the people in Duleek have changed," she said. "We now have more people living here with more diverse backgrounds and that needs to be reflected in that committee."

The Labour cllr also said concerns of the public should be addressed in official committee meetings and there was record of concerns about the company increasing its annual intake of hazardous waste. She added:

"Their was no push back there was no questions asked from a public’s rep’s point, the concerns of the community are not being heard or reflected in the minutes of this meeting."

Cllr McKee stated that under 'any other business' the issue of trucks going through the village is raised at every single Indaver meeting although they may not always be reflected in the minutes.

Fine Gael Cllr Sharon Tolan said she welcomed the "partial review" but took issue with the community being unable to have a say into how the committee is formed.

"I don’t believe that it’s right that the local community do not have an opportunity to select their community reps," she said.

Fianna Fail Cllrs Wayne Harding and Tom Behan raised concerns around public perception of the fund being seen as a donation from Indaver rather than a mandatory levy.

A Meath Co Co official clarified that the funding under the scheme was not a levy but a specific planning condition where by a certain amount of money from Indaver had to be set aside and given to the community.

"When a planning application comes along and there is development levies on it that money is handed to Meath County Council and it goes into our capital plan to fund various projects," said Director of Services Dara McGowan who is responsible for Corporate Affairs and Governance.

"With this, a certain amount per tonne has been set aside to go into this fund so it’s Indaver money. There is a committee set up to administer that and as soon as it is decided who is getting the money Meath Co Council get the cheque from Indaver and distribute it through the community groups."