The main reason the PPNs were set up is to enable community groups to be represented and to feed into local government decision-making in a way that is fair, clear and respectful. The PPNs have three main areas of interest, also called ‘Colleges’:
- Community and Voluntary
- Social Inclusion
- Environmental
On becoming a member of a PPN, each organisation is asked to select its College which represents their main interest. The Colleges nominate and elect people from within their Member Groups to represent them on some of the Boards and Committees set up by the Local Authorities and other bodies. This is key to the participation part of the Public Participation Networks. This is how the voices of Member Groups are included and heard when it comes to the policy and decision-making process.
We currently have vacancies on the Cork County PPN SPCs (see details below).
If you have any questions, please contact us on 0214 285340 or email .
Current Vacancies
Strategic Policy Committees (SPCs)
Strategic Policy Committees (SPCs) are local authority committees in city and county councils whose membership includes elected councillors, representatives of business, farming interests, trade unions, the environment, social inclusion and the community sectors. The PPN is responsible for the election of environment, social inclusion and the community sectors Reps onto SPCs. To find out more about the scheme, you can read the STRATEGIC POLICY COMMITTEE SCHEME 2024- 2029 on the Cork County Council’s website.
It is the task of the Strategic Policy Committees (SPCs), as committees of the council, to advise and assist the council in the formulation, development and review of policy. They have no remit in relation to routine operational matters regarding the delivery of services. The SPC system is intended to give councillors and relevant sectoral interests an opportunity for full involvement in the policy making process from the early stages.
Please submit your nomination by completing this form:
For more information on the role of a PPN Rep, please read our Representatives Charter:
For further details on the nomination process, see page 44 – 47 of the PPN Handbook (2020):
Remaining SPC Vacancies:
| Committee/ Pillar : | |
| Ecomonic Development SPC: | |
| Environment seat | Vacant |
| Housing SPC: | |
| Environment seat | Vacant |
| Planning & Strategic Development SPC: | |
| Environment seat | Vacant |
| Social Inclusion, Community & Rural SPC: | |
| Social Inclusion seat | Vacant |
| Environment seat | Vacant |
| Tourism SPC: | |
| Social Inclusion seat | Vacant |
| Arts, Culture & Languages SPC: | |
| Community & Voluntary seat | Vacant |
| Environment seat | Vacant |
| Coastal, Marine and Flooding SPC: | |
| Social Inclusion seat | Vacant |
Local Community Development Committees (LCDCs) North, South and West
The Local Community Development Committees (LCDCs) were set up as part of the Local Government Reform Act 2014 in each Local Authority area. The aim of LCDCs is to enhance the strategic planning and coordination of local and community development activity. LCDCs comprise public and private sector members, including Local Authority members and officials, state agencies, and private sector local and community development representatives.
Functions
The key functions of the LCDCs are as follows:
- Prepare the community elements of a 6 year Local Economic & Community Plan (LECP) (pdf)
- Implement, or arrange to implement, the community elements of the LECP
- Monitor implementation of the LECP
- Coordinate, manage and oversee the implementation of local & community development programmes, for example: SICAP and the Rural Development Programme
- Improve coordination and reduce duplication of efforts
- Consider a draft of the economic elements of the LECP Plan and adopt a statement in this regard
- Prepare an annual report
Cork County Council has established three LCDCs, aligned with the local government administrative boundaries of North, South and West Cork. Each LCDC can have between seventeen and nineteen members. There must be a mix of both public sector and private sector representatives, with the majority of the members coming from the private sector.
Current LCDC Vacancies :
- North Cork ( 2 Social Inclusion vacancies, 2 Community & Voluntary vacancies, 1 Environment vacancy)
- South Cork ( 2 Social Inclusion vacancies, 2 Community & Voluntary vacancies, 1 Environment vacancy)
- West Cork ( 2 Social Inclusion vacancies, 2 Community & Voluntary vacancies, 1 Environment vacancy)
Please submit your nomination by completing this form:
Secretariat Vacancies :
The Cork County PPN Secretariat provides a coordinating and oversight function for the PPN.
In particular its role is to:
- Facilitate the implementation of decisions of the PPN
- Ensure the proper functioning of the PPN between plenary meetings
- Coordinate the activities of the PPN
- Communicate extensively and regularly with all PPN members and disseminate information concerning all PPN activities as widely as possible
- Manage and support PPN staff
The Secretariat is made up of two representatives from each of the Cork County Municipal Districts i.e. Carrigaline, Macroom, Cobh, East Cork, Bandon-Kinsale, Fermoy, Kanturk-Mallow and West Cork, as well as, two representatives from each of the PPN colleges i.e. Community & Voluntary College, Social Inclusion College and Environmental College.
Current Vacancies:
Vacant seat – Carrigaline Municipal District
Vacant seat – West Cork Municipal District
Vacant seat – Macroom Municipal District
Vacant seat – Environmental Electoral College