CENTRE for CROSS BORDER STUDIES

A new report from the Centre for Cross Border Studies has urged the governments in Belfast and Dublin to consider giving local councils a specific responsibility for cross-border co-operation.

The report - Cross-Border Co-operation in Local Government: Models of Development, Management and Reconciliation - is by Professor Derek Birrell and Ms Amanda Hayes of the University of Ulster. Its findings will be discussed at a seminar attended by local authority officials and councillors, most of them from the border region, in Armagh on Thursday 4 October. The seminar will be chaired by Mr John McKinney, chief executive of the Special EU Programmes Body and formerly chief executive of Omagh District Council.

The report suggests that "mainstreaming cross border co-operation would mean either an allocation as part of normal council expenditure, a developmental budget or a system whereby councils could bid for resources for cross border work".

The authors argue, however, that "making a cross border strategy obligatory for local councils might be counter-productive, and an approach based on gradualism/voluntarism would be best. Mainstreaming through council funding or a central government grant would be popular with councillors. Mainstreaming could be underpinned by the adoption by the two governments of a strategy on cross border co-operation which could be couched in fairly flexible terms or presented as guidance."

The authors point out that until now cross-border co-operation between local authorities "has grown without the existence of any specific policy or guidance from governments North and South," although "the peace process has encouraged some councils to develop and enhance their cross border collaborative activity and has made it more acceptable."

The report warns: "It may not be appropriate to look at cross border co-operation in local government as a mechanism for changing deeply held political convictions or as a means of conflict resolution. What is being achieved is more in the form of building relationships, working together and promoting mutual understanding and respect."

It says the practical achievements of such co-operation "are most clearly to be found in the enhancement of the economic infrastructure and information and communications technology; in the promotion of small and medium enterprises; in community enterprise development, and in the creation of a range of employment opportunities."

It says a number of other items have also "forced their way onto the local government agenda", in particular waste management, and a number of other topics have the potential for development: environmental awareness, energy efficiency, natural gas, arts and cultural projects, rural housing and emergency services.

The authors suggest that mainstream funding would allow councils to appoint a dedicated cross border development officer in each council, in the way that Northern Ireland councils already have a community relations officer. This could lead eventually to cross border development units within councils or shared across the border.

Further information from:

Professor Derek Birrell Tel. 028 7032 4514/4229 (048 from the South)

Andy Pollak, director, Centre for Cross Border Studies

Tel. 028-3751-1550 (048 from the South)