Provision of Services for the Development of the Local Economic and Community Plan 2024-2029 and Initial Implementation Plan for County Tipperary
Client: Tipperary County Council
Introduction/Overview Section:
Exodea Europe Consulting Limited has considerable experience working with Local Authorities to develop Local Economic and Community Plans, including Fingal County Council and Kilkenny County Council.”
Tipperary Local Community Development Committee had previously appointed Exodea Europe Consulting Limited to prepare the LEADER Programme Local Development Strategy 2023-2027 (LDS) for Co. Tipperary.
Following the completion of the LDS, we secured the preparation of the Local Economic and Community Plan 2024-2029 (LECP) for Co. Tipperary.
A four-stage work plan was developed to undertake the assignment.
Project Details Section:
Four-Stage Work Plan
The work plan aligned with the statutory process required by the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.
Work Package 1 included:
Socio-Economic Statement: This forms a key foundation for the LECP, providing a comprehensive socio-economic profile based on the best available data and serving as a shared evidence base for decision-making by the LCDC and the Strategic Policy Committee (SPC) for Economic Development and Planning.
LECP 2015-2021 Implementation Review Report: Offering insights into the successes and challenges of the previous LECP.” “Lessons learned will inform the new LECP, addressing past difficulties while building on achievements.
Policy Review: This process ensured coherence with international, EU, national, regional, and local policies across environmental, economic, and community sectors.
Data Review: Socio-economic analysis was undertaken to ensure comprehensive national, regional, and local data reference.
Work Package 2 included:
Building on initial community consultations held in the five Municipal Districts: Carrick-on-Suir, Clonmel, Nenagh, Thurles, and Tipperary-Cahir-Cashel.
Sustaining engagement required an agreed Communications Strategy early in the LECP process to ensure consistent messaging and emphasise collective involvement in shaping the vision, including:
1. Community and Voluntary Sector Stakeholders.
2. County Council Stakeholders.
3. Economic and Enterprise Sector Stakeholders.
4. Local Authority Elected Members.
5. Public Agencies.
6. Public.
Work Package 3 included:
Following the Public Consultation Report and revised Socio-Economic Statement with High-Level Goals from Work Package 2, an analysis was undertaken to define Sustainable Community Objectives (SCO) and Sustainable Economic Development Objectives (SEDO) for the LECP.
The analysis was designed to ensure consistency between the economic and community elements of the LECP using PESTLE and SMART frameworks.
Extensive engagement with the LECP Advisory Group involved facilitated workshops, integrating community and economic perspectives.
An Objective and Outcomes Report concluded Work Package 3, summarising outcomes from all stages and detailing agreed objectives.
Final sign-off was obtained from the Strategic Policy Committee and LCDC.
As per LECP Guidelines 2021, the final draft was submitted to the Southern Regional Assembly for feedback.
Work Package 4 included:
The final consolidated LECP draft was produced, incorporating feedback from the Southern Regional Assembly.
Outcomes/Results Section:
Plan Vision and Implementation
It outlined a strategic vision and high-level objectives aligned with the Council’s corporate plans and national and local policies.
The Plan proposed resource allocations for service delivery, promoted regional collaboration, and mapped organisational resources to key priorities, including specific objectives and fieldwork areas
It highlighted opportunities for synergy and joint working with other Council functions and statutory, community, and voluntary organisations.
The LECP was designed to guide the LCDC and provided a two-year Implementation Plan detailing actions, programmes, and innovations that reflect best practices and future opportunities.
It promoted shared use of local facilities and collaborative work with stakeholders.
Based on baseline data, performance measures were identified to track progress, targeting key cohorts with defined indicators.