128B.— (1) The functions of a Committee are—

(a) to prepare and adopt the community elements of every 6 year local economic and community plan concerned in accordance with section 66C and any regulations made, or general policy guidelines issued, by the Minister for the purposes of that section,

(b) to implement, or to arrange for the implementation of, the community elements of the Plan (as the case may be) as made by the local authority in accordance with section 66C(4),

(c) to undertake a review of the community elements of the Plan at least once within the period of 6 calendar years after the Plan was adopted or last amended for the purposes of this paragraph and, if the Committee considers it necessary after any such review—

(i) to amend the community elements of the Plan, or

(ii) to prepare and adopt new community elements of the Plan to be made by the local authority under section 66C,

and any such amendment or adoption shall be in accordance with any regulations made, or general policy guidelines issued, by the Minister for that purpose,

(d) to monitor and review on an ongoing basis the implementation of the community elements of the Plan, including performance against any benchmarks or indicators of performance set out in the community elements of the Plan or other relevant indicators and, if the Committee considers appropriate, to revise the actions and strategies set to achieve the objectives of those elements of the Plan,

(e) in furtherance of paragraph (b), to co-ordinate, manage and oversee the implementation of local and community development programmes that have been either—

(i) approved by resolution from time to time for that purpose by the local authority concerned in respect of all or part of its administrative area, or

(ii) agreed for that purpose between the Committee and a public authority,

and to ensure that any plans and strategies related to those programmes are implemented in accordance with the community elements of the Plan,

(f) to seek to ensure effectiveness, consistency, co-ordination and avoidance of duplication between the local and community development programmes to which paragraph (e) applies and the functions of the local authority in relation to promoting the interests of local communities or in other related functions under section 66 (as provided for by subsection (2)) or otherwise,

(g) in addition to those programmes to which paragraphs (e) and (f) apply, to pursue the co-ordination generally of all local and community development programmes within the functional area of the Committee, so as to optimise resources for the benefit of local communities in that area and improve the efficiency with which publicly-funded local and community development resources are used,

(h) to consider and adopt a statement in respect of the economic elements of a draft of the Plan prepared by the local authority in accordance with section 66C, and

(i) not later than 31 March in each year, to prepare, adopt and submit to the local authority a report in relation to the performance of its functions during the year immediately preceding the year in which the report is submitted.

(2) The functions of a local authority under section 66, shall be deemed to be delegated to a Committee, in so far as those functions are necessary for the performance by the Committee of its functions otherwise provided for by this section.

(3)(a) The Committee may enter into an agreement in writing with a public authority, local development or community development body, or other person for the carrying out of those functions by such an authority, body or person, as the case may be, which the Committee considers appropriate to be carried out by such an authority, body or person, subject to such terms, conditions, restrictions and other requirements as the Committee considers necessary and specifies in the agreement.

(b) In this subsection a "local development or community development body" includes a not-for-profit organisation that provides programmes, offers services or engages in other activities that promote and support the interests of a local community or any part of a community or group within a local community.

(4)(a) The Minister may, with the consent of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, by order confer on a Committee or Committees such additional functions connected with the functions for the time being of a Committee, class of Committees or Committees generally (as the case may be) as the Minister determines, subject to such conditions (if any) as may be specified in the order.

(b) The Minister may make such provision as he or she considers necessary or expedient in respect of matters ancillary to or arising out of any of the functions referred to in paragraph (a).

(c) The Minister shall not make an order under this subsection in respect of functions for which another Minister of the Government is directly or indirectly responsible unless that Minister consents to that order being made.

(5) The Committee, in performing its functions, shall have regard to—

(a) the resources, wherever originating from, that are available or likely to become available to it for the purpose of such performance and the need to secure the most beneficial, effective and efficient use of such resources,

(b) the need for co-operation with, and the co-ordination of its activities with those of local authorities, public authorities and publicly funded bodies, the performance of some of whose functions affect or may affect the Committee, so as to ensure efficiency and economy in the performance by the Committee of its functions,

(c) the need for consultation with public authorities and publicly funded bodies in appropriate cases,

(d) the need for consistency with the policies and objectives of the Government or any Minister of the Government or other public authority in so far as they may affect or relate to the Committee’s functions,

(e) the need to integrate sustainable development considerations into policy development and implementation, and

(f) the need to promote social inclusion.

(6) The Committee has all such powers as are necessary for, or incidental to, the performance of its functions under this section.

(7) Subject to subsections (2) and (8), this section and section 49A are without prejudice to and do not restrict the functions of a local authority in relation to promoting the interests of local communities or other related functions under section 66 or otherwise.

(8) Section 140 shall not apply to the performance of any functions of the Committee and any resolution purporting to be passed under that section in relation to those functions which contravenes this subsection is void.]