Minutes of the April Meeting of Kilkee Town Council held on Monday 2nd April at 8.00pm at the Sweeney Memorial Library, Kilkee.
- Cathaoirleach sa Cathair: Cllr. Claire Haugh
- I Lathair:
- Cllr. PJ Linnane
- Cllr. Brian Keane
- Cllr. Tom Nolan
- Apologies:
- Cllr. Lily Marrinan Sullivan
- Cllr. Michael McGrath
- Cllr. Carmel Deloughery
- Cllr. Michael Martin
- Cllr. PJ Lardner
- I Lathair
- Nora Kaye, A/Director of Service &Town Manager
- Steve Lahiffe, Town Engineer
- Siobhán Curran, A/Town Clerk
1. Adoption of Minutes of March monthly meeting of Kilkee Town Council held on Monday 5th March at 8.00pm at the Sweeney Memorial Library, Kilkee.
Minutes of March monthly meeting of Kilkee Town Council held on Monday 5th March were adopted having been proposed by Cllr. Tom Nolan and seconded by Cllr. Brian Keane.
Mayor Cllr. Haugh advised that agenda item 3 would be taken next to facilitate members of the Plouhinec delegation getting a flight in Shannon.
3. Town Twinning Charter – Plouhinec & Kilkee
Cllr. Claire Haugh welcomed members of the Plouhinec Twinning committee to Kilkee and invited them to address the meeting.
Presentation of M. Chénéchal
(Written translation provided by the committee following the meeting)
“Please forgive me for not speaking in English and thank you for your welcome and for hearing us.
In Plouhinec, I am the Deputy Mayor and am responsible for the many associations there (including the Twinning and other social and sporting bodies) and for cultural affairs. I am therefore in charge of estimating the dynamism and the cultural effectiveness of the activities of our different associations. As far as the Twinning is concerned, its effectiveness can be measured through the relationship between our two towns.
My position on the Town Council allows me some influence on the distribution of the different subsidies as well as on the financial organisation of our Twinning Committee.
Even though during my visit here I have perceived a slight positive advance as far as the contacts and exchanges between us are concerned (three young girls for instance), they remain very insufficient.
Indeed, exchanges with Kilkee have been very poor lately and we would like to know what your difficulties are, in order to take all possible steps to renew the vitality in our relationships.
Contacts can take place through the schools, but also through our cultural, sports or leisure associations. In Plouhinec we have 49 different associations, which represent 25% of the population, that is to say, about 1300 members. There is, therefore, a real possibility of advancement through the twinning.
And now, the President of the Twinning Committee”.
Mr Daniel Hériquet’s presentation
(Written translation provided by the committee following the meeting)
“Ladies and gentlemen,
Like our representative, Mr Michel Le Chénéchal , I would like to thank you for the time you gave us during the meeting of your Town Council .
The aim of our trip to Kilkee was and is to re-boost the relationship and exchanges through both our committees. That’s why we ask for your help and your support, since contacts between our towns have been fewer and fewer recently and for several years now.
After the discussion with the members of the Irish committee, we are worried about its survival, if it does not open to new members. In order to help them financially, we are ready to organise some event, if necessary.
We understand that the Heapes family is very interested in the twinning and they have shown a real will to take part in the revival of the Kilkee committee : we think this can be a very positive point.
We rely on the help of the Town Council and we hope, that you will do all you can, so that your twinning committee regains the dynamism we have known
in the past”
Yours sincerely,
Le president
D. HERIQUET
It was agreed to call a public meeting in Kilkee, to invite new members to join the twinning association and to endeavor to put a solid structure in place that can regenerate the twinning process. It was agreed to keep in contact with the Plouhinec committee via Philippe regarding the progress towards this.
Cllr. Nolan suggested that the Town Councils could look at the possibility of an exchange between the two town councils every two years and this could add another dimension to the town twinning.
2. Presentation on the final draft of Clare Local Authorities ‘An Sceim Teanga’ by Emer Ni Fhlaitheartaigh, Oifgeach Forbatha Gaeilge Comhairle Contae an Chláir
Emer Ni Fhlaitheartaigh advised the meeting that this final draft document of ‘An Sceim Teanga’ circulated to members was the outcome of a full consultation process including workshops and submissions. Emer invited any thoughts or additional contributions from the members at this stage.
Elected members advised Emer that they were happy for the draft to go forward as it was. Cllr. Haugh thanked Emer for attending the meeting.
4. Kilkee Tidy Towns – Review of 2006 results and Identify Priority Actions for 2007.
Pauline Barry was present on behalf of the Kilkee Tidy Towns Committee. She firstly thanked Kilkee Town Council for their ongoing support of the Tidy Towns effort. She also circulated a list of areas that the Tidy Towns feel are important to increase the number of points Kilkee can achieve in 2007. She also called for the reactivation of the Kilkee Environmental Forum, which was established in 2002 but has lapsed in recent years.
Cllr. Nolan stressed that more importantly than any action plan was the need to involve more people in the community.
Cllr. Linanne advised Pauline that Kilkee Civic Trust were also looking at the need for a survey of the Kilkee Strand Line wall.
Siobhán Curran, A/Town Clerk advised Pauline that she will refer back to the 2002 plan and review the structure that was in place for the Environmental Forum to see if this forum could be revisited to facilitate the drafting of the next 5 year plan for Kilkee.
5. Update on Hodges Green UVR Scheme
The following update was submitted by Mairead Corbett, Administrative Officer, Economic Development & Planning Section, Clare County Council.
Progress Report for Urban and Village Renewal Scheme at Hodges Green, Kilkee.
The wall is completed and the groundworks, landscaping and footpaths have started.
This project is being constructed by the Council and the area office staff under the guidance of the Senior Executive Engineer.
Report Ends
6. Kilkee Traffic Management Plan – Report on Circular Road, Railway Road / Ball Alley Lane
Steve Lahiffe informed the meeting that there was no report ready for tonights meeting. He advised that the areas referred to above had been referred back to the Road Design section in Ennis to review and that they were awaiting their response.
7. Notice of Motion from Cllr. Claire Haugh
‘That a deputation from Railway Road be received by the Town Council to discuss the imposition of double yellow lines’.
Cllr. Haugh welcomed the large deputation from Railway Road and invited 3 persons to speak on their behalf.
Jimmy referred to the petition signed by over 40 residents, which was submitted at the March meeting. He outlined the views of the residents and referred to the points raised in the petition as follows;
- No proper, open and transparent consultations were undertaken by Town or County Councillors with any of the residents of these streets - He stressed that people do not read official notices in the papers and that there is no substitute for face to face consultation.
- No alternative parking facilities have been offered to the residents effected.
- Up until now there has been no complaints of parking problems and incidents of traffic congestion on these streets – He stressed that the street was wide enough to accommodate parking on both sides and a free flow of traffic. He questioned the rationale of doing something that is not needed.
- Have any Councillors considered the upset these discriminatory parking restrictions will have on residents - He asked why one neighbour was being set against another neighbour with parking at just one side of the road at not at the other.
- We consider the imposition of such parking restrictions a retrograde step and request that the double yellow lines be removed.
Cllr. Haugh thanked Jimmy for his articulate presentation of the views of the residents of Railway Road. She stressed that Kilkee Town Council did not adopt this Traffic Management Plan and agreed that there had never been any traffic difficulties on railway road.
Geri spoke on behalf of elderly residents of the road and said that she found the whole situation very upsetting. She felt that with a council estate at the back of their road with lots of young children this would only add to the danger for them by speeding up traffic.
Cormac advised that he had counted 14 cars that now had no where to park and that he was not happy with ‘a first come first served basis’ approach to parking. He did not accept that there had been transparency with this plan.
S. Lahiffe responded by disputing that he had ever used the language ‘first come first served’ and clarified that he had said that public car parking spaces on public roads are available to all.
He advised that the Traffic Management plan had been requested by Kilkee Town Council and highlighted a public meeting held in early 2005. He confirmed that the draft plan had been on display and that Clare County council had complied fully with the statutory process re consultation. He said that 20-30 submissions had been received from residents in Kilkee and that as a result of these submissions aspects of the plan had been changed.
He further advised that a workshop had been held between the area Councillors and the town Councillors where the plan had been reviewed again. Clare County Council adopted the plan in Nov 2006, subject to a review of Marine Parade and Circular Road.
He went on to say that it had only recently come to light that there are problems with railway Road / ball alley lane. He reiterated that this had been referred back into the Road Design section in Clare County Council to see if any changes can be made.
N. Kaye, A/Town Manager supported Steve by reiterating that the consultation process had been full and transparent, with all submissions received and evaluated.
Cllr. Nolan acknowledged that they had been distracted by the difficulties with Marine Parade and Circular Road. He stressed that the town is for people to live in and not for traffic to drive through it. He said that he wasn’t interested in what Gardaí in headquarters in Dublin felt about the plan. He said that as elected members they should be listened to and requested that personnel from Road Design should come to meet them.
A young resident from the area advised that she and other young people would not be reading the papers for public notices. She also felt that their cars were expensive and that they couldn’t be expected to park them down lane-ways.
Jimmy again questioned why part of the traffic management plan had been put in place when it was not asked for in Railway Road / Ball Alley lane. He said that he was hoping that common sense would prevail.
Correspondence
All correspondence was noted.
Re: email correspondence from Noel Gleeson
Cllr. Linnane advised that Planning Permission had been refused on the proposed development referred to in the email.
Members also agreed that the relief road should be in place prior to any developments of this scale going ahead.
A.O.B.
Social & Community Facilities Capital Scheme 2007
Siobhán Curran, A / Town Clerk advised members that she was proposing to re-submit a phase one of the Kilkee Seafront proposal for funding under the Social & Community Facilities Capital Scheme 2007. She advised that a number of smaller projects would be going forward from Clare County Council rather than one large project. Funding per project was only in the region of €30,000 and that one project only could go forward from the West Clare Electoral Area.
Siobhan advised that having discussed the funding available with the Architect Ruth Hurley, it was proposed to submit a phase one of this project, which would see the replacement of the Bandstand as a stand alone project. Siobhán advised that a decision on what project would be submitted by Clare County Council would be made at the April council meeting.
The elected members agreed with a proposal for Phase one of the Kilkee Seafront.
Footpaths
Cllr. Keane asked for confirmation on what footpaths were included in the 2007 roadworks programme. Steve advised that no decision on where the funding was going to be spent had been made as yet but that he would be able to confirm this shortly.
Traffic Lights
Steve Lahiffe confirmed that they will not be going ahead with the proposal for a traffic light system at Easter.
Signs
Steve Lahiffe advised the members that two warning signs had been stolen and he asked for their assistance if they had any information regarding this.
Invite to Gardaí
Cllr. Keane proposed that the new Garda Supt should be invited to attend the May meeting to discuss the policing of the town in the summer season. A/Town Clerk to write formally inviting the Supt to attend.
Vote of Sympathy
A vote of sympathy was passed to Michael McGrath and his family following the recent passing of his father Gerry McGrath.
Thank you Card
Cllr Haugh read a ‘Thank-you’ card from Bernadette Kinsella thanking the elected members of Kilkee Town Council for their kind gift.
Cul-de-Sac sign
Cllr. Haugh followed up on a cul-de-sac sign requested for the entrance of Sunny Side estate at the March meeting. Steve Lahiffe agreed to put the sign in place as soon as he could.
Steve Lahiffe advised that this would be his last meeting of Kilkee Town Council as he was taking up a new post as Acting Senior Executive Engineer, based in Ennis.
Cllr. Haugh and Cllr. Nolan wished Steve well in his new post and thanked him for all his work in Kilkee.
Nora Kaye thanked Steve for all his years service to West Clare and wished him well in his new post.
As there was no further business the meeting concluded.
Cathaoirleach
A/Town Clerk |
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