Minutes of the September Meeting of Kilkee Town Council held on Monday 7th September 2009, at the Sweeney Memorial Library, Kilkee
Cathaoirleach sa Cathair
- Cllr. L. Marrinan Sullivan
I Láthair
- Cllr. C. Haugh
- Cllr. P. Collins
- Cllr. B. Keane
- Cllr. E. Haugh Hayes
- Cllr. K. Reilly
- Cllr. M. McGrath
- Cllr. M. Owens
- Cllr. P.J. Lardner
I Láthair
- N. Kaye, A/Director of Services Housing and Social Policy
- J. Corry, A/Town Clerk
Minutes of the July monthly Meeting of Kilkee Town Council held on Monday 6th July 2009 at 8.00 p.m. at the Sweeney Memorial Library, Kilkee.
Cllr. P. Collins queried if there was any update regarding the possibility of J. Corry being located in Kilkee for one day per week.
N. Kaye indicated that there would be a cost factor involved and she also indicated that there would be no question of additional costs being allowed in any council at the moment.
Cllr. P. Collins said he couldn't understand how it couldn't be accommodated and he didn't foresee that there would be any major cost involved.
Cllr. L. Marrinan Sullivan asked if we could look at the Kilkee budget for 2010 to see if provisions could be provided for this relocation. She queried if the Town Clerk was opposed to the idea of being based in Kilkee for a certain time each week.
J. Corry indicated that he was already in Kilkee at least one day per week anyway as a matter of course in dealing with issues etc. related to Kilkee and that he had no difficulty with same.
It was suggested that the idea of using the office used by the Revenue Collector should be further explored with regard to insurance, furniture, confidentiality etc.
J. Corry re-iterated that from the point of view of staff back up, access to facilities, access to IT etc. that it was more efficient to operate from Kilrush.
It was suggested that a no of hours per week would be sufficient and that same should be examined on a trial basis.
Cllr. C. Haugh emphasised that she had no difficulty with the service being provided by the Town Clerk at the moment being based in Kilrush, which she felt was very efficient.
It was agreed by the members that it would be explored by the executive for the Town Clerk to operate based in Kilkee for one half day per week and that the cost involved could be considered when preparing the Budget for 2010.
As there were no other matters arising the minutes were:
Proposed by Cllr. C. Haugh
Seconded by Cllr. K. Reilly
Nomination of member to IPBMI
Cllr P.J. Lardner was proposed for the position of IPBMI representative for Kilkee Town Council by Cllr. C. Haugh and seconded by Cllr. L. Marrinan Sullivan.
Boundary Extension
J. Corry circulated two maps of the town of Kilkee to the members. One map was a map of the town approximately 100 years ago with the other map being a present day map of Kilkee. He indicated that the purpose of this was to show the members, that with the exception of the area close to Cluain na Mara, that there was ample space within the current town boundary to allow for future development, expansion etc.
Cllr. L. Marrinan Sullivan asked what the Town Council's options now were.
J. Corry indicated that the procedure was laid out in Section 29 of The Local Government Act 1991. He indicated that the proposer of the alteration, must furnish a copy of the proposal to each local authority whose boundary is affected by the proposal and such other local authorities as may be prescribed, as well as publishing notice of the proposal, with details. The proposer shall also invite submissions from any person concerned within a specified period. He added that each respondent must make a statement of its response within 6 months from the receipt by each respondent of a copy of the proposal, or such longer period as may be agreed upon by the proposer and the respondent. The proposer may by resolution amend the proposal in such a manner as it thinks fit. After these procedures, the proposer may make an application to the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government in relation to the boundary to which the proposal or the amended proposal, as the case may be, relates. An application shall be accompanied by the proposal, any submissions received by the proposer, the statement of response from each respondent and any amended proposal.
Cllr. L. Marrinan Sullivan suggested that the boundary should be extended to include the parish of Kilkee.
N. Kaye suggested that for the next meeting that the views of the Senior Area Planner could be obtained regarding same together with their views on how it linked with the West Clare Area Plan. She also suggested that the zoned land should be looked at to ensure that Kilkee didn't cut itself off from zoned land, which may be useful. She emphasised that they had the time and that it may take time to decide what exactly would be the best way forward.
This was agreed by the members.
Allenders Field
J. Corry indicated that the large flower bed at the back of Waterworld had been sprayed and cleared of weeds in July. He also added that over 300 specific handpicked plants were chosen for this flower bed by the head gardener in Vandeleur Walled Garden as being the most suitable plants for this area. He added that this bed would be maintained throughout the winter and that further planting could then take place in spring. He also added that he felt that it was an opportune time to congratulate the Tidy Town's committee on retaining a bronze medal in the Tidy Town's awards and this had been achieved by increasing their overall points total by 3. Allenders field was specifically raised in the adjudicators report and it was hinted that it could be possibly used as a wildlife habitat.
Cllr. L. Marrinan Sullivan wished to congratulate the partnership involved in retaining this medal i.e. the Tidy Towns Committee, the County Council, the Town Council and FAS. She felt that obtaining a silver medal was a realistic target for next year. She added that she wanted to thank the Town Clerk and the Town Manager for continuing to retain Allenders field on the agenda and for facilitating the planting and works, which had taken, place there. She suggested that if a 3 point increase could be achieved each year for the duration of this council that that would be a tremendous achievement.
N. Kaye said the result was a great result for the partnership, which existed between Tidy Towns, FAS, and the County Council.
J. Corry suggested that from March onwards in 2010 that monthly meetings of all parties involved in Kilkee Tidy Town's could be held and that a list of tasks be carried out to keep a constant focus on improving Kilkee from a Tidy Town's point of view.
Cllr. McGrath also wished to congratulate everyone involved on the Tidy Town's success.
Fix date for an information evening
N. Kaye indicated that if the members so wished that a package could be put together with officials from different areas of Clare County Council meeting the Members in Kilkee to inform them about the workings of different areas of Clare County Council.
It was agreed by the members that same would be a very useful idea. It was suggested by the members that they would come back with a proposed date and time for the next meeting of the Council.
Fix date for a Presentation to the outgoing councillors
N. Kaye confirmed that it would be fitting to hold a presentation and that if the members so decided same could be facilitated.
Cllr. L. Marrinan Sullivan said she would contact the former members and report back to the council with a proposed date and time that may suit.
Joint Policing Committee
J. Corry indicated that the full composition of the JPC had been made with the three community members being Gormlaith Williamson representing the youth, Johnny Redmond representing the Chamber of Commerce and Donal Hayes representing sporting organisations.
Cllr. C. Haugh was nominated for chair of the J.P.C. by Cllr L.Marrinan Sullivan and seconded by Cllr. P.J. Lardner.
Cllr. C. Haugh thanked the members and said she felt that it would be a very beneficial committee to the town of Kilkee.
J. Corry said that he would explore a time that would be convenient for Deputy Breen for the holding of a meeting and that he would come back to the members with regard to same.
Beach Bye Laws
J. Corry referred to the Clare County Council Beach Bye Laws, which he had circulated to the members. It had been suggested at the July meeting that it would be useful to look at same in determining if Bye Laws should be considered for Kilkee. He added that the option of Bye Laws was a reserved function and that it was up to the members to make a decision with regard to introducing same.
Cllr. Collins said that it was an excellent document and that it was something that Kilkee Town Council should seriously consider.
Cllr. E. Haugh Hayes said that she felt that enforcement would be the difficulty.
Cllr. L. Marrinan. Sullivan said that same should be put on the agenda for October and that it would give the members sufficient time to really go through the document and that a decision could be made as to whether or not Kilkee would implement Beach Bye Laws.
Cllr. P. Collins suggested that same should be introduced by 1st June 2010. He also asked if a number of copies of the Clare Beach Bye Laws could be left in the library so that the public would have access to same.
J. Corry agreed that he would arrange for same.
New charge on Non-principal private residences
J. Corry explained that a €200 charge per annum for non principal private residents was now applicable from 31st July 2009 to help partly subsidise those Local Authorities whose Local Government Funds had been reduced. He added that this charge was payable to Clare County Council and that Clare County Council would redistribute the element of same relating to rating Local Authorities. He added that, as Kilkee Town Council was not a rating Local Authority that they would therefore not be in a position to benefit from same. J. Corry also added that, as Kilkee Town Council didn't receive a Local Government Fund that it didn't require this extra funding to help meet this shortfall.
Cllr. L. Marrinan Sullivan said that this was most frustrating for the Councillors and the people of Kilkee. She added that a charge on holiday homes was something that had long since been advocated by some members of Kilkee Town Council and she suggested that the monies collected from same should have been used for projects relating to Kilkee i.e. Allenders Field, refurbishment of Kilkee Courthouse etc.
J. Corry highlighted to the member's details of where planning contributions collected by Clare County Council had been spent in Kilkee. He indicated that in the past 5 years over 1.2 million euro had been spent in Kilkee, from planning contributions.
Cllr. L. Marrinan Sullivan said that while this was a significant sum that they would have been entitled to this as part of necessary works required to be carried out in Kilkee. She added that when you compared what had been spent in Kilkee with what had been collected in Kilkee that it sounded like a small sum.
N. Kaye said that it was important to point out that it was likely that the deficit in the Local Government Fund would not be matched by the income received for the levy on the second properties.
Notice of Motion submitted by Cllr. Marrinan Sullivan.
"Kilkee Town Council call on the Government to support the Family Resource Centre programme and in particular the four Family Resource Centres in Clare."
Cllr. L. Marrinan Sullivan said that she was calling on the Council to call on the Government to support the Family Resource Centres programme and in particular the 4 family resource centre programmes located in Clare. She added that they were very good organisations where the primary role was to support families. She added that they worked very closely with children and older people. She added that they were there to allow people to walk in off the street around issues that relate to issues around their families, their communities, and their lives. She felt that the Resource Centre was a great way of feeding into the National Development Plan the needs of people on a day-to-day basis in small communities. She said that they would be a terrible loss if they weren't retained.
This motion was unanimously agreed.
Notice of Motion submitted by Cllr. Marrinan Sullivan.
"Kilkee Town Council request that a lease agreement be put in place for 99 years with Clare County Council for the Kilkee Court House for a nominal fee of €5 per year".
Response submitted by Michael McNamara, SEO Corporate Services, Clare County Council.
Clare Co Council did invite expressions of interest last May from Community Civic Voluntary groups re the future use of the Courthouse. No proposals were received and this Council has no plans for the Courthouse at present, nor has a source of funding been identified for remedial works, which would be essential before future use of the building. In taking over the building the Town Council will incur costs for ESB, Caretakers pay, Insurance cover and upkeep of the building. Any proposal to lease the building will have to be considered by the elected members of this Council as required by Local Govt law.
Response Ends
Following a discussion on the future of the courthouse in Kilkee it was agreed that a more detailed submission would be submitted to Clare County Council with regard to the future use of the courthouse.
Cllr. L. Marrinan Sullivan agreed that she would contact a no of local organizations e.g. Tidy Towns Committee, Chamber of Commerce, Civic Trust to obtain letters of support regarding proposal for the future of the courthouse.
J. Corry confirmed that he would inspect the courthouse to ensure that no material of a historical importance was being stored there.
Notice of Motion submitted by Cllr. C. Haugh
"Calling on Clare Co Council to upgrade all one bed O.P.D' s in their stock to two bed units."
Response submitted by Vincent O' Halloran, Administrative Officer. Housing and Social Policy, Clare County Council.
Due to the present economic situation the Council are precluded by a directive from the Department of the Environment from carrying out any work of a structural nature to any of our houses for the foreseeable future. In any event the Council are not aware of the need to upgrade any of the O.P.D.s to two bed units and particularly in Kilkee where the Voluntary Housing Association there have recently constructed a scheme of 26 two bed bungalows to cater specifically for the elderly or for people with special requirements.
Response Ends
N. Kaye indicated that in the current climate that great value could be obtained by carrying out such works however that the Department of the Environment were unwilling to go down this road.
Notice of Motion submitted by Cllr. C. Haugh
"Calling on the Minister for the Environment to reverse the decision not to allow local authorities to provide loans for low income families to purchase their homes".
It was unanimously agreed that a letter would be sent to the Minister for the Environment calling on him to reverse this decision.
Notice of Motion submitted by Cllr. C. Haugh
"That the pedestrian crossing in the vicinity of the church be repaired immediately".
Response submitted by Derek Troy, Town Engineer
Clare County Council is currently organising the repair of the lights at the pedestrian crossing, which have been vandalised over the summer months.
Response Ends
Notice of Motion submitted by Cllr. M Owens
"That Clare County Council install a roundabout at the junction of the barrack corner".
Response submitted by Derek Troy, Town Engineer
The junction of the barrack corner forms part of the N67 that runs through Kilkee, and any funding required to make major changes to national roads is matter for the NRA (National Roads Authority). Clare County Council has prepared draft designs for the realignment of this junction, however funding has not been approved to date.
Response Ends
J. Corry suggested that if the members had other queries, issues re traffic management that they should be collectively submitted to the Town Engineer and he could then evaluate same.
Correspondence
Following a discussion on the submission made by Fox Funfairs it was agreed that the Well rd car park was not suitable for holding a funfair and that same should once more be indicated to them.
The Motion from Tuam Town Council was unanimously supported.
The Motion from the Family Resource Centre was unanimously supported
A.O.B.
Cllr. L. Marrinan Sullivan emphasised that it was vital that with the upcoming Cois Farraige festival that barriers to all car parks etc remain locked.
J. Corry informed the members of the revised opening hours at Lisdeen Recycling Centre from 14th September 2009.
The members expressed their disappointment that the Recycling Centre would be closed for three days.
As there was no further business the meeting concluded. |
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