Minutes of the March Monthly Meeting of Athlone Town Council, which was held in the Civic Centre, Church Street, Athlone at 6.00 p.m. on Monday 4th March 2013.
Attendance:
Mayor: Cllr. J. Henson
Members: Cllrs. S. Buckley Byrne, M. Cooney, P. Hogan, G. McFadden, K. Moran, A. O'Rourke and A. Shaw.
Officers: Mr. Barry Kehoe, Director of Services
Mr. Hugh O'Reilly, Town Clerk
Mr. James Joyce, A/Town Engineer
Ms. Anne McNamara, A.S.O.
Apology: Cllr. K. Molloy and Pat Nally
Votes of Sympathy:
All the Members wished to be associated with votes of sympathy to the families of the late Cathal O'Kelly, Talbot Avenue; Marie Campbell, Garrycastle, mother of Jim Campbell, former Town Engineer and Anthony Keane, Coosan.
Minutes:
It was proposed by Cllr. Moran
Seconded by Cllr. McFadden and resolved,
"That we hereby adopt and confirm the Minutes of the February Monthly Meeting which was held on February 4th 2013"
It was proposed by Cllr. McFadden,
Seconded by Cllr. O'Rourke and resolved,
"That we hereby adopt and confirm the Minutes of the Special Joint Meeting which was held on February 13th 2013"
Matters Arising:
The Town Clerk advised Cllr. Moran that arrangements have been made to have the two derelict houses in Battery Heights boarded up and if they are not done already, they will be in the next couple of days.
The Acting Town Engineer advised Cllr. Shaw that signage throughout the town has been upgraded recently and two new signs for O'Connell Street Car-Park will be erected in the near future.
Draft Athlone Canal Study:
The Mayor welcomed Terry McCague, Senior Planner and Laura Courtney, Housing Agency to the Meeting and she gave a presentation on the Canal Study, outlining the major issues involved and the possibilities for future development, all of which can be linked in with objectives of the new Town Development Plan.
Cllr. O'Rourke and all the Members welcomed the Study which they agreed opens up lots of opportunities for one of the town's greatest assets. They acknowledged that funding may be a difficulty but hoped projects can be undertaken in phases. Cllr. Hogan asked that the Plan for the Battery Heights Regeneration be incorporated into the Study, while Cllr. Moran asked that the possibility of accessing the river from boats be investigated. A little concern was expressed over the safety aspect of re-watering the canal, especially near the playgrounds.
The Director summed up stating that if the Members agreed, the Study could go on public display for a month and be sent to all concerned groups. Costings can be carried out to enable the prioritising of projects and a Report will be brought back to the Members at a future Meeting, possibly June.
It was proposed by Cllr. O'Rourke,
Seconded by Cllr. Cooney and resolved,
"We hereby agree to place the Draft Athlone Canal Study on public display for a period of one month"
Pedestrian Crossing at Mardyke Street:
The A/Town Engineer informed the Members that it is proposed to install a Puffin Crossing in Mardyke Street at location shown on circulated map. He said this type of crossing is safer that a Pelican Crossing as it detects pedestrian and vehicle movements. The Director advised that funding is in place but the work if approved, will not be done until after the completion of the Watermain Rehabilitation Works.
The Members welcomed the fact that the pathway and steps at Liam McCormack's Shop will be made safer and wheelchair accessible as part of this work, but expressed concern about the existing pedestrian crossings in Church Street. It was agreed that these would be reviewed as part of the installation of the new crossing.
It was proposed by Cllr. Cooney,
Seconded by Cllr. Hogan and resolved,
"We hereby approve of the provision of a Puffin Pedestrian Crossing at Mardyke Street in accordance with the drawing circulated".
Tour Bus Parking:
The A/Town Engineer circulated a Report on the review of bus parking in the town, which outlined existing spaces and the options considered for providing further spaces. The recommendation was for two spaces being provided at the back of the Castle, close to the newly opened amenities, with safe area for passengers to enter/exit buses and little visual impact by the buses themselves. Members expressed concern over the loss of 13 car parking spaces and the safety of tourists at the boats but the Director advised them that O'Connell Street Car-Park is now providing 53 new spaces over last year and the pedestrians will be separated by a railing. He said it was always intended to pave and pedestrianise this area and the two bus spaces can be incorporated into this plan now. The proposed two buses will have greater capacity than the 13 car parking spaces and should therefore increase footfall. The provision of a Dublin to Galway cycle-way is at route selection stage, with a grant of €750,000 being provided for its design from Maynooth to Athlone and it is hoped that this area might form part of it, so there will be a 3m space between the buses and the river.
It was proposed by Cllr. McFadden,
Seconded by Cllr. Buckley Byrne and resolved,
"We hereby approve of the provision of two bus parking spaces at the rear of the Castle as outlined on the circulated drawings".
Block Grant 2013:
The A/Town Engineer circulated proposals for expenditure of the Block Grant (€326,700) for 2013. The Members welcomed the proposals which they noted included most of the issues that had arose through the past year.
It was proposed by Cllr. Moran,
Seconded by Cllr. Shaw and resolved,
"Pursuant to the provisions of the Local Government Acts 1925 – 2001 and the Road Traffic Acts 1993 -1998, we hereby approve of the expenditure of the Road Block Grant 2013 as set out hereunder:
| Carriageway resurfacing |
| 1. |
St Mary's Church to O' Neill's bar |
€20,000 |
| 2. |
Ardbrae Park |
€25,000 |
| 3. |
Old Coosan Point Road |
€25,000 |
| 4. |
St Kieran's Tce to Assumption Road |
€35,000 |
| 5. |
Rindoon To County Boundary |
€30,000 |
| 6. |
St Patricks Tce Back lane |
€15,000 |
| 7. |
Retreat Park |
€15,000 |
| 8. |
Palace bar to Liturgical centre |
€10,000 |
| |
|
€175,000 |
| Footpath Repairs |
| 1. |
Mayfield grove |
€15,000 |
| 2. |
Clonbrusk West |
€10,000 |
| 3. |
Willow Park (Old Willow park) |
€20,000 |
| 4. |
Battery heights |
€12,000 |
| 5. |
Magazine Road/St Ruths Park |
€15,000 |
| 6. |
The Pines |
€15,000 |
| 7. |
Bloomfield drive |
€10,000 |
| 8. |
Retreat Park |
€10,000 |
| 9. |
Retreat Heights |
€10,000 |
| |
|
€117,000 |
| Traffic Calming |
| 1. |
Ard Na Glug Speed table |
€10,000 |
| 2. |
Deerpark Road speed tables |
€7500 |
| 3. |
Pedestrian crossing at St Peter Church |
€10,000 |
| 4. |
New kerb line at Arcadia(opposite B&Q) |
€7200 |
| |
|
€34,700 |
Review of General & Supplementary Development Contribution Scheme:
The Members welcomed the proposed changes which the Director outlined in the General and Supplementary Development Contribution Schemes. There will be an overall reduction of 25% on current charges to reflect the change in economic times and up to 50% in the core retail areas. Waivers will also be clarified and extended. The Director advised the Members that these Draft Schemes will be subject to public consultation for a period of six weeks and will first be brought before the County Development Board. Following the consideration of submissions etc. the final Schemes will be brought back before the Members for their adoption or otherwise at a future Meeting.
It was proposed by Cllr. Moran,
Seconded By Cllr. Buckley Byrne and resolved,
"Pursuant to the provisions of the Planning & Development Acts 2000 – 2012, we hereby approve of the placing of the Draft General Development Contribution Scheme on public display"
It was proposed by Cllr. Moran,
Seconded By Cllr. Shaw and resolved,
"Pursuant to the provisions of the Planning & Development Acts 2000 – 2012, we hereby approve of the placing of the Draft Athlone Main Drainage Supplementary Development Contribution Scheme for the Athlone Main Drainage scheme on public display"
Civic Honour:
The Town Clerk advised that a request for Civic Honour was received and considered by the Sub-Committee.
It was proposed by Cllr. Moran,
Seconded by Cllr. O'Rourke and resolved,
"We hereby agree to host an Address of Welcome for the Teen Touring Band from Canada on Wednesday, March 20th 2013"
Managers Orders:
The Members noted the summary of Managers Orders as circulated.
Questions:
1. Cllr. A. O'Rourke:
What is the status of the remedial works that was due to be carried out by now to houses 1-6 Battery Heights to deal with the serious dampness affecting all 6 houses?
Reply: Energy Efficiency works were undertaken on these houses in 2012. An up to date inspection will be carried out in the coming weeks to determine if further repair works are necessary.
2. Cllr. A. O'Rourke:
Can the Council carry out temporary road surface repairs ahead of the Mains Rehab work on Bastion Street, O'Connell Street and down Pearse Street where the road has subsided in places and in general is in very poor condition?
Reply: These works will be carried out in the coming days.
3. Cllr. K. Moran:
Could the Council establish who owns the wall at the back entrance to Dunne's Stores at Montree, as it is dangerous and in need of repair?
Reply: This wall has been inspected and its stability is a cause of concern. Barriers to protect public safety have been erected and the Council will ensure that remedial works are undertaken by the owner(s).
4. Cllr. K. Moran:
When will work commence on the repair of the wall at the bottom of Connaught Street car-park and the erection of a barrier?
Reply: This work has been programmed to be undertaken this week.
5. Cllr. P. Hogan:
Will this Council remove fallen tree in Retreat Park? (Details with Town Engineer)
Reply: This matter has been dealt with.
6. Cllr. P. Hogan:
What is the current position with the contract for public lighting, as up to 50 lights were in need of repair recently?
Reply: There are 9,560 public lights for which Westmeath County Council/Athlone Town Council have responsibility. Bulb failure is the predominant cause for lights to out. The average life span of a typical PL bulb is less than 3 years, depending on type, switching regime and a number of external factors including current fluctuations etc. In any one year we would expect to replace 1520 bulbs on average.
We have a contractor, Electric Skyline who currently provides the public lighting maintenance services for the county. As part of this service, this contractor carries out night patrols on a monthly basis of every light in the county. Most of our light faults are identified on this basis. A small portion of the faults may be identified by the General Public mainly through the "Tell Us" facility on the Councils homepage. The target response time for repairs so identified is 10 working days.
Supplementary question: How often are the patrols?
The Director advised that the patrols take place once a month in wintertime and once every two months in summertime.
7. Cllr. A. Shaw:
When is the construction contractors scheduled to commence on site at Garrycastle Bridge?
Reply: Pre-commencement contractual approvals have been on going for the past number of weeks. It is intended that the contractor, Jons Civil Engineering Company Ltd. will commence works on site in approximately 2 weeks and the programmed construction period is 60 weeks.
8. Cllr. A. Shaw:
Can the Town Engineer provide a summary of his recommendations following his inspection of the road crossing outside the entrance to Cornamaddy School?
Reply: Following an inspection by the Town and Area Engineer, road markings have been renewed and reflective strips on the bollards will be renewed in the coming weeks.
Correspondence:
The Town Clerk informed the Members that the following correspondence had been received:
• Acknowledgement from the Minister for Justice & Equality concerning begging.
• Acknowledgement from the A/Returning Officer re reduction in Polling Stations in AE.
• Letters from Forward Planning concerning the Draft Town Development Plan and the List of Protected Structures.
It was agreed to circulate the correspondence together with notifications for conferences and resolutions from other councils.
Motions:
Deferred Motions:
(a) Cllr. A. O'Rourke:
"For this Council to prepare and forward a proposal to the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government calling on the Minister and the Government to amend The Valuation Act 2001 so that state bodies located in towns and cities around Ireland are no longer exempted from an annual rates charge to their respective local authorities"
Response: Such a proposal can be submitted to the Minister if the Members so wish. It was agreed to do so.
(b) Cllr. A. O'Rourke:
"For this Council to write to An Post and insist that the practice of leaving free publications like The Eircom Phone Book and The Golden Pages on doorsteps, footpaths and pillars outside premises and houses be stopped with immediate effect as it causes a litter risk"
Response: The Council will issue such a letter in the Members so wish. It was agreed to do so.
(c) Cllr. A.O'Rourke:
"For the Council to undertake an assessment of the brown motorway signs in and around the Athlone area to assess the effectiveness of their night-time reflective qualities as some signs seem to have deteriorated in this regard"
Response: The Town Engineer will refer this matter to the Sign Maintenance section of the NRA, who maintain all signs on National Roads.
The A/Town Engineer stated that there is a problem nationwide with the reflectivity of the signs which are all relatively new but they may need to be replaced.
Motions:
(a) Cllr. K. Moran:
"That this Council upgrades the landscaping on both sides of Battery Bridge and paints the railings"
Response: The bridge railings will be painted and some planting carried out at this location in early summer 2013.
Cllr. Moran asked that a bridge nameplate also be provided.
(b) Cllr. K. Moran:
"That this Council discusses the possibility of putting up another billboard beside existing billboards to promote sporting events in the town"
&
(i) Cllr. A. Shaw:
"That this Council would review the Council's notice boards erected in 3 locations around the town and consider their replacement due to the deteriorating quality of the boards and replace them with larger boards to facilitate more community groups. I also propose that the Council stipulate a generic size of 8' X 2' for all posters going forward so that more community groups can be facilitated"
Response: This issue is currently being examined and it is proposed to provide additional boards and a reduction in permitted sign sizes.
Cllr. O'Rourke asked that technology be investigated to cater for information posters, while Cllr. Shaw pointed out that existing signs are beginning to rot. It was agreed to come back to a future meeting with detailed proposals.
(c) Cllr. K. Moran:
"That this Council upgrades the road between Rindoon and the Bog Road"
Response: This section of road has been included in the 2013 Block Grant.
(d) Cllr. J. Henson:
"That this Council takes steps to meet with the residents of Newtown Terrace to discuss the ongoing difficulties being experienced by the said residents in relation to parking in the terrace, with a view to putting in place an appropriate solution to same"
Response: A meeting will be arranged with representatives of the Residents.
(e) Cllr. P. Hogan:
"That Athlone Town Council writes to the Taoiseach to extend the State's apology to girls and women of St. Gabriel's Laundry, Athlone and include any survivors in any subsequent redress scheme"
Response: The Council will issue such a letter in the Members so wish.
It was agreed to do so.
(f) Cllr. P. Hogan:
"That this Council upgrades the steps at Burgess Park as they are in disrepair and unsightly in Summer"
Response: An inspection and clean-up of the steps will be undertaken once the Shannon water level recedes.
(g) Cllr. P. Hogan:
"That this Council discusses the merits of tabling a subsequent motion based on Section 140 of the Local Government Act 2001 to prevent the Local Authorities from increasing the rents on Council tenants"
Response: The level of rents payable by Council tenants is currently determined in accordance with the Rent Scheme adopted by the Members. A rent review for each tenant is normally undertaken on an annual basis and the rent payable may rise or fall as a result of any changes in household income.
Members felt that this motion is premature as there is not enough information on the property tax yet. It was agreed to wait for more detail to see if Council tenants will be affected.
(h) Cllr. A. Shaw:
"That this Council issues an invitation to Henry Healy to make a presentation to this Council in relation to Ireland Reaching Out initiative which is being rolled out across the country and is interlinked with The Gathering 2013. Henry Healy is the Community Leader with Ireland Reaching Out"
Response: Such an invitation can issue if the Members so wish.
It was agreed to issue the invitation.
This concluded the business of the Meeting.
