Minutes Workshop Meeting May 2010

 

IN ATTENDENCE:            Councillors :   Cllr. Eamon Barrett (Cathaoirleach)

Cllr. Philip Mc Glynn, Cllr. Elizabeth Mc Intyre, Cllr. Arthur Rafferty, Cllr. Michael Mc Mahon, Cllr. Dermot Doherty, Cllr. Sean Mc Eniff,

                                                                                                                       

                        Officials :         Mr. Garry Martin, Town Manager

Mr. Liam Murray, Town Engineer

Mr. Peadar Thomas, Area Manager Roads

Mr. Joe Mc Nulty, Town Clerk

                                                            Ms. Edel Carlin-Rosanio

 

43/10    Bus Shelters

 

Mr. Liam Murray, Town Engineer, circulated a copy of the newspaper Notice of Tender by Donegal County Council in relation to Bus Shelters and if any expressions of interest was received he would bring them to the members at the next meeting.  At the moment the Council were hoping for 2 bus shelters for the town, one at the East End at agreed new site at BMG and another on the Astoria Road to accommodate Ulsterbus.   The cost of the erection of a shelter would be approximately €6,000 and sponsorship of the shelter would be €4,500 per annum for 3 years with the balance of the shelter funded by the Council.

 

Cllr. F. Doherty felt that the town needed 4 shelters altogether.  Mr. Murray felt that the Council run with this option first and then we can consider more ourselves.

 

Cllr. Rafferty felt €6,000 was an outrageous amount for a shelter and the Council should be fit to make one for €1,500.  Mr. Murray confirmed that a specific company supplies the shelters.

 

Cllr. Barrett agreed to run with a pilot for 2 shelters and if successful more can be sourced and see how it goes.

 

44/10   Church Road

 

Mr. Murray read his report circulated to the members prior to the meeting which outlined that Magh Ene College had submitted an application under the DCC School Safety Initiative in April, 2008 requesting Flashing Lights at the front gates and railings along the footpath outside the main entrance whereby two firms submitted quotes with the lowest being €5,150, however, no further communication were received from the school and it was assumed the school did not wish to proceed with the project.

 

 

 

 

Mr. Murray was proposing that a new application be made in 2010 where he envisaged a reduction in price and that he had spoken with Mr. Declan Gillespie, Donegal County Council who had agreed as an interim measure to install 4 no. bollards on each side of the road adjacent to the traffic islands which would help alleviate the illegal parking problem, Donegal County Council also agreed to the relining of the road from the school entrance to the roundabout including extra hatching at the entry to the roundabout.

 

Cllr. Mc Eniff asked that the school be approached re. their application DCC School Safety Initiative and would be in favour of bollards extended the whole way down to the roundabout on the left hand side heading to Kinlough and railings on the other side of the road, this was agreed by Cllr. Mc Intyre where she also asked that a pedestrian crossing be put in place beside the roundabout.

 

Cllr. F. Doherty felt it was very bad planning by the school that no parking was made available.  She also felt that the junction at Dr. Kerrs was a huge problem

 

Cllr. Mc Mahon felt that the roundabout was a danger and no body knows who to give right of way to.

 

Cllr. D. Doherty felt that mass goers were parking on the roadside as it was handier than parking in the car park and this has to be stopped and railing and bollards were needed.

 

The Cathaoirleach noted that there was a general consensus to bollards the whole way up the left hand side.

 

Mr. Murray confirmed again that agreement for 8 bollards were in place by Donegal County Council and he would contact the school with regards to a new application for the railings, but that Mr. Gillespie had said that budget was tight with regards to placing bollards the whole way down.

 

Cllr. Mc Eniff re confirmed what was exactly agreed today by the members:-

 

·        Bollards on left hand side towards Kinlough

·        Railings on the right hand side (school)

·        Pedestrian crossing, location to be decided by engineers

 

Mr. Peadar Thomas said due to funding problems the worse section would be started first and Declan Gillespie had agreed to the 8 bollards and would be due to commence works next month.

 

Cllr. Mc Glynn asked that the planning application for the school be checked and see what conditions were in place and if it were up to the school to erect the railings as this was an accident waiting to happen.

 

Cllr. Doherty felt that parents should be encouraged to use the big car park at the school exiting onto Bayview Avenue.

 

45/10            Pedestrian Crossing at East End

 

Mr. Murray confirmed that unfortunately there was no funding available for a pedestrian crossing and they had hoped that monies would be left over from the footpath at the Apartotel but unfortunately there wasn’t.   He gave an approximate price for the crossing to come in around €25-30,000 which €7,500 of this would be funded by the Disability Grant.  Cllr. Mc Eniff said he would submit a motion at the next Donegal County Council meeting looking for €12,500 towards the crossing.

 

46/10   Traffic Management

 

Prior to the meeting Mr. Murray circulated a report on the following issues that arose from previous meetings-

·        Pay & Display

·        Loading Bays

·        Disabled Spaces

·        The Good Foot Shop

 

Cllr. Mc Intyre asked that double yellow lines be placed back for 1 parking space at the entrance of the Hollow Bed & Breakfast.  She proposed that the Bye Laws be changed so that instead of 9-6 it would be 11-6 to accommodate business people going to the bank and deliveries in the town.

 

Cllr. F. Doherty asked that the Car Parks throughout the town be free for the season considering the economic climate we were in, and this would encourage cars off the Main Street.  She also felt that the Council should proceed with the set down bay outside the Good Foot Shop and see how it goes.

 

Cllr. Mc Mahon voiced his annoyance at Pay & Display and find some other job for the Traffic Warden.  It was creating bad publicity for the town.  The €3 charge of parking your car for the day was outrageous and there was no need for a traffic warden in the months of April, May, June and September.

 

Cllr. Rafferty agreed that there was no need for a traffic warden only for the months of July and August and that the Traffic Warden was picking on people, and was no way friendly.  There was no traffic congestion in Bundoran and no sense of a Traffic Warden being out there.

 

 

 

 

Cllr. D. Doherty had no problem with car parking charges as long as all the car parks had the same facility as Station Road Car Park where you could put 50c for an hour, especially at the Star of the Sea Car Park and all of Atlantic Way.  He felt it very unfair to ask parents to pay €3 to let their children play in the playground for a few minutes.   He proposed that the Bye Laws be changed that 50c an hour be extended to Star of the Sea and Atlantic Way and the overall charge for the day be reduced to €2.

 

Cllr. F. Doherty also confirmed that she had received complaints from members of the public as to the attitude of the Traffic Warden.

 

Mr. Mc Nulty confirmed that these changes required a change to the Bye Laws which would not be finalised by the Summer.

 

Cllr. Barrett asked that in connection to the “Train” that the space allocated at the Promenade be better highlighted for Train use only as the present lining is not working as people are parking in it.  He also asked the Town Clerk if a car was parked in the space allocated to the train would they get a parking ticket, Mr. Mc Nulty confirmed that no the traffic warden doesn’t issue tickets on the train stop as there was no legal provision to do so.

 

He also suggested that some sort of publicity to highlight that free parking was available at the West End Car Park and Tullan Strand Car Park and that maybe the Tourism Officer should have it posted on the Website.

 

Cllr. Mc Mahon in relation to people paying for their parking and then their ticket falling down or blown away that something had to be put in place

Cllr. D. Doherty suggested that tickets have a sticky back so they can be stuck to windscreen.

 

Mr. Garry Martin, Town Manager said that the Council would relook at this as the tickets will have to be changed to include the VAT which would be coming in force in July and members would have to be aware of this and that he felt the best option for this was that the Council would incur the cost of the VAT as the parking charges were high enough as they were.

 

Cllr. Mc Glynn felt that the Council were selling themselves short that Bundoran has 6 months of free car parking and were supplying free car parking.  He felt that a claims/complaints procedure with an appropriate form was a good idea.  Mr. Mc Nulty informed the members that there was a complaints procedure in place where any issues had to be put in writing and they would be considered.

 

Mr. Garry Martin felt that a change in Bye Laws for this year was not appropriate but would be considered in conjunction with the 2011 Revenue Budget.  Cllr. Mc Intyre asked that the change in times be changed.

 

47/10            Overhead Barriers Station Road Car Park

 

Cllr. Mc Eniff asked that the overhead barriers need to be put in place again.

 

48/10            Overnight Camp Site

 

Cllr. Mc Eniff proposed that we amend the Development Plan to accommodate the Camping Site he had earlier proposed at the Star of the Sea Car Park.

 

Cllr. Mc Glynn asked that the two individuals who had applications in for Camper Van Sites meet with the Managers and Planners to discuss.

 

49/10            Sewerage Scheme

 

Mr. Paul Kilcoyne, Sanitary Services, Donegal County Council gave an up to date on the proposed sewerage scheme which he confirmed were at an advanced stage and were submitting Contract Documents to the Department for approval and then they could proceed to tender, he stressed that no dates were confirmed with the department for approval but that he hoped that the Council could go for tender next year but unfortunately had no control over that date.  He felt that Killybegs and Letterkenny were likely to proceed this year. 

 

The following other matters were raised:-

 

·        Church Road Watermains

·        Networks to be included in overall works and a Tursury Treatment

·        CPO Ross Road Treatment Works

·        Better efficiency if road widened at Roundabout rather than the use of the Ross Road

 

Mr. Kilcoyne in response stated that with regards to the Church Road Watermains this came under the Service Land Initiative Scheme which now has been axed and any upgrading required Water Conservation Scheme.  In relation to the Ross Road there would be only minimal disruption to the residents here as all that is required is a couple of passing bays and that the Tertiary Treatment would be assessed under the Water Frameworks.

 

Mr. Garry Martin felt that the biggest challenge to the Council would take place prior to the Water Price Policy and co-financing required from Local Councils.

 

 

 

 

50/10   Take over of Housing Estates

 

A report was circulated to the members prior to the meeting which stated that the household contribution would be capped at €1,000 or 50% of the total cost  if less.  Bundoran Town Council had starting to set aside €20,000 in the 2009 Budget and a further €20,000 in the 2010 budget for the takeover of the estates.  There would be shortfall of €75, 640 and the best way forward would be for the Council to prioritise estates in terms of age etc.

 

Mr. Mc Nulty reminded the members that in order for estates to be considered to be taken over, the residents/developer must request the takeover by the Council in writing and organise themselves the collection of their own contribution and that to date the two estates specified in the report have requested take over.

 

Mr. Murray also read a paragraph from previous Minutes where it stated that a condition was put in place whereby Dinglei Coush would not be taken over by the Council.

 

Cllr. Mc Intyre in relation to Dinglei Coush was under the impression that when the 10 years under the Section 28 which a Management Company would cease next year then this could be taken over.

 

Cllr. F. Doherty asked that the developer and contractor should be followed as it was not fair that homeowners were being made pay. 

 

Mr. Mc Nulty confirmed that some of the older estates were pre-bond stage and others where the bond was released some roads had deteriorated in the intervening time. 

 

Mr. Murray confirmed that a bond was in place to protect the Council from damage to their roads it is not meant to pay for the cost of roads, footpaths internally in the developments.

 

Cllr. Barrett asked in relation to the clause of holidays homes if there is nothing in the planning permission that says Holiday Homes can these be taken over.  Cllr. F. Doherty felt that any estate that came under Section 48 should have finished off roads and if not arrest them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

51/10            Housing

 

Cllr Barrett vacated the room and Cllr. D. Doherty took the chair.

 

The members were circulated with a comprehensive report on housing prior to the meeting which stated that the Department had given approval to the purchase of 4 no. 2 bedroom apartments at the Courtyard, Market Square under Part V and that these purchases were at a closing stage and would bring the housing stock up to 100 units.

 

Cllr. Mc Intyre asked if a Management Company for these apartments were in place and how much was it costing the Council.  Mr. Mc Nulty confirmed that the Council would pay an annual fee of €750 towarding Management Company fees and house insurance.

 

Also following the purchase of 6.6 acres of land at Drumacrin for Local Authority Housing a project of 40 no houses was prepared and submitted to the Department for approval in 2009.  The Department responded with a new policy that the Rental Accommodation Scheme and Long Term Leasing were now the most effective method of procuring social housing units.

 

Cllr. F. Doherty felt that in the current climate over €600,000 was far too much to pay for 4 apartments under Part V and also felt that the 6 houses at Drumacrin Road could not possibly pass Health & Safety as no back door and the residents cannot afford to pay for oil for heating and the ranges do not work, there was no access for an ambulance and the chimneys were cracked.

 

Cllr. Mc Mahon agreed and stated that there was stagnant water lying at the back of the houses also creating dampness.

 

Mr. Murray re confirmed that the Council would not get approval for Social Housing.  Mr Mc Nulty reminded the members that a few years ago the Council received approval from the Department for back porches and works to upgrade these houses, but the Councillors agreed to not carry out the works and to build new houses and now because of the current financial climate will not get approval for new builds.

 

Cllr. Barrett was under the belief that the only monies available was for Sheltered Accommodation and could the Council meet with the H.S.E. to discuss a small scheme for Bundoran.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

52/10            Bundoran Childcare and Foroige

 

Mr. Garry Martin informed the members that Mr. Sean Sheridan had met with both Bundoran Childcare and Foroige before his departure and had agreed that the Town Council would pay €120.00 per week for rental of a room in the Childcare Centre for Foroige up until September 2010.

 

This proposal was proposed by Cllr. Barrett, seconded by Cllr. Mc Intyre.

 

Mr. Rafferty asked that the rental be paid in one cheque to the Childcare Centre immediately.

 

Mr. Mc Nulty confirmed to the members that €120 p.w rent would be funded from the €10,000 contingency provision.

 

 

This concluded the business of the meeting.

 

 

 

 

 

                                                            _________________________________

                                                                                 Town Clerk

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                            _________________________________

                                                                                 Cathaoirleach