Minute of January 2013 Monthly Meeting, Chamber, Duleek Civic Offices, Wednesday 16th January 2013
Cllr. Wayne Harding presided as Cathaoirleach.
Other Councillors Present:
Cllr.Anne Dillon Gallagher,Cllr Jimmy Cudden, ,Cllr Eoin Holmes
Apologies: Cllr Sirena Campbell,Cllr Arian Keogan,Jim Colwell SEE
Officials Present:
Fiona Lawless, Director of Services , Eugene Farrelly Area Administrator, Paul Barrell Executive Engineer; Frances Hughes Assistant Staff Officer,
The members were advised of the provisions of Part 15 of the LG Act 2001 and the code of conduct for Members, Officials and non-elected Council committee members regarding declarable interests of themselves and of any connected person as set out in the Ethical Framework Document included with the Agenda Documentation.
Item 1.0 Confirmation of Minutes of the October Meeting
Cathaoirleach Harding welcomed all to and opened the JanuarySlane Area Council Meeting,
A vote of sympathy was passed with the relatives and friends of Minister Shane McEntee on their recent loss. All members wished to be associated with same and each expressed their sadness at his passing and in particular Cllr Dillon Gallagher whose political and personal associations with Mr McEntee go back more than 30 years when he lent his support to her early election campaigns .Fiona Lawless on behalf of the officials expressed her sadness at the news of Shanes passing and found him to be a most courteous and kind person who was a pleasure to work with over the past number of years.
Cathaoirleach Harding proposed a vote of thanks and congratulations to Paul Barrell on his transfer to a Co Hall to a Special Project Team being set up for which he had been selected by the CountyManager. The members all wished to be associated with same and felt that the Duleek area would be loosing a valuable member of staff but wished him well in his new assignment .Fiona Lawless on her own behalf and on behalf of the Duleek Area Staff also wished Paul well in his new assignment and informed the members that a transfer of an engineer from Dunshaughlin was expected to take place in February.
1.1 December 2012Monthly meeting held on Wednesday 19th December 2012
On the proposal of Cllr Ann Dillon Gallagher seconded by Cllr Cudden the Members confirmed the Minutes of the Meeting held on the above date.
Item 2.0 Matters Arising from the Minutes
No Matters arising
Item 3 To Receive a Report on Oldbridge playground
The members were informed that Eugene Keane from OPW had been invited to the January meeting ,however as he has a meeting in Wexford on the same day and was unable to attend, but suggested the February meeting and had offered the use of the meeting room in Oldbridge House for same. The members agreed that the February meeting would remain in Duleek Civic Offices and that Mr Keane be invited to attend same.
Item 4 To Receive a Report on Slane Area Cowplots
Eugene Farrelly circulated a report to the meeting as prepared by John Harrington of Smith Harrington Auctioneers as follows:
Smith Harrington Auctioneers were requested to examine the following plots of land by Meath Co Co with a view to letting of same from 2013.
1. Cowplot at Creewood, SlaneFolio 2227 and containing 11.75 acres
2. Cowplot at Footstown, SlaneFolio 6083 and containing 27.06 acres
3. Cowplot at Polecastle, LobinstownFolio 16251 and containing 18.18 acres
4. Cowplot at Lobinstown, SlaneFolio16090 and containing 20.18 acres
We would recommend letting these lands on the 11 month system, that is, from the 1st January 2013 to the 30th November 2013.
The lands could be let by either public auction, private treaty or tender. Any of these methods will achieve a result and it is a matter for Meath County Council to decide which one they would prefer.
Public auction tends to bring to bring the matter to a head more quickly, however, private treaty and tender gives more control as to who takes the land.
We would recommend advertising the letting in the Meath Chronicle and also we could erect a sign on the land notifying local people it is for letting.
At present there is very good demand on grazing land and there should not be any difficulty in letting any of these divisions. We would expect a price per acre in the region of €130 to €150 per statute acre.
Takers of the land would be accountable for fencing, water, weed cutting etc.It would be important that all tenants would have their own public liability.
Our office would take all the bidding, agree a letting, prepare a letting agreement, have it signed and collect the letting monies on behalf of Meath County Council.
The Council would be liable for the advertising charges, however, on a short term letting agreement the licensee pays our commission.
Should you require any further information please do not hesitate to contact us.
Kind regards
John Harrington
Smith Harrington Auctioneers,
Cathaoirleach Harding thanked Eugene for outlining the options available to the Council regarding the letting of these lands and then opened the discussion to the members. Cllr Cudden suggested that the advertising should also be published in the Drogheda Independent as well as the Meath Chronicle as this circulates in the North Meath area which was agreed .Cllr Gallagher reminded the meeting of the promise made at previous meetings that the proceeds of sale of the Lobinstown lands should be re-invested in local sporting or ameniety projects and that letting the land again would not achieve this outcome .Fiona Lawless suggested that a local group might wish to put a proposal together for match funding (possibly Meath Leader funding) for such a project which could be considered further by the Council. The Council could lease the lands and gain some income from same in the meanwhile .The issue of an area of land at Footstown that had been leased to the Newtown Gun Club was also raised and agreed that this area of the land should be reserved for their use and not be put up for letting.
Management proposed that that all four sites should be put to open public auction, which was the fairest and proper way to lease the land,s and the members agreed to proceed in that manner.
Cathaoirleach Harding thanked Eugene for his report to the meeting on the satisfactory outcome of the auction which will protect the Councils interest in the lands by securing leases on same .Fiona Lawless confirmed that the rents received would be allocated on a greatest need basis for projects in the Slane Area.
Item 5 To Receive a Report on the 2013 Roadworks Programme
Paul Barrell informed the meeting that as no budgets had been agreed yet for this years roadworks programme a written report was not available and also that the outdoor staff were employed on necessary potholing duty and relief of flooding issues that had occurred as a result of the recent inclement weather conditions
Item 6 matters raised with the permission of the Cathaoirleach
The Members raised the following issues:
- Can an update on repairs to McKeevers Lane be received for February meeting: Refer to Jim Colwell Duleek
- Provision of Public Lighting at entrance to Tesco in Bettystown. – refer to D Gaffney Public Lighting Dept
- Can an update on new traffic management measures on Golf Links Road be received for the February Meeting.Refer to N Wyatt Transportation Dept
- Litter on road from Stamullen to Balscaddan. Refer to L Whelan Environment Dept
- Litter at Heatstown, Stamullen .Refer to L Whelan Environment Dept
- Public Lighting in The Grange Stamullen – Refer to D Gaffney Public Lighting Dept
- Flooding at Tankardstown, Clonalvy.Refer to J Colwell Duleek
- Buses turning at Village Green in Duleek, causing damage to the bollards that were erected, can we contact Bus Eireann on this.Refer to E Farrelly Duleek for follow-up
- Provision of Public Lighting at The Drive, InseBay, Laytown. The poles are erected but no lights on them.Refer to D Gaffney Public Lighting Dept
- Update on Connells House, Duleek. Refer to E FarrellyDuleek for Update
- Update on condition of Kellystown Lane, Slane Refer to J Colwell for update
- Update on Northlands Bettystown – EF informed the meeting that tenders documents are being prepared at present and that it was intended to publish same for return of same by 31st January and that he would seek an updated report for the February meeting. Refer to L Whelan Environment
- Update on proposed Pedestrian Crossing at Bettystown Playground: Refer to J Colwell Duleek for update
- Update on proposed cycle lane on Golf Links Road, BettystownRefer to Transportation Dept for Update
- Duleek Athletic Club requested public lights on Longford RoadRefer to D Gaffney Public Lighting Dept
- Hedge cutting notice sent to landowners n Thurstianstown, Beauparc has not been complied with, can we investigate.Refer to J Colwell Duleek for update
- Condition of cul de sac beside Meade Potato Company.Refer to J Colwell Duleek for update
Item 7 To Receive a Report on matters raised at the December 2012 Area Meeting
Eugene Farrelly circulated a Report on the issues raised at the December Meeting which were individually discussed and any issues raised by the members were clarified by the officials present .The Report was noted by the members with the following matters discussed at some length and further information requested as set out below:
- TransitionYearStudentsLaytownSecondary School
Transition Year Pupils at Scoil Naoimh Aoife hope to do a traffic survey at the coast road fronting their school and sought guidance from staff in Duleek Area Office.
Refer to Jim Colwll to liase with the school and a further report to February Meeting
- Update on Traffic Mnagement Pan for Duleek
The members discussed that matter of a long awaited TMP for Duleek having regard to the huge volume of traffic (HGVs) moving through the town particularly from the opening of the Indaver Plant during 2012.Can the Director ascertain whether this can be done from in-house resources or does it need funding for outside consultants to be employed. or can a Low Cost Safety Scheme be investigated for the village .
Refer to F Lawless/J Colwell for follow-up
- Update on Illegal dumping/waste oil leaching at Ledwich Hall Slane
A Report was requested from Environment Dept on their investigation of the above location for environmental pollution and if so proposed action regarding same as raised at the December 2012 Meeting.
Refer to L Whelan SEO Environment
4Update on Slane Bypass -2nd report.
The members sought an updated Report if available to the February Area Meeting.
Refer to N Wyatt for update on same.
5Update on Report on Bettystown Library
The Cathaoirleach welcomed the comprehensive report submitted by Ciaran Mangan and opened discussion to the floor on the contents. The Report was discussed and noted at the meeting and the members reiterated the need for a permanent Library for the East Meath Area ,having acknowledged the mobile library service provided by Louth/Meath Library service as a welcome interim measure that is now in place for some years .Fiona Lawless informed that there had been engagement with NAMA and Pat Neville ,the developer of the site through 2012 and a unit has been selected for same –however funding from the Department was required to fit out same.
The Members sought updates on any further developments regarding provision of Bettystown Library during 2013.Refer to C Mangan Co Librarian
Item 8 Correspondence /Issues raised
Eugene Farrelly outlined the following matters for the information of the Members:
- Eugene Farrelly circulated copies of a letter received from Indaver as a response to the issue of noise and odour issues raised in the Meath Chronicle recently. The letter acknowledges that while some issues arose in that regard, remedial measures have been employed to mitigate the effects on the local community. The improvements to the plant as introduced were acknowledged and noted by the members.
- The Members were also informed of an application from Drogheda Crescent FC to hold a fun-run on the beach at Mornington which had been received and which is to go ahead on 2nd February next in liaison with the Area Engineer..
Item 9 To discuss matters in accordance with the recommendations of the Protocol Committee
Cathaoirleach Harding informed the meeting that a report on Planning Enforcement issues had been circulated with the Agenda and asked whether any member wished to raise anything from same .
Fiona Lawless informed the meeting that Planning Dept were carrying out a review of the TIC process which involves a review of the current TIC Policy in line with current financial constraints on the Council and it was hoped that Planning would provide a full update to the March meeting.
Cathaoirleach Harding thanked all for their contributions and formally closed the January Meeting.
MinutesJanuary 2013 meeting 16.01.13
Meath County Council, Duleek One Stop Shop, Main Street, Duleek, CountyMeath