Submission to the County Wicklow

Local Economic & Community Plan

By

County Wicklow Public Participation Network

July 2015

County Wicklow Public Participation Network

CEART

Crinion Park

Wicklow Town

Tel: 087 189 5145

Email:

Introduction

The purpose of this submission is to outline the views and ideas of community groups and organisations operating in Co Wicklow in relation to the development of the Local Economic Community Plan and in line with the recently circulated Wicklow Socio-Economic Statement. This submission is in addition to, and supportive of the submission made by the Co Wicklow PPN Environmental College.

County Wicklow Public Participation Network

County Wicklow Public Participation Network (PPN) was established in July 2014 under the directive of the Department of the Environment, Community & Local Government and in accordance with legislation in the Local Government Reform Act 2014 (Section 46). Public Participation Networks were established to be an independent structure that would become the main link through which local authorities connect with the community, voluntary and environmental sectors in a process to facilitate communities to articulate a diverse range of views and interests within the local governmentsystem. Co Wicklow PPN has 115 diverse member groups, some of these groups are networks in their own right. PPN representatives serve as a voice for the community on structures including: the Local Community Development Committee; Housing & Corporate Estate Strategic Policy Committee; Planning & Development Strategic Policy Committee; Transport, Water & Environment Strategic Policy Committee; Community, Cultural & Social Development Strategic Policy Committee; Economic Development & Enterprise Strategic Policy Committee; Wicklow County Childcare Committee; Co Wicklow Children & Young People’s Services Committee; Co Wicklow Local Sports Partnership; Wicklow County Tourism Board; Co Wicklow Volunteer Centre. PPN Representatives strive to ensure that the needs of the community sector are prioritised within local policy processes.

Consultation

It is the view of Co Wicklow PPN that the time frame and process for consultation has failed to provide adequate opportunities for meaningful consultation with Co Wicklow Communities particularly in encouraging marginalised groups in Co Wicklow to participate. It is Co Wicklow PPN’s hope that as this organisation continues to grow and strengthen that the PPN and Wicklow County Council can work together to initiate protocols for best practise in community consultation going into the future.

Co Wicklow PPN held 2 public meetings in June. One in The Brockagh Centre, Laragh on 16th June 2015 and one in Arklow Presbyterian Church Hall, Arklow on 17th June 2015. The findings of these consultations are included in this document along withinput from our member groups. Feedback and inclusion from further consultation on the first draft of this submission is also included. This submission is in the main written with a county-wide approach. Member feedback which was area specific is included in Appendix 1

This submission categorises the information fromthe consultations into themes or strategies and lists possible actions suggested by the communities on the ground. Some of the issues raised are cross cutting which highlights the importance of an integrated approach in developing and monitoring the final actions. Further it must be highlighted that local communities report thatthey are continually frustrated by a “red-tape incoherent and non-cohesive system” which prevents them from developing and establishing their own grass roots initiatives for the benefit of their locality. Buy in from local representatives and TDs is needed to support these communities, value the volunteers, and overcome the bureaucracy communities’ encounter in their efforts to improve the lives and wellbeing of the people living in their area.

PrioritisingGrass Roots Community Development

  • Support sustainable growth & development in Co Wicklow for this and future generations through enabling local people to contribute significantly in the development process
  • Recognise and support the huge contribution made by community groups and volunteers
  • Recognise and use the expertise, knowledge and experience of communities on the ground
  • Support the development and capacity building of community groups. Support their development through The Governance Code.
  • Support & encourage groups to engage in networking, sharing information & resources
  • Separate community development & local development. Providing a focus on community development and capacity building local communities will provide a more sustainable impact to counteract imbalance and address identified needs.
  • Provide support and training for communities in sustainability, resilience, food security, low carbon localised economies, energy efficiency and community based renewable energy.
  • Identify Council owned land suitable for community gardens, allotments, smallholdings and natural play areas.
  • Support, through planning for sustainability, the development of low impact housing and small scale settlements, and land based projects of land management in terms of farming and forestry

Protecting the Natural Environment

  • Develop policies to protect our landscape & natural environment and commit to protect Wicklow’s natural beauty in the planning process including our rivers, coastline, hills, countryside, and wildlife. Preserving our natural amenities for future generations
  • Council staff and contractors should participate in biodiversity training
  • Develop education programmes to build pride in our environment and care for the environment e.g. build on the “Pure Project” & “Leave no Trace”
  • Given the impacts of climate change on the county, prepare a coastal zone management plan and a strategy to deal with the impacts of flooding and coastal erosion. This is of the utmost importance now for The Murrough in Wicklow Town
  • Support habitat restoration with community projects and providing advice to landowners on conservation management.

PromotingSocial Inclusion

  • Promote inclusion and equality in every service
  • Provide training and information to service providers and retailers to enable them to become more disability friendly. Much of what is needed is free as it simply requires a change in communication style. It needs to be recognised that developing understanding of disability issues is not necessarily a charitable act as disabled people can be customers too.
  • Introduce a Gold Star scheme for businesses who are disability friendly. An example of this can be found in Cashel Co Tipperary
  • All plans must be disability proofed so that services are accessible to all e.g. provide better access to play facilities for children with disabilities e.g. adapted swings
  • Audit the accessibility of some of Wicklow’s natural amenities e.g. where can a person who is wheelchair dependent gain access to the sea? The marketing potential of disability friendly tourist attractions should be exploited.
  • Promote and support ways to welcome new communities and value their contribution to society
  • Promote and support activities that combat racism and support integration
  • Avoid establishing ghettos by having socially inclusive housing projects
  • Encourage and support intergenerational activities as a means to promote understanding, encourage learning and skills exchange and supporting mental health
  • Support Co Wicklow Older People’s Network to continue to lobby for older people in the county
  • Promote community and school gardens, include training and education, as a means of integrating people and providing for some of their food and recreational needs and to promote good physical and mental health, as well as to help combat obesity
  • Support local food banks to assist low income households
  • Support schemes for Community Supported farming, linking farms or groups of farmers and growers with specific communities, including low income households, to provide food directly, giving the farmer a guaranteed income and putting the farmers ‘face’ on the food. This may include communities helping directly with production and harvesting.
  • Promote energy efficiency and insulation among low income households
  • Support the information, advice and advocacy service of Co. Wicklow Citizens Information Service which empowers individuals and communities, marginalised from mainstream society, to avail of their civil and social rights and entitlements. This is a free, confidential and independent service and is available in different locations across the county.

Providing Education & Training

  • Use Claremont College to seed industry and services and provide supports there for adult education and vocational training.
  • Provide adequate education and training opportunities in the county
  • Provide more resources for 1st and 2nd level education
  • Create & Support opportunities for intergenerational learning and skill sharing through main stream and community education facilities
  • Ensure that there are sufficient suitable placements available for children with autism at primary level and at post primary level. Anecdotal evidence would suggest that many children with ASD drop out of school at post primary level as they are forced into mainstream schooling without a suitable special class

Promoting Health & Recreation

  • Support the continued development and expansion of County Wicklow Community First Responders particularly in areas such as Tinahely
  • Provide and support local services that cater for our physical and particularly our mental health
  • Provide supports for the development of creative community solutions to food security around the county similar to those being developed by Common Ground/Edible Bray
  • Support services working in the escalating area of dementia and Alzheimer’s
  • Increase opportunities for healthy eating initiatives in schools
  • Introduce an approach to planning that supports healthy eating e.g. don’t grant planning to fast food outlets which are in close proximity to schools.
  • Support recreation, arts and tourism by establishing arts festivals in local areas around the county. A good example of this is Wicklow Arts Festival. This group needs to be supported to continue their work in trying to promote and establish similar festivals around the county
  • Create opportunities to support and maintain local projects of interest such as the Marine Museum in Arklow. Evaluate and monitor these types of projects to learn from any challenges they have encountered prior to establishing similar type projects e.g. a GAA Museum
  • Provide adequate youth facilities and activities that in turn provide a choice for young people i.e. sport, dance, theatre, IT etc.
  • Provide and maintain recreational spaces e.g. Laragh/Glendalough is a huge tourist attraction which would benefit from having a playground. Carnew is also one of the few villages which does not have such an amenity. Providing a playpark in Carnew would support Old Coolattin Country in their long-term plan of providing an inclusive recreational space for the young and old.

High Level Communication

  • Develop one point of contact to disseminate information diversely
  • Develop a Co-wide on-line monthly event calendar e.g. MyTown.ie, Google Calendar
  • Develop one point of contact for funding information advising the criteria for specific funding opportunities and researching funding that fits local needs rather than having the local need slotted into funding specific criteria.
  • Provide more opportunities to network with TDs
  • Develop area forums, providing opportunities for communities to network and support each other
  • Provide IT/Broadband support for all

Develop Adequate Transport SystemsMaintain Local Infrastructure

  • Transport connections must be cohesive and improved to enable adequate village-urban-city connections for residents and tourists alike. The provision of adequate transport impacts on quality of access for daily living, health, education, employment, and tourism & recreation services.
  • Support the Rural Transport Programme to operate to its full potential
  • Work with IarnódÉireann to increase rail services to the county
  • Planning should always be controlled so that Wicklow’s natural eco-system is preserved as our biggest asset.
  • Ensure the county’s roads are fit for purpose and can cope with the levels of traffic. Particular attention is needed for rural roads e.g. the road from Trooperstown to Ballard (L6086) needs to be upgraded to tarmacadam status
  • Focus plans for local areas should be supported and developed for all areas in consultation with local communities.
  • Village renewal should take priority over development that attracts commuter belt communities and ghettoization.
  • Urban maintenance and regeneration is imperative and actionsfrom removing chewing gum & litter, provision of public toilets, and upkeep of green areas to the painting, upkeep and use of derelict buildings should be undertaken on a regular basis. Streetscapes should be attractive
  • Attention should be paid to adequate lighting and public safety particularly in urban areas
  • Fast track planning permission so work can begin on the water treatment plant in Arklow as a priority
  • Allow people to enjoy unspoilt Wicklow without overdeveloping it
  • Re-invigorate our towns as places to work, live and play by using their natural assets and creating tourism initiatives
  • Provide adequate housing to address the needs in the county
  • Ensure our towns are pedestrian friendly by undertaking adequate surveys with a focus on pedestrian safety e.g. a footpath is needed to link Laragh to the Green Road (towards Rathdrum)
  • Ensure that our towns have a vibrant night life that are attractive for young and old and support tourism

Focus on Tourism & Marketing

  • Wicklow’s reputation as the “Garden of Ireland” should be preserved and maintained.
  • Promote Co Wicklow at every opportunity
  • Businesses which support tourism, particularly through the preservation and promotion of our natural environment should be encouraged and supported.
  • Develop good websites for attractions, list the facilities e.g. coffee shop and highlight if this is accessible by wheelchair/buggy
  • Improve the structure of our towns and countryside to make Co Wicklow a “must see” for tourists
  • Open up the natural environment, wildlife, mountains, lakes & coastline for the enjoyment and education of residents and tourists. This should be done in a way that protects & conserves the wildness that makes it special. Look at where this has happened e.g. Glendalough, National Trust (England & Scotland), Red Kite Project and worked well and use these examples as templates.
  • Open up/provide access to more walking trails to bring tourists to urban as well as rural areas e.g. open up the walk to Shelton (Arklow) through the Arklow marsh via the gate at Ferrybank creating a beautiful looped walk. Look at the walks in Woodenbridge, Glendalough, Avoca SlinaSláínte
  • Maintain the current walks available around the county and evaluate them for further development opportunities particularly for our less visited but equally valuable villages
  • Bring together the key government & local agencies & entrepreneurs to develop viable tourism/outdoor pursuits/heritage businesses
  • Create attractions & facilities to inspire and encourage visitors to go around and stay in our towns and villages e.g. in Wicklow Town provide bins and benches along The Murrough and South Quay, gazebos, restraint walls around the coast line and improve the transport system to Arklow & Glendalough.
  • Avoid over & under signage and make signage more aesthetic using natural materials. Use English and Irish names. A good example is the Wicklow Way signage. A bad example is the lack of signage to Kilmacurragh gardens
  • Develop and promote two hour looped walks around the county, similar to those developed in the Slieve Blooms by Laois County Council.
  • Develop and promote a footpath along the whole coast of Wicklow, linking with the Wexford coastal path. There is already a path along the whole coast of Wales. A coastal path on this side of the Irish Sea would enable visitors to “Walk the Irish Sea” or to take “The Celtic Sea Walk” by using the existing ferry links. The coastal walk should also link with the Wicklow Way to bring the greatest benefits to tourism in Wicklow. This has the potential to be one of the great trails of Europe (Representative of Bray Grow It Yourself prepared to assist in bringing stakeholders together with the relevant Welsh footpaths officer who could outline the economic benefits to be gained from this proposal)

Increase Employment Opportunities

  • Use the experience and skills historically inherent in a locality to increase business and employment opportunities. E.g. using the empty Bolands shop and buildings on the main street in Arklow to re-establish Arklow Pottery
  • Provide quality jobs through the development of Wicklow’s outdoor tourism potential
  • Employ maintenance workers – local people caring for their own local environment through the local authority
  • Develop the Gateway scheme to support village improvements. Taking a responsible lead in this will encourage more local people to “do their bit” while providing the benefits of community pride
  • Support Forestry as being a key opportunity for job creation

Appendix 1

Glendalough Consultation

  • Funding – 1 point of contact, knowledge of criteria for specific funding opportunities, funding to fit local needs rather than specific criteria
  • Return to grass roots community development – capacity building for communities & individuals – support & guidance
  • Develop focus plans for local areas (LEADER 1990s local plans for villages that applied)
  • Improved transport connections
  • Promote Co Wicklow
  • Employ maintenance workers – local authority staff
  • Village renewal
  • Policy to protect our landscape & natural environment
  • Improved communicate on – one point of contact to disseminate info diversely

Arklow Consultation