Sligo Municipal Minutes 2015

Minutes of Meeting of The Municipal District of Sligo held on Monday, 13th April, 2015 at 2.30pm in The Council Chamber, County Hall, Riverside, Sligo


COUNCILLORS PRESENT:

  • Councillor Declan Bree
  • Councillor Marie Casserly
  • Councillor Thomas Healy
  • Councillor Hubert Keaney
  • Councillor Seamus Kilgannon
  • Councillor Sean Mac Manus
  • Councillor Tom Mac Sharry (Mayor)
  • Councillor Seamus O’Boyle
  • Councillor Rosaleen O’Grady

 

OFFICIALS IN ATTENDANCE:

  • Mr. Ciarán Hayes, Chief Executive
  • Mr. Tom Kilfeather, Director of Services
  • Ms. Dorothy Clarke, Director of Services
  • Mr. Bartley Gavin, A/Director of Services
  • Mr. Tom Brennan, Senior Engineer
  • Mr. Seamus O’Toole, Senior Executive Engineer
  • Mr. Declan Noone, Executive Engineer
  • Mr. Michael Conway, Executive Engineer
  • Mr. Damien Henry, Executive Engineer
  • Mr. Joe Devaney, Executive Engineer
  • Mr. Michael Feeney, Administrative Officer
  • Ms. Patricia Guckian, Financial Accountant
  • Ms. Sinéad Branley, Staff Officer

 

MAYOR:

The Mayor Councillor T. MacSharry presided.

 

1. TO CONSIDER THE DRAFT SCHEDULE OF MUNICIPAL DISTRICT WORKS:

At the outset Councillor’s Bree and Kilgannon suggested that only the roads element of the schedule be considered at the meeting.  In response the Chief Executive urged caution on this and asked that the Schedule of Municipal District Works be considered in full as in accordance with Circular LG 27/2014 FIN 21/2014 Schedule of Municipal District Works (SMDW), the full Schedule of Works should have been adopted by 31st March, 2015. 

Following further discussion it was proposed by Councillor Kilgannon and seconded by Councillor Bree and agreed by the meeting to consider the roads element of the schedule at the meeting only with the remaining elements to go before the full Council meeting in May.

Mr. Gavin, A/DOS asked the members to note one small error in the Schedule of Municipal District Works table.  €20,000 funding in the Ballymote-Tobercurry column (Line A0401) is included in error.  It should be included in the Sligo column as it relates to Cranmore Regeneration.  This was noted by the members.

The Mayor then invited Mr. Kilfeather, DOS to brief the meeting on the schedule.  Mr. Kilfeather, DOS gave an overview of the Roads, Transportation & Infrastructure programme for 2015 some of the main points being.  

  • The Programme was prepared on the basis of Department of Transport conditions, existing road conditions and input from Members
  • 50/50 weighting – population/length of roads.  Same weighting applied as in previous years.  This may need to be reviewed going forward.
  • A significant area around Collooney and Ballintogher was now included in the Sligo Municipal District area.  The old split was 74% South/26% North.  It now amounted to 66% South/34% North
  • An amount of €334,000 was included in the programme for the old urban area even though no specific block grant had been received as in previous years.  The €334,000 was based on a 1.25% reduction on the 2014 figure of €339,000.
  • A total of €19.1m has been initially allocated by March 2015, from NRA/DTTAS/Sligo County Council to the improvement/maintenance of the public road network in County Sligo.

Mr. Kilfeather then invited Mr Brennan, SE to go through the programme in detail.

Mr. Brennan referred to the report entitled “Schedule of Sligo Municipal District Works for 2015 for Roads, Transportation and Infrastructure” which had been circulated to members for the meeting and outlined the main items which included:

  • 2015 Discretionary Grant Breakdown including a breakdown for Regional Road Maintenance outside the Sligo City Area and the proposed schedule of works for the Sligo City Area (old Block Grant)
  • Restoration Maintenance Programme 2015 for Regional and Local Roads
  • Restoration Improvement Programme Regional and Local Roads
  • Local Road Maintenance – Own Resources 2015
  • Bridge and Ancillary Structures, Rehabilitation and Maintenance
  • Piers and Harbours Maintenance
  • Burial Grounds
  • Public Conveniences
  • Beach Maintenance
  • Drainage Schemes
  • Public Lighting
  • National Roads including Eastern Garavogue Bridge and Approach Roads and the Western Distributor Road
  • Smarter Travel
  • N4 Hughes Bridge Widening Scheme – N4 Traffic Improvement Scheme
  • N4 Traffic Improvement Scheme – Extension to R292/N4/N15/N16 Junction
  • N16 Lugatober to Gortnagrelly
  • High Collision Locations
  • Pavement Improvement Works including N59 Ballysadare
  • National Primary Road Maintenance
  • National Secondary Road Maintenance

 

The members discussed the programme and in response to their queries Mr. Brennan stated the following;

  • Each member will receive an allocation of €9,000 for “Councillors Proposals” in 2015

 

At this point the Mayor Councillor MacSharry had to leave the meeting so Councillor O’Boyle took up the position of Deputy Mayor and chaired the remainder of the meeting.

 

  • Beach Maintenance – Mr. Brennan advised that the €17,000 allocation is split between €6,500 for Strandhill beach and €10,500 for the remaining three beaches in the county.  Mr. Tom Kilfeather added that the Environment Department of Sligo County Council is hoping to run an anti litter pilot project on Rosses Point and Strandhill beaches in relation to the problem of dog fouling.  Mr. Kilfeather also added that there is no immediate solution to the problem of access to Mullaghmore beach which is affecting its blue flag status.
  • Link Road between Mail Coach Road, Temple Street and Pearse Road.  Mr. Kilfeather stated that this is included as an objective in the Sligo and Environs Development Plan.  The focus over the last 12 months was to acquire title.  The Council now requires a specific improvement grant to complete the scheme.  Mr. Brennan advised the meeting that applications for funding had been made to the Department each year but have been unsuccessful due to the cessation of the particular funding stream by the Department.  This also applies to the Ballinode to Hazelwood Road.
  • N16 It is noted that the surface has deteriorated in places and repairs could come out of the €197,000 as identified by Councillor Keaney.
  • Finisklin Road – A Smarter Travel Scheme is proposed for this area
  • Footpath Repairs – A sum of €23,000 has been specifically outlined in the programme.  However there is additional money in the programme for city centre works which includes additional funding for footpaths
  • Signage on the road leading to St. Angela’s College – The Council will review this accordingly
  • Boundary wall at burial grounds in Collooney – The Area Engineer Mr. Declan Noone is currently dealing with the matter
  • Coach Parking Location in Sligo City – The Council is currently reviewing options
  • Exit routes from Kevinsfort Heath – The Council will review accordingly

 

Having considered the Draft Schedule it was then

Proposed by Councillor S. Kilgannon 
Seconded by Councillor S. MacManus

AND AGREED

“To approve the Schedule of Municipal District Works as presented in so far as it relates to Roads”

 

2. ANY OTHER BUSINESS:

The members wished to extend their good wishes to Mr. S. O’Toole who is due to retire shortly. 

 

 

The business of the meeting ended at 4.45 pm.

 

 

 


Meeting Date 13/04/2015