Future Development of Mayo

County Manager Provides Insight
To Future Development Of Mayo

13 November 1996

Tom Kelly peruses Mayo County Council's Annual Estimates Report

The challenge of protecting the physical environment of Mayo is the most pressing issue facing Mayo County Council next year. That's the verdict of Mr. Des Mahon, county manager, in his annual report to the authority.

He explained provision had been made in the authority's 1997 estimates for increased levels of maintenance in the area of waste management.

"This will necessitate the recovery of our costs from producers of the waste and provision has been made for increased income in this area," he stated.

Mr. Mahon said a new landfill site needed to be provided in the county within the next few years and this would involve a major capital outlay. He outlined that during 1996, the council collected from 4,648 wheelie bin customers and around 500 other domestic customers. Higher costs of collection required the annual charge to increase from £70 to £80. The waste generated by an average Mayo family over a period of a year is one tonne. The council is seeking to increase the tip-head changes to £12 per tonne in 1997.

The charge to householders is set to rise from £70 to £80.

Policy on travellers to progress

Mayo County Council is seeking to further address the problem of the growing traveller population in the county.

The authority is to progress its policy in 1977 of providing halting sites, group housing, and accommodation in new housing estates with the provision of back up services in association with voluntary agencies.

Tooraree works scheme

A remedial works scheme is to be undertaken by Mayo County Council at Tooraree housing estate, Ballyhaunis, next year.

The Department of the Environment has allocated a grant of £150,000 towards the project.

Disabled persons grants

A total of 95 applications were approved by Mayo County Council to disable people seeking assistance to improve their housing circumstances.

The figure represents a total pay out of £160,843 up to the end of October last.

Pay out on housing loans

Mayo County Council's total pay out for SDA loans during 1996 was £140,000. The loans were in respect of new houses and reconstruction grants.

While a large number of SDA loans issued in the past by the authority have been redeemed, there is still in excess of £30m. lent to such borrowers. The repayments on these loans in 1997 is estimated at £3.8m.

The council paid out £207,850 during 1996 in respect of shared ownership loans. These loans were made payable to 14 successful applications in need of rehousing or whom applied to buy houses through part loan and part equity.

A new Tenant Purchase Scheme was adopted by the council in 1995. A total of 235 applications were received to date. They are being assessed and the houses valued. Twenty-nine houses have been sold to date under the scheme.

There are currently 1,449 Mayo County Council houses on rent and 893 on tenant purchase.

A special provision of £35,000 has been made towards special works in two council housing estates in Crossmolina and Parkview, Charlestown. The provision will alleviate much needed repairs both to houses and estate services.

Disappointment over Claremorris and Knock bypass

Mayo County Manager, Mr. Des Mahon, has expressed disappointment that a design grant has not been allocated to the proposed Claremorris and Knock bypass.

He stated: "It is not possible at this atage to say when work on the scheme will commence.

"Without a Road Resign Office allocation, the cost of this service becomes a charge on the council's revenue account and thereby limits the scale of activity that is possible."

Few takers for community schemes

A sum of £50,000 was set aside by Mayo County Council as a contribution towards local community schemes' in the roadworks programme for 1996.

To date, twenty applications have been received and eight contributions have been paid.

Said Mr. Des Mahon, county manager: "The uptake for this scheme was disappointing but not surprising as this was the first year of this scheme in the county.

"In 1997, a greater effort will be made to involve more community groups throughout the county in the programme."

Council seeking the light

A campaign to upgrade the public lighting newwork in Mayo is beun pursued by Mayo County Council.

Works will be carried out in Ballina and Castlebar next year in regard to the provision of trafic route lighting schemes.

In respect of National Secondary Routes, improvements will be carried out in 1997 in Shrule, Mulranny, Ballyhaunis, Castlebar and Bangor.

It is proposed to carry out work on non-National Roads at Newport, Westport , Belmullet, Louisburgh, Kiltimagh, Ballyglass, Cross, Glencorrib and Cong.

Significant' increase in planning applications

There has been a significant increase in the number of planning applications submitted to Mayo County Council over the past number of years.

In 1995, a total of 1,376 applications were lodged with the authority.

There was a 22% increase on the figure in 1995 when 1,673 applications were dealt with by the planning department.

It is estimated that the figure for 1996 will be in and around 1,935, which is a 26% jump on last year's figure.

Census figures welcomed

Mayo County Manager, Mr. Des Mahon, has welcomed the Census of Population figures for 1996 which indicated only a small increase in the population of the county.

He said: "This is a welcome development. The figures show that the drift to the towns has accelerated with a significant drop in population in some rural areas.

"This, in itself, has implications for the supply of services and one to which the council must give attention."

Partners in Europe

Mayo County Council is one of five partners in a new initiative aimed at examining ways in which inland waterways can be developed as leisure and tourist amenities aas well as acting as a focus for rural development.

The other partners involved in the project are Lancashire County Council, England; Province of Groninger, The Netherlands, Okresni Urad, Hodonin, Chezh Republic; and Eberswalde City Council, Germany.

The project is being undertaken through the ECOS/OUVERTURE programme.

Mayo County Council is a partner in the LIFE Eco Labelling project being developed by NASA.

The purpose of the scheme is to signify that a particular area has a top class environment and that the quality of the environment itself is an attraction for tourists to visit the area.

Mayo will have a competitive advantage by being a pilot area in the scheme.

The authority is also a partner in the Eurocycle project, the objective of which is to promote the interaction of journeys by bicycle, tourism facilities in rural areas and urban leisure activities, and to foster collaboration between the partners region.

The other partners in the project are Haunt Normandie Regional Council and East Sussex County Council.

Increase in tourist figures

More are more tourists are visiting Mayo each year, according to figures produced by Bord Failte.

A total of 762,560 tourists visited the county last year, an increase of 34% on the 1991 figure.

Tourist revenue during the same period rose by almost 36% from £67.5m. to £91.7m.

The Mayo Naturally initiative is to continue for a further period of three years.

Graveyards earmarked for works

Improvement works are due to take place on six Mayo graveyards in 1997.

They are Kilbride (Newport), Pullathomas (Ballina), Tulrahan (Claremorris), Killawalla (Westport), Craggagh (Foxford) and Cloghans (Knockmore).

Crackdown on derelict sites

A crackdown on derelict sites is being maintained by Mayo County Council.

There are currently 230 sites registered as derelict in the county. . .a drop of 70 on the 1995 figure.

Beach vandalism condemned

Acts of vandalism on Mayo beaches have been condemned. Mr. Des Mahon, Mayo County Manager, said the replacement of life buoys and warning signs is becoming an annual chore, necessitated not just by normal wear and tear but also by acts of vandalism.

"There can be serious consequences where vandals remove these lifebuoys."

New fire mobile service

Mayo County Council has received approval from the Department of the Environment to proceed with the installation of a new fire service mobile radio system.

It is expected the new system will be commissioned in early 1997.

Approval has also been given for a new county wide alerting system and this should be commissioned by April or May next year, according to Mr. Des Mahon, county manager.

The council also received the go-ahead from the Department to seek tenders for the supply and delivery of a new Class B fire appliance. Delivery of the vehicle is expected next August.

Fire call-outs are up

The number of call-outs by the Mayo fire services for the first nine months of 1996 was 1,389. . .twenty-nine more than the entire previous year.

The breakdown in the nature of call-out for 1996 is as follows.

Chimney fires (553); bog/forest (468); structural (110); R.T.A. (89); flooding (9); special services (45); false alarms (85); miscellaneous (9) and motor fires (33).

The biggest increase occurred in respect of bog and forest fires. There were 182 call-out for such emergencies in 1995 compared to 468 up to the end of September last.