Casey Makes His Case - Before Packing It
by: Christy Parker
As Independent Town Councillor Olly Casey declares he won’t contest the 2009 local elections, Christy Parker sought a quick word before he goes…
“Its time for fresh blood to come in,” appraises Cllr Casey, “and besides, I’ll be 67 and I need more time for myself now.” Fifteen years ago, Olly ignored the cynical appraisal of a town clerk that “idealists don’t get elected” to contest and win a place on the town’s council. He has subsequently been twice re-elected, served two terms as Mayor/Chairman and rejected the overtures of Fianna Fail. “I’ve always preferred to be an individual,” he surmises with delightful understatement.
That individualism has been consistent evident, not least during annual Budget meetings. Allied with Green Party Cllr Liam Burke, last month Cllr Casey once again resisted, in vain, the proposed rates increase of 5.9%, contending that Youghal adopt the County Council estimate of €9 to the €1, or a steep hike of almost 19%. With shops folding faster than the arms of an intransigent bouncer, the business community were unimpressed.
The councillor is unrepentant. “There have been no family or business-owned premises closing, bar one for retirement reasons. This suggests it’s not rates that are causing closures, its rent. Its not the last straw that breaks the camel’s back, it’s the bales that were there before it and that’s rent!”, he declares. “Furthermore, anyone in trouble in Youghal can bring their books, in confidence, to the Town Hall and seek a rates reduction. What landlord offers to reduce rent?
He says “over 70 towns and villages throughout Co. Cork pay the County rate and businesses are doing fine” before arguing that Youghal’s small businesses cannot sell enough coffee, food, flowers, medicine, etc to cover €300 to €450 rent before paying service charges, bills and staff. By contrast Cork County Council “spends €30,000 a year renting library space”, while smaller businesses in the same complex are closing. “Can one unit make enough profit to allow others to close? What if the rent was less all round? I’m only asking the question,” he says mischievously.
He recalls a letter written to councillors from a businessman seeking a low rates increase. “Yet he is moving half his business to Millennium Court industrial estate where the County Council rate applies. One businessman out there told me rates are not a problem. “I’m certainly not anti-business,” he adds. “But the council is a business too and needs money to do its job. We also pay €680,000 annually to the Co. Council as County Demand payment. “I’ve asked for a breakdown on what we get for that and I expect a work of fiction like I got last year.
Money is a council’s muscle and so Cllr Casey maintains higher rates are needed to restore strength. “In the past three years, the County Council has taken control of our waste, water and sewerage services and the income that accrues from them. They may soon control housing allocation too. Meantime, we need higher rates to fund our local needs, to the benefit of the general and business community.”
Without sufficient income, he senses Town Councils being rendered powerless ‘talking shops’, as the government increasingly accredits influence to county councils. He foresaw it in 2004, and it left him too disillusioned to canvass the local election, although complimentary to his record he scraped in by six votes.
What has transpired since hasn’t bolstered his optimism. “We now have councillors not supporting their own motions, because when the important budget meeting comes round they won’t vote for higher rates to implement them. There’s no point saying you’ll do something if you won’t fight for the resources needed to do it. That’s just playing politics. I’ve no problem with people voting against my ideas but I’ve a major problem with people voting against their own ones!”
Amidst this maelstrom of compromise, he believes “people need to be aware of what has changed. Recently there was sewerage on the main street. Most people, including Neil Prenderville’s radio show blamed Youghal Council. They seemed to be unaware that responsibility for Youghal sewerage is now a County Council matter. So are water and waste problems. People need to realise who is running the show now. ”
All of which renders the past practically romantic. In 1996, as council water curator with over 30 years experience as a council worker, Olly brought a unique perspective to the chamber. This helped facilitate a major legacy, whereby he inveigled the Town Council to assume responsibility for water and sewerage leaks from the mains to the stopcock of every property. “Previously private individuals bore responsibility and it demanded £2m insurance cover and finding plumbers, etc. It’s long forgotten now but it benefited every house in town,” he remembers.
Other persuasions included acquiring €200,000 from Cork County Council to install a two-way system on the Breton Road. “It meant attending 12 consecutive roads meetings as Mayor but I got there on the last one,” he smiles. As Mayor he also personally acquired funding for paving on the approach to the leisure centre from the County authority.
With 16 council meetings left he is eagerly pursuing another major innovation. “We urgently need to raise the quayside by a minimum of 0.6metres,” he insists. “The river is now flooding every five years and we have to take preventative action now, not after the town centre has suffered the brunt of it. Flooding will be certain and the devastation and cost will be enormous unless we act.” Two surveys conducted in recent times support his fears and worse. “Noah built a bloody ark,” he analogises. “We have a plan too but we need our own funding so we can then get grant aid to match it.” He raises his eyebrows an telepathy does the rest: Rates!
High tides and low rates notwithstanding, the idealist always sees hope. “I totally believe that our heritage and history can secure prosperity and that we are going the right way with the excellent Town Realm plan. But people must support it. Pisa has one leaning tower, which is nothing compared to what we have! But they market themselves so well. I’ve seen buses meet people off ships and whisk them to sights on the continent and so can we, if we believe. I’d like to see us promoting ourselves more independently.”
As a councillor and member of the new Harbour Municipal Policy Committee, he espouses another great ideal: “A marina would make an immense difference. Howth’s economy benefits by an estimated €162 per boat per day. We could accommodate 200 berths and that’s potentially €1/4 million a week! If we want it enough we need to pursue it, not wait for it. But again, down to funds.” It’s hard to argue with pragmatic idealist!
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