Youghal Town Council’s first meeting of 2010 was a relatively short affair, while the annual budget meeting, which preceded the agenda, saw Town Manager Patricia Power’s budgetary proposals adopted (see separate report). By Christy Parker

Congratulations:

For once, there were no hats raised, not even to those individuals who managed to retain their balance while negotiating Windmill Lane or Cork Hill throughout the recent icy spell.

Town Foreman’s Report:

Cllr Sammy Revins asked that remedial work be undertaken at the Bretton Road roundabout. He said it was “causing havoc” and that there had been three accidents there recently due to poor visibility caused by the structure and its attendant foliage.

Cllr Liam Burke asked for an update on the proposed Traffic Management Plan for DeValera/Ash Street Street. Similarly, he wondered was there any proposed completion date for the ESB works at Church Street, adding that this was related to the problems at DeValera Street as the residents there would argue that they were suffering increased flow due to Church Street’s closure. The councillor further asked whether a missing section of footpath on Windmill Hill could be addressed this year and wondered too if a broken footpath outside 29 Sweetfield could be repaired.

Cllr Barbara Murray wanted to know when the ESB would complete the footpath at Claycastle, which they had started before Christmas. She was informed that the contractors intend doing so once the weather had improved.

Cllr Michelle Hennessy drew attention to a sign on the descent of Windmill Hill indicating ‘Church Street closed’ and said it was blocking motorists’ view of upcoming traffic.

Cllr Eoin Coyne said the graveyard’s main footpath from the front to top gates has been in bad condition for years and badly needed repairs. Cllr Michael Beecher concurred, saying he had received phone calls on the matter, including from people travelling from England.

Cllr Barbara Murray said that, given the prevailing conditions, could not a tanker of water be made available to any areas, such as estates, that were experiencing water shortages. Town engineer Paul Murray replied that he had considered it and it seemed that there were only individual houses without water, mostly due to frozen stopcocks. Two water main breaks had been repaired and about to be repaired.

Cllr Murray sought information on the gritting priorities and process in terms of non-national roads and footpaths. The engineer said salt stocks were low but fresh supplies were expected. He proceeded that a mixture of salt and grit had been used during the icy spell and that workers, on overtime, had done a very good job in gritting priority areas such as “Cork Hill, Windmill Hill and junction” in the early mornings and overnight.

Cllr Murray then described the regional roadway at Summerfield, adjacent to her own address as currently “absolutely frightening” and advocating that the cold weather may “not be over yet” asked that such roads be given due consideration. Town Manager Patricia Power interceded that a thaw was forecast, whereupon Cllr Mary Linehan Foley reminded that flooding was expected. Ms. Power agreed, adding that the ground could not absorb much water at present.

Cllr Liam Burke asked if, in terms of freezing conditions, an army unit might not be invoked to ferry health care workers to their places of work. He said staff had had extreme difficulty in getting to work at the District and St. Raphael’s hospitals. The town manager said there was now a national co-ordination centre established and its co-ordinator had been in contact with her in lieu of access to hospitals and medical supplies that day. She said if the army was needed it would be summoned and a lot had been learned in recent days, with the gardai, army and local authorities working in tandem.

Cllr Burke then submitted further items for consideration. He asked what was the status of the Cork Area Strategic Plan review, whither (yet) again is the missing concealed entrance at Summerdale Lawn and ditto the usual, much–relayed list of broken footpaths which on this occasion he didn’t name (Tallow Street, South Main Street and the junction of South Abbey and Strand Street.)

Cllr Revins advocated a contingency plan be implemented whereby resident local authorities provide salt supplies to resident associations for dispersal when it was merited. Ms. Power said all such measures would be considered in due course, though salt needed to be stored in certain conditions, obviously.

Cllr Donie Daly thanked the engineer and the town clerk Liam Ryan for accompanying him to Quarryvale recently to consider the situation regarding illegally parked vehicles obstructing exiting motorists’ views. He said if proposals they had considered were implemented it would “certainly improve the quality of life for the residents” in the area.

Disposal of Properties:

The Town Clerk reported on two disposals: the first proposed that .00427 hectares at Green Park be sold to Cork County Council for use as a pumping station, at a nominal cost of €1. The second disposal related to transfer 22sq metres of land at Dermot Hurley Estate to a householder, for the extension of the property to a rear railing, again for a nominal €1. Both disposals were approved.

Mayor’s Business:

The Mayor conveyed news on a national helpline as reported at the recent Community Alert meeting. Called Senior Help Line, the initiative facilitates elderly people to contact other older people, from 10 am and 4pm and 7pm-10pm, every day of the year. The number is 1850 440 444. She also repeated the Community Alert meeting’s call for the general community to remain alert to the needs and security of elderly people in its midst.

Nomination of Members of Youghal Town Council to Strategic Policy committees of Cork County Council:

Mayor Sandra McLellan and Cllr Michael Beecher were nominated and it will shortly be decided by the County Council as to which committee they be attending.

Draft Bye Laws on the Prohibition of the Consumption of Intoxicating Liquors in Streets and Public Places within the Urban District of Youghal:

The town clerk said no submissions had been received during the public consultation period. However following councillors’ concerns it was decided to increase the fine for breaching the bye law from €30 to €75 in keeping with the penalty generally imposed by other councils. It had also been decided to include “the beach” in the wording describing the law’s jurisdiction. It was clarified that the fine, in the course of garda enforcement, will be ‘on the spot’ with court proceedings to ensue if it is unpaid. The new law was sanctioned and will come into force from February 19th.

Planning Application Procedure for Heritage Regeneration Works under Part VIII of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001, at Emmet Place, Youghal:

The town clerk said again no public submissions had been received and the item was proposed and passed.

Draft Youghal (Control of Skips) Bye Laws 2010:

Once again Mr. Ryan said that again, no submissions had been received during public consultation and the bye law was subsequently passed into being.

Group Personal Accident Insurance – Scheme A & B – Elected Members:

The schemes cover accidents etc, incurred in the course of council business. Two options had been circulated to the councillors, operated on behalf of Irish Public Body Mutual Insurances. It covered He explained that Scheme A was paid for by Youghal Town Council and all members were covered by it. Should any member wanted to upgrade to Scheme B, they could do so by paying the difference in premium to the Council. Scheme A was €30. Scheme B was €123. There were no immediate takers on Scheme B, although Cllr Linehan Foley intimated she may do so.

Youghal Town Council Applications to the Heritage Council of Ireland for 2010:

1. Conservation of Myrtle Grove
2. Architectural Appraisal of Historic Quarter of Youghal Town Application
3. St. Mary’s Collegiate Church, Graveyard Trail Signage

The above was approved in total.

Motion in the name of Cllr. Murray seconded by Cllr. Beecher:

“That this Council as a matter of urgency prioritise the repair of the Mall Lane using a portion of the 2010 NNR Grant Allocation.”

Cllr Murray said that while no decisions on the allocation of the money would be made until the spring and regardless of reduced funding, “the work on the Mall Lane still has to be done.” She stressed that the sand-based surface laid in 2004 had now collapsed due to vehicular traffic. She said it was known at the time that the surface would only last temporarily because when the decision to re-open the Mall Lane was made, the resurfacing contract had already been awarded and so was allowed to proceed. The time had now arrived for “a proper surface to be put down,” she argued, adding, “Its all part of the regeneration process and it’s a main artery into the town centre.” Cllr Beecher seconded the Motion, recalling that a lot of time, effort and discussion had gone into the original re-surfacing and all that pertained to it.

Cllr Linehan Foley agreed that resurfacing was urgently needed but proposed an Amendment to the Motion. She called for the lane to be pedestrianised subsequent to the work. The councillor recalled that the lane had originally been pedestrianised but then re-opened “because of fears that businesses would diminish by 10-20%.  “We said it would be made safe but it is not safe,” she proceeded. “People can’t come out their front doors and it’s a danger walking on it or even trying to cross the top of the lane.” The councillor argued that there were “other arteries into the town centre” and that it only took two minutes to avail of the “safer” route (via Strand Street).

Cllr Linehan Foley further reminded that the lane’s re-opening was always to be monitored and re-assessed and that the residents on the lane were thus informed at the outset. She then stridently disputed Cllr Beecher’s intervention that the lane was safe for pedestrians and motorists by testifying that, “a woman was hit by a taxi there!”

Cllr Murray replied that her Motion did not facilitate the issue of whether the lane should be open or not. That was already long decided. She simply wanted it appropriately resurfaced, ideally with a cement-based foundation capable of withstanding the vehicular traffic by which it was being used.

Direct negatives

There then emerged some uncertainty as to whether the proposed amendment qualified, legally, as an amendment at all. Town clerk Liam Ryan eventually ruled that, under Standing Order 25, it was legit, as an Amendment should either a) leave out words, b) leave out words and insert or add others or c) add words and Cllr Linehan Foley was simply adding words. It would not be permitted if it equated to “a direct negative,” he further explained.

Amidst near acceptance, Cllr Murray questioned whether the proposed amendment was in fact a direct negative, but Mr. Ryan said that for it to be so defined, it would need to seek “the non-provision of the grant money to resurface the lane.” Cllr Linehan Foley then reiterated that she was not disputing the funding request but simply adding “that it be pedestrianised also.”

Cllr Burke further sought to copper-fasten the clarification by suggesting that Cllr Linehan Foley’s amendment sought “a second action after the first one has been completed” and therefore indeed “appeared to be a valid amendment.”

Cllr Daly intervened to ask that the amendment be either accepted or not and if accepted that a vote ensue. Minds refocused, Cllr Murray again sought that the proposed re-surfacing be of a quality to withstand prolonged vehicular traffic, thus inserting her own mini-amendment.

The amended Motion was subsequently put before the chamber as follows: ““That this Council as a matter of urgency prioritise the appropriate repair and pedestrianisation of the Mall Lane using a portion of the 2010 NNR Grant Allocation.” It was carried by five votes (Cllrs Coyne, Daly, Linehan Foley, Burke and Revins to four (Cllrs Murray, McLellan, Beecher and Hennessy.)

The town clerk explained that the success of the amendment now meant that a further Motion from the council will need to be proposed and carried in order legally to put the newly proposed status of the Mall Lane to public consultation. In other words, 2004 is about to be revisited and any repair to the lane must await the outcome of that impending process.

Correspondence:

Cllr Hennessy asked that the road outside Gaelscoil Chorain be re-lined as soon as possible. Cllr Linehan Foley also said that a signpost outside the school is impeding the school bus and she asked could it relocated.