Tidy Towns Presentation Dominates Proceedings At Youghal Concerned Citizens September Meeting – By Christy Parker

A small attendance was apparent at Youghal Concerned Citizens meeting in the Red Store on September 1st. Much of the group’s work is quietly undertaken in private mode but nonetheless Chairman Jim Flanagan expressed a wish to see more people attend the public forums, in the interests of bringing forward and promoting ideas for consideration.

Matters soon turned to the treasurer’s report which in short reported a sum of €280 collected during the mackerel mini-food fest, plus €70 already standing to give a total €250. However, there’s an outstanding bill of €204 to be met….

Mr Flanagan welcomed President of the Tidy Towns Ned Brennan and congratulated him and his committee on Youghal’s sixth place in Ireland in the recent IBAL Tidy Town’s contest.  Mr. Brennan delivered a power-point presentation on the committee’s work, past, present and future to the room. The address, followed by some exchanges of views and information, would provide the mainstay of the evening.

Former town clerk Mr. Brennan said Tidy Town competitions are judged under eight categories, of which Youghal’s main challenge at present concerns roads, the back street and associated areas.

Achievements and obstacles

Achievements in recent times had included greater co-ordination between the Tidy Town committee and other agencies such as the town council, residents’ associations, etc. Greater litter control, enhancement of residential areas and the Lighthouse Hill, a spring planting programme, more hanging baskets (over 200 in total) and increased wildlife signboards featured amongst many other improvements that had  culminated in Youghal’s first ever national bronze award in 2010.

Obstacles to further progress were plentiful to however and included plastic signage, derelict sites, vandalism and graffiti. He said a general lack of maintenance was problematic but if everyone just dedicated half an hour a week to their own area, “the place would look immaculate.”  He added that the “slow process” in which statutory bodies acted and reacted was a further impediment. Stray dogs and associated fouling were a major problem too, especially on estates. The back street from Greens Quay to Strand Street, car parks included, were “very badly kept,” he advised.

Mr. Brennan also pointed out that littering and other anti-social activity by young people in Green Park was problematic. He advocated that reality be grasped and the park recognised as a functional amenity area. He felt that if this meant part-segregation and a designated play or sports area for teenagers, then so be it, adding that, while mobile CCTV would help, impressing on young people to take self-responsibility for unacceptable behaviour was the key to alleviating litter and vandalism problems. “They are just young people enjoying life, not total gurriers, but they need some boundaries imposed,” he reasoned.

Fines, resurfacing, gardens,

In terms of litter fine enforcement, the Tidy Town spokesman favoured a tiered approach over the present €120 blanket fine strategy. “It alienates people from the litter byelaws. I think a graded system would get better public support,” he advocated. Mr Brennan also felt that the gardai were “not really prepared to take on” litter enforcement, dog fouling included.

The speaker said he didn’t understand “why the main street, which is in relatively good condition was about to be resurfaced, while the back street, in a worse state, was not.  He assumed it was because the impending main drainage scheme would mean digging it up gain but argued that there is a main drainage point beneath the main street also. Oh dear. Norman McDonald said plans to resurface the back street were mooted as far back as the Tour de France visit in 1998!

Off the man road, he said the Tidy Towns had ended an annual gardening competition because the entrants were small and repetitive but that a similar scheme based on inter-estate competition may be launched next spring.

Buses on the ‘Champs Élysées’

The issue of parked buses and trucks on the Lighthouse Hill was raised after Mr. Brennan showed a slide of the hill without the buses, whereby the colourful hanging baskets were spectacularly visible.  He said the area was within the town council’s jurisdiction and it could have the vehicles removed without any recourse to further bye-laws or such. He added that the Tidy Towns committee had offered the council €2,000 “towards some sort of project to alleviate parking on the hill, except for tourist buses. “It is Youghal’s ‘Champs d’Elysees’ and we’ve led a six year campaign to clear it (of parked trucks and buses) but we haven’t been able to make progress,” he concluded.

Meanwhile across the road, the Tidy Towns committee had received dispensation from the town council to clean and paint the bandstand and fountain in Green Park in advance of the Franc wedding the following weekend, which would be televised nationally in January.

Future and funding

Regarding the future, the chairman said his committee could only achieve its targets through following a strategic plan. A TUAS worker was about to manage that aspect in relation to the Tidy Towns committee’s new four year strategy.  Funding was of course fundamental to success. The group had earned reward money through its various high mark achievements over the years but there was never enough to develop as one would wish. He was grateful for the town council’s annual €5,000 year grant but the recessionary times meant it had not increased over several years. Also, the embargo on public service recruitment and the council’s limited resources were impediments to progress. “We spend about €20,000 every year and we need some sort of ring fenced funding arrangement with the council,” he observed. Nonetheless they had plans to replant Market Square trees and install further basket holders at the Strand Church.

Responding to an inquiry from Norman McDonald, Mr. Brennan said Youghal Town Council hoped to take over maintenance of the Rhincrew roundabout from Waterford County Council (he didn’t specify who would pay for it) in tandem with a town council plan to pave, illuminate and generally refurbish the general Foxhole area.

That prolonged section of the meeting concluded with agreement that the YCC and the TT would liaise and co-operate where possible on future projects. “There is nobody precious here and nobody taking anyone’s jobs,” agreed Mr. Brennan.  “We all have the same objective and there is enough work involved to keep everyone busy for 100 years!”

Volunteers for brochures and buses

The meeting proceeded with an appeal for up voluntary contributions towards a written brochure for Youghal. Secretary Adrian Hyde said they were seeking accounts (500 to 1,000 words) from locals depicting their personal interest or activities in the town. Mr. Hyde said the group also needed up to 25 volunteers to devote an hour or so a week towards assisting Norman McDonald’s task of coach arrivals and offering them information literature etc.

Updating on the ‘49 steps’ long-standing renovation project, Jim Flanagan said two issues remained to be addressed. Mr Jerry Dennehy was eager to undertake the work but appropriate insurance clearance was yet to be acquired and also, the YCC were also awaiting specific instructions from Cork County Council.

Festivals and the floor

The chairman added that work was proceeding on the upcoming ‘Halloween Spooktcular’ and information leaflets would be distributed to traders on the projects. Similarly, plans for a Charles Dickens themed Christmas were evolving well, while considerations for 2012 festivals were very much underway also. He then reiterated the YCC ethos that it welcomed input from any organisation or individual in the town and equally was willing to aid and abet other group’s initiatives or events. The feedback from the community thus far in the YCC’s short life, he felt, was positive and supportive.

As the meeting concluded, Mr. Flanagan updated on a few issues: regarding vegetable allotments and said there is actually no further spaces available at present. From the floor, a b &b owner reported a major downturn in Irish visitors but a considerable increase in foreign arrivals for 2011. A second individual said holidaymakers at a prominent caravan site held a celebration day at their site but had complained that they “never know what is happening in the town.” It was agreed that efforts would be made to target that market with information literature in 2012.

It was also observed that Cork visitors on particular were very unhappy that most Bus Eireann vehicles no longer stopped at the Walter Raleigh (unless by way of parking in front of the nearby flower baskets at day’s end, one presumes!). “It’s a major complaint,” said the speaker. “We’ll contact CIE,” said Mr. Flanagan. It was suggested that the public be reminded that dog litter bags are available from many shops in the town. It was agreed that a door or window sign on the supplying premises would be beneficial but that it was a matter for individual shops.

The next Youghal Concerned Citizens Meeting is on Thursday October 6th at 7.3-pm in the Red Store North Main Street.