Independent councillor Michael Kilcoyne has called for the setting up of the new Joint Policing Committee (JPC ) of Mayo County Council as a priority, stating that there are a number of people causing serious problems in Castlebar.
Speaking at the July meeting of Mayo County Council this week, Cllr Kilcoyne said: "When is the JPC going to be set up and come into being? The reason I am raising this is there is widespread anarchy in our town, people up and down the town are being intimidated by certain individuals who are roaming the street.
"I am extremely concerned about it and the business people in the town are extremely concerned about it. Even yesterday I got a call about one of the playgrounds in the town where children were hit by, what I can only refer to, as thugs. The gardai were called and everything else. I want to put on record that the playground, which was approved under a part eight by Castlebar Town Council, specified there was supposed to be a caretaker to look after it. I can tell you, you are not complying with planning conditions that were laid down.
"These guys go in there and they belt these young fellas about or down the town where people are being intimidated, businesses are complaining about it and the trees that were put in by the council down the town prevent the CCTV from producing the proper evidence because they are being blocked by leaves. I am saying the JPC must be put into being as a matter of urgency."
The chief executive of Mayo County Council, Peter Hynes, said that it was a matter of priority and urgency to get the JPC up and running and they hoped to have it up and running by September. He added that the council was anxious 'to have the meetings taking place more regularly than they had in the past'.
