What was said at the Westport-Belmullet Municipal District meeting this week?
Coyle calls for councillors' individual LIS allocations to be advertised
Fine Gael Erris-based councillor, Gerry Coyle, has asked that instead of the council advertising for enquiries for Local Improvement Scheme (LIS ) works outlining the total amount of money available to the council for such works, that it be advertised instead - showing how much each councillor has to allocate for such works. Speaking at the May meeting of the Westport-Belmullet Municipal District this week, Cllr Coyle said: "The council prints this in the paper and gives people false hope there is loads of money for LIS. I got 32 calls about LIS, €27,000 is all I get - so that wouldn't be €1,000 for each of them. One road we have priced down here is €90,000 and maybe someone can do the loaves and fishes with it, but it baffles me. People see it advertised and they start calling and saying there is loads of money for LIS, will you do my road it has been on the list for the last two years. It should be printed saying that each councillor has €27,000 - that is what should be printed, not to say there is this wad of money landed. It is not working out for the people looking for roads to be done and for the councillors trying to get them done." Independent councillor Christy Hyland supported Cllr Coyle's concerns, but told the meeting: "In fairness to the council management, I don't think it was them who put it out there, it as a public representative who did and now we are all getting calls on it."
Hyland raises concerns over bridge works
Independent councillor Christy Hyland raised concerns at the May meeting of the Westport-Belmullet Municipal District that works carried out on a bridge at Cregganbaun, Louisburgh, have made it impossible for large vehicles and buses to get through. He also said that it was having an impact on children getting to school, with school buses having to make a 20km round trip as they can't cross the bridge. He was supported by Fine Gael councillor Peter Flynn who said he went out and looked at it last week and he concurred with Cllr Hyland's assessment, saying that it has taken three and a half foot away from the bridge itself; he did add that they have done a fantastic job on putting in the structures, but the problem is that the roadway has been narrowed and a long vehicle can't get though it. He also said it was a key route for water sports enthusiasts who now have to go through Louisburgh village to the likes of Carrowniskey and Silver Strand beaches. Both councillors welcomed comments from council management that a solution will be found.
Flynn looks for footpaths on Ballinrobe road out of Westport
Fine Gael councillor Peter Flynn has asked for a report to be prepared for the elected members of the Westport-Belmullet Municipal District in relation to costs for putting footpaths and other traffic calming measures in place along the Ballinrobe road out of Westport. Speaking a the May meeting of the district, he said: "The landowners on both the left and right of the road are willing to give their land at no cost. But all they are expecting is some sort of footpath along the Ballinrobe road and some sort of traffic light system under the bridge. We are talking about a serious number of houses between Sandy Hill and the Ballinrobe road. They are less than a five minute walk form Tesco, when the landowners are there and willing to co-operate, we are effectively giving them the two fingers. I know an application went into the NTA and it was unsuccessful, but let's see can we fund it ourselves, what is the cost involved, what is the engineering involved and I am asking we get a report what exactly is the situation and what are the options available to us."
Hyland wants cycling distance signs erected
Independent councillor Christy Hyland has asked for more signage to be put up to warn motorists to keep their distance from cyclists on the road, with the busy summer season coming up. He said: "I would ask like they have done in other parts of the country - that the signage is there to keep your distance, we all have to share the road space we have and there are some narrow roads." He added that he wanted to see it put in place on the access roads to schools, saying: "Schools are doing their best, especially national schools with the children in getting them cycling to school, it is vital that on the approach roads this signage is erected."
Flynn disappointed that no representative from housing office at meeting
Fine Gael councillor Peter Flynn said that he was disappointed there was no representative from Mayo County Council's central housing office at the Westport-Belmullet monthly meeting this week. Speaking at the meeting on Monday, Cllr Flynn said: "I am very disappointed we don't have a representative from the central housing office here, we have an agreement with the chief executive that we would have a representative from the housing (office ) at every Municipal District meeting and I would like to know, where is that representative? We have a huge housing crisis in our district, ultimately all the key decisions seem to be made by an office in Swinford, who pop in and pop out whenever it suits their needs. This is something we cannot take off the agenda, we need to deal with it right now and very urgently."
