Athlone’s town councillors are to make a decision at their November meeting on the future of the council’s involvement in the bin collection business, following the decision at county level to axe the service.
Following months of discussion, culminating in an intense two-hour debate at Monday’s meeting, councillors voted this week to discontinue Westmeath County Council’s involvement in waste collection services in the county.
Commenting yesterday on the decision taken at county level, Athlone town clerk John Walsh said that although a decision had yet to be reached by Athlone councillors, the county council verdict would have ramifications for the town.
“Athlone Town Council members have to make their own decision, but obviously there is an interdependence regarding the operation of the system. That the county council have decided to withdraw will have a big impact on the town. The two councils had a single contract with the collection company,” he said.
The three Athlone town councillors who also sit on Westmeath County Council, Fine Gael Cllrs Mark Cooney and Gabrielle McFadden and Fianna Fail’s Cllr Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran, all voted in favour of the county council’s withdrawal from waste collection at Monday’s meeting.
