Political posters

I really can't understand why some people get so wound up about political posters.

Posters are only errected for one month every five years and are a great way for candidates, particularly new candidates, to get their faces known by the electorate and to identify themselves and their politics.

Political postering is ancient and goes right back to the early democracies of Greece and Rome and despite the Internet, media and communications revolution it is always going to be with us because it is cheap, simple and above all effective!

Maybe you don't like looking at my mug on the side of the road but that's my right as a candidate to erect posters and promote myself and my policies, if you don't like them don't look at them; but in a constituency as big a Louth where only 17% of homes have access to broadband, posters are still the most effective way of gaining recognition with the thousands of voters who live maybe 40 to 50 miles away from where I live.

Deputy Mayor Martin

Hi Friends,

 

I write you today as your Deputy Mayor for Westport!  Last night's meeting was very interesting to say the least as FG stretched their muscles and made appointments to committees using their majority to override any opposition.

 

I was elected to serve as Leas Cathaoirleach under Myles Staunton who is this year's Cathaoirleach and I think its going to be a fun year.  It will be interesting to see if FG will wield their majority to great effect or if the council will work as well as it did last term.

 

A week is a long time in politics so we will have to wait and see!

 

KM

I'm back!

Well the dust has settled and I'm back ok Westport Town Council and finished 5th in the county council, pity there's only 4 seats. Got a very respectable 976 votes in county with 602 first preferences. Town vote stayed exactly the same as last time.

Today is AGM of council and it will be very interesting to see how FG who have the majority will handle it when doling out the committees and Chair.

Interesting times for yours truely.

Will update you from the meeting if I get the chance or you can folllow me on Twittet!


-- Post From My iPhone

The End?

Hello All,

Now we face the end and I am just wondering how will it all end?

If you have yet to vote please give me your No 1 vote.

Keith

End to Estate Management Companies

Labour's Cllr Keith Martin has called for an end to the establishment and operation of management companies for private housing estates in Mayo.

 

Cllr Martin who is a seeking re-election to Westport Town Council and election to Mayo County Council says these Management Companies are now imposing "often penal charges on householders for a range of services that would normally have been provided by a local authority."

 

According to Cllr Martin It is now time for Mayo's local authorities to act to stop this practice which is costing home owners over €500 and up to €1,000 per year.

"This is, in effect, yet another stealth tax being imposed on householders. Only last week I was in Louisburgh and there is a new estate "Ard Cahir" where the council is insisting on a management company purely and simply to ensure they don't have to cut the grass and manage the estate.  It's a stealth tax on home owners who are finding it very hard to make ends meet without being subjected to a privatisation of council services."

"The imposition of these charges is an insidious development that adds hugely to the burden of thousands of young householders who are already struggling to meet crippling mortgage payments.

"What has been happening is that when local authority managers are granting permission for housing developments, they are including a condition that key public services, such as roads, open spaces, lighting, water and sewage services be provided for a specified period by private management companies, rather than the local authority itself as would traditionally have been the case.

 

"When signing contracts for the purchase of a house in these areas, couples are effectively being given an ultimatum to sign up to the management companies and to accept the charges they impose. There may be a role for private management companies, run on co-operative basis by residents, in regard to apartment blocks, but there is none in regard to traditional housing developments.

 

"When elected I will make it council policy to prohibit this practise and to wind up existing companies where there services can and should be performed by the council."

 

 

Cllr Keith Martin

086 0691182

Time for Tubberhill

Cllr Keith Martin has called on Westport Town Manager, Peter Hynes, to name the date for the allocation of the Tubberhill Social and Affordable housing scheme.

Cllr Martin says the allocations were supposed to take place in late 2008 and that the council should now name the date for allocating social and affordable housing to successful applicants.

"This is the most important council project in the life of the current council and I am proud to have played my role along with my fellow councillors in funding and approving this scheme.  The housing is completed to the highest building and environmental standards and can be heated all year round for the cost of one tank of oil thanks to the innovative system of heat retention and insulation which was incorporated into the design.  The scheme is ideally suited and located and I think it is an impressive scheme visually and architecturally.

"However I think it is high time that we made the allocations on the units and I have written to the Manager to request that he set a date for the allocation of the units as there is a huge interest and demand for the scheme particularly from people living in the area who want a council or affordable house.  I want to see people moving into those houses before the summer and I look forward to the manager naming the day so we can celebrate some house warmings."

Cllr Keith Martin
086 0691182

Campaign update

11 days to go.

Am covering the Electoral Area and should have called to almost every home in the area by June 5th.

Working hard to get back to voters on each issue as they arrise.

Think June 6th will be a very interesting day.


-- Post From My iPhone