Former Labour Town Councillor, Keith Martin, has told the Mayo News that he feels "vindicated" by the U-Turn of Ministers Brendan Howlin and Alan Kelly in relation to the abolition of Town Councils.
In May of last year the 80 town councils, including Westport, Castlebar and Ballina, were replaced by 137 municipal districts, with the membership and configuration determined at council level. The independent financial revenue-raising powers of town councils were lost and district councils are instead handed down annual financial allocations, irrespective of the amounts of money raised in each district.
Speaking about the abolition of the town councils at the recent Labour Party Conference Minister Howlin told delegates “If you ask me what is the one thing I regret most about the last four years it was that decision and I personally say I took my eye off the ball."
Mr Hogan’s successor in the Department of the Environment, Minister Alan Kelly, also indicated at the party’s weekend conference that he is unhappy with the changes telling a policy seminar that he was working on measures to rectify the situation.
Mr Martin was a vocal opponent of the abolitions, both within the Labour Party and the Council chamber, and was part of a special cross-party delegation from Westport Town Council to Strasbourg to the 25th Congress of Local and Regional Authorities to lobby for the retention of town councils.
In May of last year the 80 town councils, including Westport, Castlebar and Ballina, were replaced by 137 municipal districts, with the membership and configuration determined at council level. The independent financial revenue-raising powers of town councils were lost and district councils are instead handed down annual financial allocations, irrespective of the amounts of money raised in each district.
Speaking about the abolition of the town councils at the recent Labour Party Conference Minister Howlin told delegates “If you ask me what is the one thing I regret most about the last four years it was that decision and I personally say I took my eye off the ball."
Mr Hogan’s successor in the Department of the Environment, Minister Alan Kelly, also indicated at the party’s weekend conference that he is unhappy with the changes telling a policy seminar that he was working on measures to rectify the situation.
Mr Martin was a vocal opponent of the abolitions, both within the Labour Party and the Council chamber, and was part of a special cross-party delegation from Westport Town Council to Strasbourg to the 25th Congress of Local and Regional Authorities to lobby for the retention of town councils.
"I feel totally vindicated that the Labour Party has finally realised what a terrible decision the abolition of our entire municipal system of government has been. At the time I lobbied all Labour TDs to turn back from abolition. I was not listened to at the time. I only regret that the change of heart by the Ministers comes a year too late. Westport has lost its council, its monthly meetings, its €5m annual budget, its bank savings of €3m, its Mayor, and we have lost the right to raise our own rates and taxes. The town has also lost its right to grant planning permission, zone lands and we have also lost the housing section and our dedicated Town Engineer."
Mr Martin says it is up ordinary voters and the likes of the Chamber of Commerce and organisations such as the Tidy Towns to lobby Ministers and TDs to get back their town councils adding " I would urge everyone in Westport, Castlebar and Ballina to join the fight to get back our local councils. It is now or never!"
