Campaign to keep our Town Councils

I have helped launch a facebook campaign to keep our Town Councils.
More details at facebook.com/keepourcouncils

It is time to fight back against this undemocratic proposal.

Of the €500 million in savings only €6 million is being achieved by
removing Town Councils (Source AMAI)

Ireland will have the lowest level of councillors per capita in the EU
(Source AMAI)

The removal of Town Councils which are mainly located in rural areas
is another attack on rural life and a further centralisation of Irish
politics and democracy.

118 per head of population per Councillor in France,
250 per head of population in Sweden and 350 in Germany.
This rises to 610 in Spain and 1100 per head of population in Greece
and Belgium.

Here in Ireland the figure is one Councillor to every 2,336 people.

Only the United Kingdom has a higher ratio with one Councillor to
every 2,603 per head of population.

Phil Hogan wants to increase that to 1 for every 4,800.

The big lie. 800 Town Councilllors are expensive.
The big truth. 800 Town Councillors cost the country 3million a year.

But what about the hundreds of millions of savings?
These are coming about through voluntary redundancies and cost saving
measures which could be done without abolishing every town council in
Ireland.

The big lie. We have too many councillors for such a small country.

The big truth. We have the lowest level of councillors in Europe
except for UK. In Sweden there;s a councillor for every 200 people. In
Ireland it's one for 3,500.

Submission to the Joint Committee on Transport and Communications on the future of the Post Office Network

Submission to the Joint Committee on Transport and Communications on
the future of the Post Office Network

In my experience as a local councillor Post Offices are vital to
village life. They are the social hub of the community where pensions
and dole are collected, bills paid, post sent, tv licences and other
charges are paid simply and locally.

In rural Ireland the post office provides an important service and
gathering point for communities. The reduction of these services would
be removing a focus point for the local community and resulting in
hundreds of job losses. In addition, this diminution of rural services
is contributing to social isolation and a disintegration of
communities as people no longer have the opportunity to meet people
and engage with their local communities.

Between 2001 and 2008 344 post offices closed, with many more
downgraded. The majority of closures took place in rural areas.
Closures and downgrading place a huge strain on local communities. The
Post Office increases footfall to other local businesses, so when one
post office closes in a rural area the knock-on effects are felt by
nearly all local businesses.

Mayo is the 3rd largest county in Ireland. The level of broadband and
computer access is very compared with urban and city areas. An an
increasingly ageing population relies on the post office for their
banking and community needs. There is also a poor public transport
network so the use of other area post offices is not possible or
desirable.

I would propose that rather than shutting more post offices that these
offices be upgraded to provide more banking services in conjugation
with local Credit Unions or bank.

Other European states have taken the approach that citizens must be
entitled to a postal service within a certain distance of their home
and it is time Ireland introduced such a measure.

Cllr Keith Martin B.A. (Hons)
Westport Town Council

Abolition of Town Councils

Dear Eamon,

I am a Town Councillor with 8 years service.  I am all in favour of local government reform and a return of powers to councillors.

I would be horrified to learn that the government would be planning on abolition Town Councils like Westport.  Especially after such a move is not a policy of Labour's nor is it included in the Programme for Government.

We are the foot soldiers of local government and the Labour party across the country.  We know our constituents by their first name, they're problems are our problems.

I would consider any move to abolish us as a betrayal of the highest order by both Government and party.

Sincerely

Keith Martin

Councillor

Westport Town Council

Chair 

Westport Branch Labour Party

"Horrible" signs on Westport's bridges to go

Labour's Cllr Keith Martin has welcomed the announcement by the National Roads Authority (NRA) that the white licence plate style signage recently erected on Westport's cut-stone bridges was erected in error and will be removed.

According to the NRA Westport's bridges were recently inspected by the NRA and the signs were erected as part of that process, however due to the aesthetic and heritage value of certain bridges the NRA have a policy of not erecting such signs in urban areas where such signage might not be appropriate to the area's aesthetics.  

The NRA have acknowledged that Westport's cut stone bridges, which are listed monuments, should not have been signposted and the body has promised to remove the controversial signage in the coming days. 

Welcoming the move Cllr Martin says "The sudden appearance of these horrible signs was a big issue in a heritage town such as Westport and they were raised with me on numerous occasions and at a recent Labour Party meeting.   Westport Town Council was immediately in touch with the NRA and they realised their error and have taken steps.  I look forward to the removal of the signs."

Westport Town Council to be abolished in 2014

My reaction to the news.

Signs to go

Labour's Cllr Keith Martin has welcomed the announcement by the National Roads Authority (NRA) that the white licence plate style signage recently erected on Westport's cut-stone bridges was erected in error and will be removed.

According to the NRA Westport's bridges were recently inspected by the NRA and the signs were erected as part of that process, however due to the aesthetic and heritage value of certain bridges the NRA have a policy of not erecting such signs in urban areas where such signage might not be appropriate to the area's aesthetics.  

The NRA have acknowledged that Westport's cut stone bridges, which are listed monuments, should not have been signposted and the body has promised to remove the controversial signage in the coming days. 

Welcoming the move Cllr Martin says "The sudden appearance of these horrible signs was a big issue in a heritage town such as Westport and they were raised with me on numerous occasions and at a recent Labour Party meeting.   Westport Town Council was immediately in touch with the NRA and they realised their error and have taken steps.  I look forward to the removal of the signs."

Westport Labour Party News

The September meeting of the Westport Branch of the Labour party took place last Wednesday (September 26th) took place in the Clock Tavern Bar.  The meeting was chaired by the Branch's incoming chairman, Cllr Keith Martin.

The meeting heard an update from David Fallon in relation to the appointment of Brian McDowell as national organiser and that Mr McDowell had expressed a desire to meet with the branch to discuss the upcoming local elections in 2014.  There was then a short discussion on the implications of property taxes and the state of the economy.

Cllr Keith Martin updated the branch on council business and his plans for the coming months. 

Branch Secretary Michael Everson updated the branch on his proposals for a simplified, logical and inexpensive national postcode system.  The meeting resolved to contact the Minister of Communications, Pat Rabbitte TD to request a formal meeting with him so that a presentation on the issue could be made to the Minister and his officials as soon as possible.  Cllr Martin was delegated to assist in arranging the meeting.

Sean Sammon questioned the use of plastic signage on the town's stone bridges, stating that they looked out of place.  The meeting resolved to query their status with the Town Council to see if it was permanent and if so, whether something more appropriate might be put in place.

John McDonnell gave a report on a public meeting he had recently attended in Kilmeena in relation to a series of break-ins in the area.  He called for the full force of the law to brought to bare on those criminals responsible.  He said a "zero-tolerance" approach should be adopted by the Gardai in relation to this type of crime.   

Cllr Keith Martin updated the meeting on the progress of the Policing Committee and on trial text alert systems which will assist in catching criminals by alerting community areas to suspicions persons, activities and vehicles operating in rural areas.  He added that the Superintendent had also announced a overall of the Neighbourhood Watch and Community Alert schemes which should also prove invaluable in deterring criminals.    John McDonnell called for rewards to be offered for information leading to the capture of criminals.

Cllr Martin updated the meeting about their upcoming Church Gate Collection and on a leafleting campaign for the Westport area, highlighting Labour's achievements in protecting low paid workers.  

Cllr Martin also noted that the Winter Fuel Allowance Scheme was now in effect and he was placing the forms on his website where they could be downloaded as needed by constituents.

The Branch also passed a motion of support for Roisin Shortall, following her resignation as Minster of State at the Dept of Health.

Correspondence from the Party Leader Eamon Gilmore, the General Secretary of the Labour Party, Senator Denis Landy, and Dominic Hannigan TD was read and noted by the members.   

Anyone interested in joining the Labour Party in Westport can call 086 0691182.