LONGFORD COUNTY COUNCIL
COMHAIRLE CHONTAE LONGFOIRT
Minutes of Special Meeting of Longford County Council
held in the Council Chamber, Aras an Chontae, Great Water Street, Longford on Wednesday, 26th September 2012 at 4.00 p.m.
PRESIDING: Councillor Sean Farrell, Mayor.
MEMBERS PRESENT: Councillors – Larry Bannon, Paddy Belton,
Gearoid O Bradaigh, John Browne, Mick Cahill,
Micheál Carrigy, Mark Casey, Paul Connell,
Frank Kilbride, Donncha Mac Gleannáin,
Padraig Loughrey, Luie McEntire, Martin Mulleady,
Peggy Nolan, P.J Reilly, Barney Steele and
Thomas Victory.
IN ATTENDANCE: Mr. Tim Caffrey, County Manager.
Mr. Frank Sheridan, Director of Services.
Mr. Ciaran Murphy, Senior Executive Officer.
APOLOGIES: Councillors John Duffy, Victor Kiernan and Mae Sexton.
MEETINGS
ADMINISTRATOR: Ms. Anne Lee.
PRESENTATION ON HEALTH & SAFETY.
Mayor Farrell welcomed Ms. Mary Gouldsbury, Health & Safety Officer, to the meeting.
Ms. Gouldsbury made a presentation to the members on the following -
· Health and Safety Legislation
· Accident Statistics – Longford County Council
Year / No. of Accidents/Incidents2012 / 16 (to date)
2011 / 34
· Accident/Incident Summary – Longford County Council
Year / Main Cause/Categorisation for Incident Reports2012 / Violence and Aggression, Slips, Trips, Falls.
2011 / Violence and Aggression, Plant and Machinery.
· Health and Safety Authority
Year / No. of HSA Visits.2012 / 2 (to date)
2011 / 3
· No prohibition or improvement notices were issued by the Health and Safety Authority
· National/Local Authority Incidents
A total of 55 workplace deaths were reported to the Health and Safety Authority in
2011
· Safety Management System
o Policy
o Planning
o Implementation and Operation.
o Monitoring and Correction Action.
o Management Review.
· Construction Management
· Assisting the Local Contractor
· Continuous Development of Health and Safety
Summary for Elected Members
· Longford County Council have a duty of care to all employees
· Support the Council with the efforts to manage health and safety
· Advise the public that the management of health and safety protects them also
Ms. Gouldsbury replied to queries raised by the members on the following issues -
· Violence and aggression in the workplace.
· Agression towards Councillors - it was agreed to investigate training for
Councillors.
· Health & Safety measures at roadworks.
· Cost of Health & Safety initiatives.
Mayor Farrell thanked Mary for her very informative presentation and the Mayor and County Manager complimented her for her work in creating such an awareness of health & safety.
Presentation on Community Outreach Digital Switchover Programme.
Mayor Farrell welcomed Ms. Valerie Maguire, County Longford Digital Outreach Champion, Longford Community Resources, to the meeting.
Ms. Maguire outlined in detail to the members the following issues regarding the Digital Switchover Programme and replied to queries raised by the members -
· TV is going digital, what does this mean?
· What you need to do before 24 October 2012.
· How to go digital
o Switch to SAORVIEW - SAORVIEW approved TV or SAORVIEW approved set-top box to upgrade current TV.
o Switch to pay TV
· Benefits of digital TV.
· Provision of help and advice regarding the switchover to isolated or vulnerable people in the community.
Mayor Farrell thanked Valerie for her very informative presentation on the Digital Switchover Programme.
Presentation on Leader Funding Programmes.
Mayor Farrell welcomed Mr. Adrian Greene, Chief Executive Officer, Longford Community Resources Ltd. to the meeting.
Mr. Greene stated that the purpose of Longford Community Resources Ltd. is to promote positive change in the areas of social, economic, environmental, community and cultural development throughout County Longford by empowering the communities and special issue groups to promote the development of their own areas.
Longford Community Resources Ltd aim to respond to the social and economic decline encountered by disadvantaged groups, individuals, community and issue groups throughout the County working through a partnership and community development approach.
Mr. Greene gave a presentation to the members on the following aspects of the
Company -
LCRL is the integrated local development company for County Longford which was established in 1995.
The company is guided by a voluntary Board of 24 Directors from 4 sectors;
◦ Local Authority (5)
◦ Social Partners (5)
◦ Community & Voluntary(8)
◦ State Agencies (6)
Administers and manages a number of programmes and initiatives to support integrated local social and economic development that also promote social inclusion and equality as follows -
Local and Community Development Programme - this programme focuses on tackling social exclusion as experienced by target groups and disadvantaged communities.
Funding is provided under four goals based on an identification and demonstration of analysis of local need.
1. Promote awareness, knowledge and uptake of a wide range of statutory, voluntary and community services.
2. Increase access to formal and informal educational, recreational and cultural activities and resources.
3. Increase people’s work readiness and employment prospects.
4. Promote active engagement with policy, practice and decision making processes on matters affecting local communities.
Rural Transport Programme - The project covers all of County Longford and aims
to address social exclusion and to contribute to rural development through widening
travel choice and promoting social inclusion.
Rural Social Scheme - The aims of the Rural Social Scheme (RSS) is to provide
income support for farmers who are currently in receipt of specified Social Welfare
payments, and to provide certain services of benefit to rural communities. The RSS
allows low-income farmers who are unable to earn an adequate living from their farm
holding to earn a supplementary income.
Tús – Community Work Placement Initiative - The aims of Tús are to provide
short-term, quality work opportunities for those who are long term unemployed and
to provide certain services of benefit to communities.
County Longford Youth Service - The main objective of the Youth Service is to
promote and support the physical, social, educational and personal development of
young people in County Longford.
Longford Volunteer Centre - The Volunteer Centre acts as a broker between
individuals who wish to volunteer and those groups that involve volunteers.
It exists to promote positive, inclusive well-managed volunteering within County
Longford and acts as a centre of good practice for both organisations and volunteers.
Traveller Primary Healthcare Project - The overall aim of the Primary
Healthcare Project is to improve the health and life expectancy of Travellers living in
County Longford.
Co. Longford Community & Voluntary Forum Support Worker - With the
support of the Longford Community and Voluntary Forum and the Local Authority
we employ a Support and Development Worker for the forum. The main objective
of this role is to support and develop the Forum as the recognised representative
body of the Community & Voluntary Sector in County Longford.
Digital Switchover Programme - The aim of the project is to mobilise people
from community and voluntary organisations in Co. Longford to identify and reach
people you know in your communities who are in danger of being left behind, and
assist them in making the switch to digital TV before Wednesday 24th October 2012.
LEADER / Rural Development Programme - The broad objectives of LEADER
Axes (3 & 4) of the Programme are to improve the quality of life in rural areas and to
encourage diversification of economic activity in rural areas including supports for
non-agricultural activities.
Different Funding Areas and Rates of Aid:
1) Diversification into Non-Agricultural activities
2) Support for business creation & development
3) Encouragement of tourism activities
4) Basic services for the rural population
5) Village renewal & development
6) Conservation & upgrading of rural heritage
7) Training & information
8) Transnational Activities
The members complimented Mr. Greene on the many and diversified initiatives being administered by Longford Community Resources.
Acknowledgement of the involvement of LCRL in Abbeyshrule Tidy Town’s achievement was especially praised.
This concluded the business of the meeting.
Signed: ______
Anne Lee,
Meetings Administrator.
Confirmed and adopted at Monthly Meeting of Longford County Council held on the 17th October 2012.
Signed: ______
Mayor.
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