Councillors Present : Cllr. Eddie Staunton, Cathaoirleach
Cllr. Seamus Weir
Cllr. Johnnie O’Malley
Cllr. Jarlath Munnelly
Cllr. Michelle Mulherin
Cllr. Annie May Reape
Officials Present : Mr Paddy Mahon, Director of Services;
Mr Noel Burke, Senior Engineer;
Mr Paul Benson, Senior Executive Officer
Mr John McMyler, Senior Executive Planner;
Mr Declan Turnbull, Dept. Community & Enterprise;
Ms Mary Gordon, Senior Staff Officer.
ITEM 1 :
To adopt Minutes Proposed by Cllr. Seamus Weir
of Ballina Area Meeting Seconded by Cllr. Johnnie O’Malley
held on 8th SEPT.
2008. and resolved
“That the Minutes of Ballina Electoral Area Meeting held on 8th September, 2008, at 9.30 am in Ballina Civic
Offices, as circulated, be adopted”.
ITEM 2:
PLANNING REPORT: Planning Report circulated containing Reports on the
following Planning Applications:
P08/1240 J. Caden;
P08/1285 T. Gallagher;
P08/1284 D & S Kelly.
Mr John McMyler, Senior Executive Planner,
responded to queries raised in relation to the report circulated.
ITEM 3:
HOUSING REPORT Mr Paul Benson, Senior Executive Officer, updated
Members regarding various housing matters on-going in Ballina Electoral area, including :
o Additional funding received from DoEHLG in respect of Housing Grants; and the subsequent
re-distribution of such funding;
o the difficulties in processing applications, due to the broadranging scope of the Schemes circulated; and the likelihood that a revision of these schemes would be undertaken in the near future;
o Planned Maintenance programme works update;
(rural areas and also Woodview Court Housing Scheme).
ITEM 4:
ROADS UPDATE. Mr Noel Burke, Senior Engineer, provided an update of roadworks progressing within Ballina Electoral Area, as summarised below :
Regional Roads : Abbey Street .. works complete;
Gurteens Roundabout .. substantially complete but unlikely to proceed to full completion until early 2009
(funding);
-Sligo Road Roundabout .. works on-going;
-Culvert at Bohernasup/Circular Road .. on-going, with the intention of installing an extra lane for motorists at
Circular Road.
Mr Burke advised Members to check their remaining budgets for Local Improvement Schemes, as any unspent monies would be lost.
He advised that the Council intended initiating a review of signage within Ballina town, and on all approach roads, prior to undertaking the remedial action identified as necessary in each case.
Mr Burke also advised that the Council were undertaking a study of the Primrose Hill/ Knockleigha area, with a view to opening up this area.
Mr Burke proceeded to respond to several queries raised by Members, relating to miscellaneous roads
matters within the area.
ITEM 5 :
UPDATE ON SOCIAL Mr Benson provided an update on the 2006-2009
& ECONOMIC FUND. Social & Economic Fund Projects, advising that works had recently commenced on the Pedestrian Bridge in Ballina; and that the proposed Killala Playground would
be proceeding to Tender stage in the very near future.
Members welcomed the progress report.
ITEM 6:
COMMUNITY & ENTERPRISE Mr Declan Turnbull, Development Officer, Dept. of
REPORT. Community & Enterprise, informed Members of the
forthcoming ‘MAYO SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY FESTIVAL’ being held between 3rd and 9th November, 2008.
The local Venue was the Ramada Hotel, Ballina, hosting the ‘National Schools Design Challenge’ on
6th and 7th Nov.
Mr Turnbull also advised that the inaugural Meeting of the Mayo North-East Partnership Committee had taken place the previous week, with Mr Ciaran Loftus,
Crossmolina, taking up position as Chairman of the
Committee.
The Partnership comprised of Ballina, Swinford and parts of Ballyhaunis areas, and the allocation of funding for Community Groups was awaited presently.
He envisaged that any existing files (Moy Valley)
concerning these areas would be transferred over
to the new Committee, once accommodation and staff
situation had been resolved.
The Pride of Place Gala Awards Ceremony was due to take place on Saturday night, 8th November; and representatives from each participating group would be attending the dinner.
ITEM 7:
NOTICE OF MOTION: “There is a serious visual problem at the Knockleigha junction on to the N26 beside the Ballina railway station.
I am requesting Mayo County Council to facilitate with a mini roundabout on the N26 at that point.
Also, Ballina railway station is extremely busy with
pedestrian and vehicle activity. I am requesting Mayo
County Council to facilitate with a pedestrian crossing
that will create a control of traffic and easy access from
the station across the road to where all the business and
residential premises are”.
Cllr. Seamus Weir.
Mr Burke, S.E., agreed with Cllr. Weir’s comments regarding the existing unsatisfactory operation of the
junction at the Railway Station/Primrose Hill/Kevin
Barry Street, and advised that this matter would be
subject to the proposed review of that general area, as
mentioned earlier at the Meeting.
Mr Burke confirmed that Mayo County Council would also be engaging with Íarnród Eireann personnel in the matter, and utilising the services of the Town Gardener, with the intention of
undertaking significant improvement works at that
location.
Cllr. Weir’s colleagues endorsed his proposal, and were hopeful of a more satisfactory solution being found to resolve the existing problem.
This concluded the business of the Meeting.