Minutes of Sligo/Drumcliffe Electoral Area Meeting held on Monday 16th April 2007 at 3.30pm in the Council Chamber, County Hall, Riverside, Sligo

COUNCILLORS PRESENT:

Councillors Barry, Kilgannon, Cawley

OFFICIALS IN ATTENDANCE:

• Mr Declan Breen, A/Director of Services
• Mr P Hughes, Senior Executive Engineer
• Mr Damien Henry, Area Engineer
• Mr S Ward, Executive Planner
• Mr M Ryan, Senior Executive Engineer
• Mr Martin Lydon, A/Head of Finance
• Ms Sarah Mc Namara, Staff Officer
• Ms Brenda O Boyle, Clerical Officer
• Ms Caroline Feeney, Senior Staff Officer
  

APOLOGIES:

• Councillor Ita Fox.
  

MINUTES OF FEBRUARY MEETING:

Proposed by Councillor Kilgannon
Seconded by Councillor Cawley

AND AGREED

“that the minutes of the Sligo/Drumcliffe Electoral Area Meeting held on 19th February 2007 be and are hereby confirmed”

MINUTES OF MARCH MEETING:

Proposed by Councillor Cawley
Seconded by Councillor Kilgannon

AND AGREED

“that the minutes of the Sligo/Drumcliffe Electoral Area Meeting held on 7th March 2007 be and are hereby confirmed”

MATTERS ARISING:

None discussed

TO CONSIDER PLANNING DECISIONS BETWEEN 15TH FEBRUARY 2007 TO 23 MARCH 2007:

None Discussed.

TO CONSIDER MAJOR PLANNING DECISIONS BETWEEN 15TH FEBRUARY 2007 TO 23 MARCH 2007:

None Discussed

TO CONSIDER AN BORD PLENALA DECISIONS BETWEEN 15TH FEBRUARY 2007 AND 23 MARCH 2007:

None Discussed

NOTICE OF MOTIONS NO. 7,8,9

Mr Paddy Hughes, Senior Executive Engineer read out replies.

BEND ON SECOND SEA ROAD AT GIBRALTER:

To consider the following notice of motion as submitted by Cllr S Kilgannon

“What plans have Sligo County Council to remove the very dangerous bend on the Second Sea Road at Gibraltar and to carry out improvement works on this beauty spot.

Mr Paddy Hughes, Senior Executive Engineer read out the following report:

There are no proposals to re-align this section of the road as there are no funds available at present. The road was surfaced dressed in 2006 to improve the road skid resistance.

Cllr Kilgannon in reply stated that in his opinion if re-alignment works were to be carried out on this section of road and the dangerous bends removed, that more traffic would use this road thus relieving congestion on the R292.

He also requested that the bend on the road adjacent to the corporation land/Sligo main Drainage sewerage Treatment plant site at far Finisklin be re-aligned.

SITE LINES AT HAZELWOOD AVENUE:

To consider the following notice of motion as submitted by Cllr S Kilgannon

“In the interest of road safety, can Sligo County Council improve the sight lines in the short term at the Hazelwood Avenue/Shaws Avenue?”

Mr Paddy Hughes, Senior Executive Engineer read out the following report:

“Some work was done on improving sight lines at this junction a few years ago. A mini roundabout is proposed to be provided at this junction. Land acquisition will be necessary to achieve further improvements at the junction. Some work was carried out recently at the junction of Hazelwood Avenue/R286 which improved sight lines towards Sligo Town. A section of the front garden of a house will have to be acquired to improve sightlines in the Clogherevagh direction”.

A discussion took place in regard to the junction at Hazelwood.

Mr Paddy Hughes indicated that the Road Design office is currently drawing up plans under part 8 proposals. It was also stated that if land cannot be acquired by agreement that a CPO will have to be prepared.

HAZELWOOD BAY:

To consider the following notice of motion as submitted by Cllr S Kilgannon.

“To ask Sligo County Council to carry out a study of Hazelwood Bay area t Hazelwood with a view to improving this beauty spot of our County”

Mr Paddy Hughes, Senior Executive Engineer read out the following report:

“Most of the land in the Hazelwood area is privately owned. Coillte own the wood in the area. Sligo County Council took over the maintenance of the road to Half Moon Bat from Coillte a few years ago.”

RAGHLY HARBOUR PROJECT:

To consider the following Notice of Motion as submitted by Cllr P Barry.

“To ask for the total cost to date of the Raghly Harbour project a) County Council Funding b) Peace funding c) Government.”

Mr Paddy Hughes, Senior Executive Engineer read out the following report:

“Funding for this project is coming from three sources. The Scheme is under construction at present and the expenditure to date on the project is:-

1. Councils own funds €95,000
2. Peace II funding €220,000
3. Dept. Communications

Marine and Natural Resources €285,000

The Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources/Sligo County Council commitment in 2006 was €845,000 (25% to be paid by Sligo County Council)

The phase II tender price submitted by Gerald Love Contractors is €1,069,880. Discussions are taking place with Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources in relation to getting more funding to complete the project”

UPDATE ON ENGINEERING AREAS:

To consider the following Notice of Motion as submitted by Cllr P Barry.

“To ask for an update of division of Engineering area of Sligo/Drumcliffe and Sligo/Strandhill”

Mr Paddy Hughes, Senior Executive Engineer read out the following report:

“A Study is in progress and we will revert back with proposals when this is complete”.

Cllr Kilgannon expressed his concern with the delay in issuing a report on this matter and requested that he would get assurance from the Officials present that this report would be forthcoming within the next four weeks.

Proposed by Councillor Kilgannon
Seconded by Councillor Cawley

AND AGREED

“That an up to date report of the division of Engineering area of Sligo/Drumcliffe and Sligo/Strandhill area will be forwarded to the members of the Sligo/Drumcliffe electoral area within four weeks from the date of the meeting”

Cllr Barry wished to be associated with this proposal.

Mr Paddy Hughes gave assurances that a report would be compiled within four weeks from the date of the meeting and that he would convey Cllr Kilgannon’s concerns to Mr Seamus Concannon, Director of Services.

DATE OF NEXT MEETING:

Monday 18th June 2007 at 4.00pm in the Council Chamber, Riverside.

ANY OTHER BUSINESS:

Traffic Calming situation in Grange was discussed.

The new PPP project in Carney village was discussed.

The proposed new Burial Ground in Grange was discussed and the Councillor’s noted a map as submitted by Declan Breen.

END OF MEETING:

The meeting concluded at 4.20pm.

Meeting Date 16/04/2007