Loss of council divides representatives in Fermoy

ONE believes town councils were the bee’s knees of local democracy, the other that they were an “ineffectual talking shop”.

As both prepare to pack away electoral registers for the last time, the colleagues on a town council in Co Cork spoke of how they viewed the effectiveness of such bodies.

John Murphy, an Independent representative, has put in 36 years’ service — the longest in that town council’s history — and believes the small authority has been good for the people.

On the other hand, Seamus Coleman of Sinn Féin is pretty scathing about their effectiveness.

A novice by Murphy’s standards, having served just 10 years, Mr Coleman said he wasn’t long into the job when he “realised they [town councils] weren’t fit for purpose”.

“The issues on the door are not addressed by town councils as they don’t have the power, or money,” said Mr Coleman.

Half of the near-6,000 people eligible to vote in Fermoy Town Council elections were, somewhat absurdly, living outside the town boundary and under control of the county council.

“Most of the motions, which were well-intended, were calling on outside bodies like the county council and NRA to do things,” said the 42-year-old. “We were never in a position of control. It was a talking shop over the years, but there were some worthwhile motions which led to the promotion of the town.

“I got absolutely frustrated and more so in the last 12 months. We had a €2.5m [annual budget] most of which went on wages and administration. The amount of money left to distribute every year was diminishing so much that effectively we were bust.

“You could promise the sun, moon, and stars [to constituents] but they couldn’t be delivered without external funding and we weren’t getting it. The majority of motions [usually pleas] went to government departments and we were lucky to get crumbs from the table.”

However, he said the real losers will be the town’s business community. The town council was able to keep their rates low. However, the county council is to take over their running, and its rates are 20% higher.

It is intended to “equalise them [rates] across the county” and this will mean that businesses formerly in the town council areas will have to pay more.

Mr Murphy maintains that, without constant lobbying, even from such a small political entity as a town council, the big boys in government and semi-state agencies wouldn’t sit up and listen.

“Minister Phil Hogan portrays the move [to abolish town councils] as a radical reform. At one fell swoop, this country is about to wipe out a layer of democracy and replace it with a series of intermediate committees.”

He is referring to the setting up of eight municipal districts within the new county council which will be set up post the May 23 local elections.

Mr Coleman also believes municipal districts aren’t the way to go and that the removal of town council representatives means that, after local elections, each of the new 55 county councillors will represent 7,500 voters, compared to the current 5,500 voters.

“It is a fallacy for the Government to claim they are putting people first,” saus Mr Murphy. “In fact, it is putting a greater distance between citizens and elected decision-makers.”

He maintains that town councillors and their officials have provided a good service to people and “facilitated citizens a voice in things that matter in their community”.

“This government is making it more difficult for ordinary citizens to have a say in their own affairs,” says Mr Murphy

He maintains that his town wouldn’t have progressed numerous projects without town council lobbying. He says housing was gained for local authority tenants as well as a new sewerage treatment plant, reservoir, town hall, and fire station.

The town has its own swimming pool and park, which is run by the town council. He then cited what he termed the by-pass — the M8 motorway — funded by the NRA and the multi-million euro flood prevention works which are nearing completion.

Again the overwhelming majority of the funding came from the central government for such projects.

He says, “going forward”, the town council has also helped to encourage development which is in the pipeline.

Tesco has purchased a former builders’ providers yard on the eastern side of the town, but not yet sought planning permission.

Meanwhile, Clayton Love’s Shipton Group has plans for a multi-million euro retail/office development on the former Mart site.