FIANNA FÁIL GROUP
CALLS ON COUNCIL TO ASSIST
RESIDENT ASSOCIATIONS WITH
LITTER CLEAN-UP DAYS
March 2005
Your local Fianna Fáil Councillors on Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council recognise the hard and time consuming work done by many local volunteers in their respective communities. It is for that reason when the Pay-By Weight Waste Management Charge came into effect in 2005 the Fianna Fáil group felt the Council should make Residents Associations and Community Groups exempt from charges.
It was our fear that if volunteers were forced to pay for the waste they collected then we could see a rapid decline in this sort of community spirit. We asked the Council to support any community group holding a "Community Clean Up Day" in their area by providing a special bin/colour label or bag to a certain individual on the organising committee. We placed the following motion down at a recent meeting:
Resolution pursuant to Section 140 of the Local Government Act, 2001, submitted by Councillors Trevor Matthews, Larry Butler, Gerry Horkan, Cormac Devlin, Tony Fox, Barry Conway and Maria Corrigan.
We the Members of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council pursuant to Section 140 of the Local Government Act 2001 hereby require and direct the County Manager to set up a system whereby Resident Associations around the County who participate in regular day by day litter clean ups can nominate one representative to receive free collection stickers and distinctive coloured plastic bags which when full can be left out for collection with household refuse and that he facilitates civic-minded residents to continue their work without penalty, that he gives refuse staff a clear collection point address where free collections can be made and that he introduces a system which allows the Council to withdraw the facility if the system is abused.
The following report of the Manager was considered:
With regard to collection of materials from community clean ups, the following procedure now applies:
Areas managed by Environmental Services (roads, footpaths, lanes etc):
For clean ups taking place primarily in the above areas, a group representative should contact Environmental Services on 205 4810 or 205 4817 in advance of the clean up to give details of when and where the clean up is taking place and to request collection of materials. Environment Dept. staff will then collect clean-up materials (no household waste) at the agreed collection point. This can only be done by prior arrangement.
The Environment Department offers free bags, gloves and litter pickers to recognised Community Groups/Residents Associations/Tidy Towns Committees who carry out community clean ups in their local areas. Any group requiring such items should contact Environmental Services at least a week before their clean up to ensure they receive them in time.
Open Spaces managed by the Parks Dept:
For community clean ups taking place primarily on parks/open spaces, a group representative should contact their local Parks Depot with details and to arrange collection of materials.
Cabinteely Park Depot
285 0118
Mt. Anville Parks Depot 288 4607
Marlay Park Depot 493 4059
The Environmental Awareness Office is available to give advice to any community groups interested in starting a community composting scheme.
As in other years, Environmental Services is actively promoting An Taisce's National Spring Clean taking place during the month of April and is offering above assistance to all community groups and schools.
Provision has been made in this year’s Budget to continue the service outlined above based on previous years experience. The system outlined in the above motion would require the establishment of a dedicated service with additional resources for which there is no Budget provision.
