Agenda - November 2005 County Council Meeting

CONFIRMATION AND RE-AFFIRMATION OF MINUTES

a) Minutes of Meeting of South Dublin County Council- 10th October, 2005.

                                                   (circulated herewith)

• Minutes 10th October 2005

Report of the Area Committees

a) Terenure/Rathfarnham Area Committee (1) - 4th October 2005

Dealing with Roads, Planning, Development and Corporate Services

                                                                         (no report)

b) Terenure/Rathfarnham Area Committee (2) - 11th October 2005

Dealing with Community (1 report -Grants), Parks, Environment and Housing

                                                                          (circulated herewith)

c) Tallaght Area Committee (1) - 17th October 2005

Dealing with Environment, Parks, Community (1 report - Grants) and Housing

                                                                    (circulated herewith)

d) Tallaght Area Committee (2) - 24th October 2005

Dealing with Roads, Planning, Development and Corporate Services

                                                                              (no report)

e) Lucan/Clondalkin Area Committee (1) - 18th October 2005

Dealing with Development, Planning, Corporate Services and Roads

                                                                                (no report)

f) Lucan/Clondalkin Area Committee (2) - 25th October 2005

Dealing with Environment, Parks, Community (1 report-Grants) and Housing

                                                                    (circulated herewith)

• H2(b) Community Grants
• H2(c) Community Grants
• H2(f) Community Grants

Standing Committees - Organisation, Procedure & Finance Committee

                                                                           (no report)

Strategic Policy Committees

                                    (no report)

Reports Requested by Area Committees

                                                (no report)

To ask the Manager to report to the Council on his efforts this year to control bonfires?

• QI Bonfires

To ask the Manager to report to the Council with detail on fines used in respect of litter offences in the past year?

• Q2 Litter Offences in 2005

To ask the Manager to report to the Council on any plans to develop fire and emergency services throughout the County to take account of the further development of housing and business premises and will he detail contacts in the matter?

• Q3 Fire and Emergency Services

To ask the Manager to report to the Council on plans to provide substantial increased funding in the Estimates for Junk Collections in 2006?

• Q4 Estimates Provision Junk Collection

To ask the Manager to report to the Council on monies outstanding to the Council in respect of bin charges?

• Q5 Outstanding Bin Charges

To ask the Manager to report to the Council on his continued efforts to ensure proper water quality in our County?

• Q6 Water Quality

To ask the Manager to report to the Council on proposals to seek further funding in the Estimates for a major Educational Programme to counter the menace of litter in our communities and will he detail his views in the matter?

• Q7 Educational Programme

To ask the Manager to report to the Council on the recent visit of the Minister for the Environment & Local Government Dick Roche to Civic Headquarters to support the Affordable Housing Initiative?

• Q8 Property Path

To ask the Manager when a programme for upgrading of windows to double-glazing will be rolled out for the County Council's housing stock?

• Q9 Window Upgrade

To ask the Manager if he could provide cycle park facilities in all South Dublin County Council buildings?

• Q10 cycle facilities

To ask the Manager if he could provide outside canopies at all our County Council buildings so that staff and councillors who smoke don't get soaked when it's raining?

• Q11 Canopies

To ask the Manager to outline our County's policy in terms of housing people with a proven anti-social record?

• Q12 Garda Checks

To ask the Manager to outline the steps South Dublin County Council takes in terms of tackling anti-social behaviour from certain tenants, including counselling and eviction and could the Manager comment on how effective she feels our anti-social policy is working in practice?

• Q13 Housing Policy

To ask the Manager to outline our County's policy in terms of housing people with a suspected anti-social record?

• Q14 Garda Checks

To ask the Manager to report on details available to date on damages caused in South Dublin on an area by area basis, including costs involved, during this year's Halloween?

• Q15 Cost of Halloween Damage

To ask the Manager to report on details of the number of applications made by South Dublin householders for the use of a second Green Bin on an area by area basis, and how many of these applicants have been supplied with new Green Bins?

• Q16 Second Green Bin

To ask the Manager to report on progress made with the county-wide Junk Collection Schedule, on an area by area basis, including which estates/areas have been collected and which estates/areas remain outstanding, with details of time-scales for remaining works on the current schedules?

• Q17 Junk Collection Schedule

To ask the Manager to report on his intentions to adjust the timing of the Junk Collection Schedule to pre-summer as against the current post-summer arrangement. More Residents would benefit from a spring-time service as this would be in keeping with when more Residents engage in spring-cleaning at home?

• Q18 Junk Collection

To ask the manager, is South Dublin County Council in possession of any temporary fire certificates with regard to Council owned dwellings, that were issued as a result of staff shortages in the fire services or that were issued for any other reason and can he make a statement on the matter?

• Q19 Fire Certificates

To ask the Manager, to arrange for policy to be revised in relation to the re-letting of council houses to include provision for the removal of all fuel shed roofs as part of the refurbishment and re-letting of all Council owned dwellings as these roofs are nearing a state of disrepair and could become dangerous if left unremoved?

• Q20 Sheds

To ask the manager, how many stolen cars have been recovered in the administrative area of S.D.C.C. by or on behalf of S.D.C.C. in the past twelve months, how does this number compare with the previous twelve months and what cost did the Council endure as a result?

• Q21 Stolen Cars

To ask the Manager, what is the difference, if any, in terms of the numbers of households not paying refuse charges now in comparison to the numbers not paying at this point last year and can he make a statement on the matter?

• Q22 Numbers not Paying Refuse Charges

To ask the manager, to clarify the position of the Council in terms of the provision of communal green recycling bins for stand alone apartment complexes or apartments within mixed developments and can he make a statement on the matter?

• Q23 Communal Recycling Green Bins

To ask the Manager to review the provision for on-road and off-road parking in the vicinity of all parks within the County as it is necessary that safe parking is made available to facilitate park users and in the interests of adjoining residents?

• Q24 Parking

To ask the Manager to detail the costs involved to date in providing storage facilities for the electronic voting machines that were destined for use in the county of South Dublin? 

• Q25 Storage of Electronic Voting Equipment

To ask the Manager to detail exactly what locations are being considered for infill housing in the county and to provide an indication of the number of housing units and the timescale involved?

• Q26 Infill Housing

To ask the Manager to report upon the recorded increase in Traffic year on year in each electoral area of the County in the past five years and to detail what steps have been taken to cope with the resultant congestion? 

• Question 27 Increase in Traffic

To ask the Manager to provide an interim report on what progress has been made in carrying out a county-wide School Traffic Safety Audit as per my request and to give an indication as to its completion date?  

• Question 28 School Traffic Safety Audit

To ask the Manager to report upon what measures will be taken to minimise the disruption to traffic caused by major road projects on national routes through the county with specific mention of work on the M50, N4 and N7?

• Q29 Traffic Disruption

To ask the Manager to report on the steps being taken to implement paragraphs 12.10.1.iv and 12.10.1.v of the Development Plan regarding the co-location of telecommunications antennae and the success of these efforts particularly on masts built on council land?

• Q30 Masts

To ask the Manager to explain what the plans are for the Junction between the Long-Mile Road and the Naas Road.  A number of serious issues with the current layout have been reported?

• Q31 Long Mile Road Junction

To ask the Manager that  a report similar to last year be compiled showing the Waste Collection Tonnages, year to date and projected to the end of the year for Black Bins, Green Bins, Ballymount Civic Amenity, Fly Tipping etc. Also can the Vehicle Number through the Ballymount Civic Amenity be included?

• Q32 Waste Collection Tonnages

To ask the Manager if he would make a report on the Council's revenue to date from Bin Charge payments, including arrears, in 2005, and if he will indicate if the collected revenue is meeting anticipated targets?

• Q33 Bin Charges Arrears

 To ask the Mangager if he will make a report on progress by the Council on proposals to provide sheltered housing for older people and people with disabilities, in collboration with Housing Associations? 

• Q34 Sheltered Housing

To ask the Manager for an updated report on the provision of new playgrounds, and refurbishment of existing playgrounds,  in the County in 2005, and if he will indicate the Council's plans for additional playgrounds in 2006?

• Q35 Provision of Playgrounds

To ask the Manager if he will make a report on the anticipated impact on public transport provision and road projects in the County following the announcement of Minister Cullen's ten year transport strategy, and if the proposals will require any re-evaluation of the Council's road proposals or the County Development Plan,  to facilitate proposed LUAS and METRO projects?

• Q36 Ten Year Transport Strategy

To ask the Manager to make a full statement concerning whether or not Planning Permission is required to establish headstones in graveyards in the functional area of South Dublin County Council, if new regulations in this area have been passed recently, the total number of planning applications sought for this, and if he will make a statement on the matter?

• Q37 Planning Permission for Headstones

To ask the Manager to make a full statement concerning the operation of management companies in new apartment and housing complexes in South Dublin County Council, to outline exactly the role of this local authority in terms of appointing such companies who operate key essential services in new communities, and if any legislation is in place to govern such arrangements?

• Q38 Management Agreements

Declaration of Roads to be Public Roads

                                                                                                          (no report)

Proposed Disposal of Properties/Sites

a) Proposed Disposal of Affordable Housing

b) Variation to exchange of lands at Collegeland, Rathcoole under CPO(Saggart/Rathcoole Interchange) 1993 - William Harris

c) Proposed Disposal of Lands at Grange Castle Business Park to IAWS GROUPplc

                                                          (all circulated herewith).

• H7(a) Affordable Housing
• H7(a) Affordable Housing Hansted Map
• H7(a) Affordable Housing Russell Square map
• H7(a) Affordable Housing Westend Gate Map
• H7(b) - Exchange of lands - Harris
• H7(b) - Harris map
• H7(c) IAWS
• H7(c) IAWS Map

Report on Part 8 of Planning and Development Regulations 2001 - Cushlawn - Openings to Kiltipper Road

                                      (circulated herewith)

• H8 Cushlawn Part 8
• H8 Cushlawn Part 8 Map 1
• H8 Cushlawn Part 8 Map 2
• H8 Cushlawn Part 8 Map 3
• H8 Cushlawn Part 8 Map 4

Report on Part 8 of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001 - Alpine Rise/Belgard Heights Traffic Calming Measures

                                            (circulated herewith)

 

• H9 Alpine Rise/Belgard Hgts Traffic Calming
• H9 Alpine Rise/Belgard Hgts Traffic Calming Map

Section 38 Palmerstown Woods Traffic Calming Scheme

                                      (circulated herewith)

 

• H10 Palmerstown Woods Traffic Calming
• H10 Palmerstown Woods Traffic Calming Map

Report on the Consultation Process for the Draft Byelaws for the Management of Water Services and the Conservation of Drinking Water 2004

                                                                              (circulated herewith)

• H11 Draft Bye-Laws re Drinking Water

Raising of Loans for Dublin Region Non Domestic WaterMetering Project

                                                                 (circulated herewith)

• H12 Raising of Loans for Dublin Region Non Domestic Water Metering Project

Speed Limit Review

                                   (circulated herewith)

• H13 Speed Limit Review

Report on Infill Material at Waterstown Park

                                                (circulated herewith)

• H14 Report on infill material at Waterstown Park

Letter, dated 5th October 2005 from Clonmel Borough Council regarding motion passed in relation to fee for lodging an observation/objection against a planning application.

                                                              (circulated herewith)

• Clonmel Borough Council

Letter, dated 7th October 2005 from Longford County Council regarding motion passed calling on the Department of Agriculture not to implement new regulations regarding prescriptions for animal medicines.

                                                                     (circulated herewith)

• Longford County Council

Letter, dated 28th October 2005 from Clonmel Borough Council regarding motion passed requesting the Minister for Education to make compulsory the fitting and wearing of seat belts on school buses transporting children with special needs.

                                                        (circulated herewith)

• Clonmel Borough Council

Mayors Business

That the Manager agrees that there are a number of areas beleaguered by extreme anti-social activity in this Council's area and that in relation to particular problem parks, the allocation of additional staff to these would help the local population in their efforts to make their areas and environment liveable again and that funding be included in the 2006 estimates to allocate such staff on a pilot basis.

• M1 Anti-Social Activity

That this Council declares the area under its responsiblity to be a GM free zone. That in line with this the Council opposes the growing of all Genetically Modified crops as they will inevitably contaminate conventional and organic species.

• M2 GM Free Zone

That South Dublin County Council agrees to list the rights of way for walkers in our County and agrees to make this list available for the general public.

• M3 Rights of Way

That this Council recommends that we treat the dogs of South Dublin with the dignity of a service in their own area .i.e. that they will have a secure place of residence -dogpound when abandoned.(b)to set up a system of dog-homing with tracking to ensure dogs are not unduly delayed in being rehomed. (c)To state what access members of the public and rescue groups have to the current pound situated in Dunboyne Co. Meath. (d)What is the rehoming rate for this pound? some dog pounds have a 95% rehoming rate. (e) to report fully on the demise of the dogpound in Stocking lane. (f) to report on the meeting that has taken place with interested parties.

• M4 Dogs

That this Council calls on the Manager not to proceed with the proposed €4 charge for private cars to deposit re-cyclable waste or to alter in any way alter the current Policy of accepting re-cyclable material free of charge at the Ballymount Civic Centre. Furthermore, this Council agrees that the introduction of a charge would be counter to the Council's own policy for waste management and would seriously frustrate the commitment of the general public towards re-cycling.

• M5 Free Recycle

That this Council calls for a report on the discussions to date with the Department of Education in relation to funding the management and maintenance of the School/Community dual use halls, currently being constructed under the Schools Building Programme.

That the Council look towards allocating funding to the South Dublin Childcare Association.

That the Manager would please outline in detail the newer and most recent efforts made by South Dublin County Council in order to ensure that all Swimming Pools are provided to communities as outlined in the earlier Water Leisure Strategy Report and that the Manager would specifically outline what new efforts are being made to provided Swimming Pools to communities where the earlier preferred option of a Public Private Partnership arrangement has to date failed.

That this Council will exert its influences by writing to all area Garda Superintendents calling on them to enforce the Council bye-law re Drinking in public which is enforced by An Garda Siochana and report back to Council after a 3 month period the figures re. issuing of fines in order for this Council to monitor and see if this is having any effect in combating this scourge and especially amongst the under age.

That this Council calls on the Manager to replace the €40 charge for home composters to a nominal charge (less than €10) or none at all for customers who collect them. That the charge for delivery to a customers home should not be a disincentive to home composting (less than €25), and that waiver qualifiers be eligible for a free home composter to be delivered to them.

That this Council write to the Tanaiste and Minister for Health Mary Harney to ask her to provide extended and necessary facilities at the A&E Department at Tallaght Hospital to cope with the dreadful lack of privacy and lack of visitor space which is currently the case.

That this Council adopt a "Name & Shame" policy in regard to litter offences.

That South Dublin County Council recognises that the existing national School Transport System operated by the Department of Educational and Science and Bus Eireann was designed in another era for the principal purpose of increasing educational participation at second level, and that the issue to be addressed in school transport in the County in the new century has to do with traffic congestion, safety at school locations and pressure on parents to bring children to school by car, and requests the Manager to undertake an initiative, in consultation with the Government  to provide a Council operated School Transport System in the County. 

That the Council, as a response to damages caused to grass verges, footpaths and outside driveways, as a consequence of private development work, be it residential, commercial or industrial, introduces a bye -law or introduces the provision of a Notification Certificate for residents and businesses, that enables the Council to examine locations prior to the commencement of building/developments, as a means of guarantee that either (a) sites are restored to original order (b) the Council can charge a fee to the occupier or builder or developer , to cover the expense of reinstatement by the local authority.

That this Council notes the widespread damage caused by unauthorized bonfires at Halloween in the administrative area of South Dublin County Council and the widespread dumping thereof and in an effort to minimise such dumping of household goods calls on the Manager to schedule the annual Council junk collection for the month of September each year.

That this Council, in light of the recent proposals put forward by Sinn Fein for a green paper on re-unification and the S.D.L.Ps recently launched united Ireland strategy, calls on the Dublin Government to lead an immediate and extensive consultation process with all sections of society, including unionism on a green paper for the re-unification of Ireland and recognises the need for adequate preparation for same.

That the Manager would please provide an up-to-date and detailed report on progress made to build the Council's first Skate Park. Specifically would the Manager please report on the local consultation process which I requested at the outset, with the delegation from the local Skate Board Club regarding the design, lay-out and materials to be used in the Skate Park, and the time scale for the building and completion of this Skate Park.

In view of recent job losses, that South Dublin County Council takes the initiative and brings together all interested parties - such as FAS, the unions, employers' organisations, local chambers of commerce, community representatives and government bodies such as the IDA and so on - to ensure that everything possible is done to promote and maintain the attractiveness and suitability of the area for new industries.

That a detailed report be brought to this Council outlining the actual numbers of staff working directly on anti-social issues.  The report to include staff on part time hours, maternity leave and a breakdown re Clondalkin and Tallaght areas.

That South Dublin County Council calls on the Dublin City Manager to restrict access to the city centre (between the Royal Canal and the Grand Canal ), by vehicles of three axles and more between the hours of 7AM and 7PM unless such vehicles are carrying a permit issued by the City Manager. And that such restriction becomes effective when the Dubin Port Tunnel opens - in order that the citizens of South Dublin County enjoy the benefits promised when funding for the Port Tunnel project was approved.

That this Council discuss the request from the Co. Childcare Committee that childcare facilities in the County be exempt from rates. 

That the Council undertakes a review of the regulations governing the siting of planning application roadside public notices, particularly in light of obvious flaws relating to where a planning application may be lodged within an estate that directly affects residents to the rear of that house but located in a different estate.

That this Council calls upon the Manager to immediately provide funding in the 2006 estimates to initiate the process to provide a Swimming Pool in Lucan given that the Minister has indicated that it falls to the Council to do so. 

That the Council notes with concern that individuals and families who have been approved for apartments and houses under the Council's Affordable Housing Schemes are being required to pay Management Charges of € 800 per annum and more, that the requirement to pay such charges is effectively adding about € 20000 to the cost of their homes, and requests the Manager to have these charges taken into account when arriving at prices to be determined for Affordable Housing units.