COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, April 08, 2013

QUESTION NO. 9

QUESTION: Councillor W. Lavelle

To ask the Manager to provide an update on the ‘Revitalising Villages’ initiative and to outline the process for the assessment of; and decision-making on funding applications from village groups?

REPLY:

The Revitalising Villages Initiative launched as part of the 2013 Budget will commit to –

• Develop the villages as the accessible focus of walking and amenity networks for their adjoining communities

• Increase the attractiveness and visitability of their village-centres increasing footfall and activity.  The improvement of built and natural heritage assets will complement the promotion of community and social events (performances, festivals, open-air markets) in an enhanced public-realm optimising historical settings.  Interaction will be facilitated with improved way-finding, building and route signage. The diverse range of services provided by each village will be enhanced as economic opportunities in relation to niche retail, local produce, and tourist attractors.

• Audit building and site usage addressing under-performance and dereliction through directed Council programmes, negotiation (pop-up uses) encouragement and environmental legislation.

• The preparation with community consultation of

 (a)               An initial Tidy-Town analysis of each village identifying black spots and improvement opportunities.  This document will be developed into a 3-year Tidy-Town Plan across the 9 categories evaluated annually in the competition in conjunction with each Tidy-Town Committee.  Surveys of Palmerston, Rathfarnham, Templeogue and Clondalkin have been completed to date.

 (b)               The preparation of a Village Renewal Plan for each village.  This will address issues of short, medium and long-term projects affecting public space, landscape and green routes, heritage building and settings, public lighting and access and parking.  The plans will be completed before within one year.

Funding

There is an initial budget to launch the Revitalising Villages Initiative in 2013 of €165,000.00.  The target groups for the funds are the village based Tidy Towns Groups.   Community and Tidy-Town groups are at differing stages of development in the various villages and the Council commits to supporting both existing and emergent groups. To begin with groups will be encouraged to commit to the Initiative by placing a bid and rationale for grant-aid against a list of possible projects including, but not limited to –

 -                      WALKING ROUTES

Development of Walking/Cycling amenity routes through connections/Signage/Lighting

(€5 - €7,000.00)

-                      HERITAGE BUILDINGS AND FEATURES

Repairs/Upgrading/Painting/Floodlighting to enhance activity and the presence of significant older buildings

(€10 - €20,000.00)

-                      PUBLIC REALM FOCAL POINTS

Small Squares/Paving/Trees/Lighting to create public space (for activities festivals, markets etc.)

(€10,000.00)

-                      PUBLIC REALM ‘BLACK SPOTS’

To address and remediate neglected pavements and walls / abandoned telephone boxes/hoarding/overgrown sites

(€1,500.00 - €3,000.00)

-                      PAINTING / SIGNAGE

Residential/Commercial (matching funding)/Lighting Standards/ Walls and Railings

(€15,000.00)

-                      BRANDING

Website design and development

Design and publication of leaflets for walks and heritage/environmental attractions in and around the villages.

(€1,500.00)

-                      FESTIVALS/MARKETS

To develop, or enable distinctive festivals/markets/events with particular significance to the village or its history and people.

(€3,000.00)

In keeping with the ethos of the Tidy Towns Groups will be expected to demonstrate ability to raise a portion of the overall budget.  In addition the villages of Newcastle, Saggart and Rathcoole are eligible for funding under the Leader Programme and the Council will assist groups in drawing up proposals to access this funding where available. 

It is intended that each village will benefit from at least one of each project category above in the coming year with all villages ultimately accessing each strand.  To commence there will be at least two calls for proposals in 2013 – the first to be submitted by end of March/beginning of April, and the second in September.  A number of villages have made submissions already.  (There may be a third call in November depending on the availability of funding and the roll-out of the Village Programme).  The Council will work with the groups to help them develop proposals but it is expected that all proposals will be part of their Village Plans in any event.

The bids will be submitted and assessed on a rolling basis and will be put before the relevant Area Committee and on to the Council. Criteria for the reduction and awarding of these grants are under development and will be brought to the Elected Members in the near future for evaluation and agreement.