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Councillor DERMOT SHEEHAN
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Email: Cllr. Dermot Sheehan
Phone: 028 35236
Office: 027 51090
Fax: 028 35755 or 027 51085
Mobile : 086 8585 335 |
CONTACT ME
I am always available at the above numbers 24/7.
I will also arrange to meet with you personally anywhere, anytime suitable to you, or at my constituency offices in Bantry & Goleen.
"On your side - Working for you"
Council News
SPECIAL SCENIC LANDSCAPES
Iam delighted with the out come as regards the discussions on the above mentioned "Special scenic Landscapes in West Cork". To the concerned groups & associations who made it their business to meet with me, I thank you for your interest and your input as regards your concerns. I trust I did you proud.When we first started discussing the "Draft Plan in chamber" I was the first councillor who insisted that this chapter and the relevant sections would be discussed by full council. The result has been that the Planning Policy Unit of Cork County Council will have to come down and meet with communities to discuss the implications as reagrds their areas. Local consultation with Local People the way Local Government should always work. I intend to meet with each community and to fight on your behalf. This process is scheduled to begin within a year. As Council elections are due to be held this coming June [2009] in order to continue the fight I will require your help by way of your "No 1 VOTE" on election day. I look forward to your support and to continuing the fight on your behalf.
WEST CORK RECREATION & AMMENITY GRANTS 2008
DEVELOPMENT CHARGES
Monday 8th Deceber 2008
County Manager Martin O'Riordan announces that the annual 8% increase in Development Charges are to be suspended for the years 2009 / 2010. I welcome this news, and I hope that it will help the rejuvenation of Towns and Villages in West Cork. I also hope the it will help our local builders, many of whom are currently hard pressed to keep going. These charges are in many cases, making it prohibitive for people to do up old properties, I have also called for a review of charging for parking in Towns & Villages where the footprint of an old/existing building is not increased. An in-depth review of these charges is required, but for a start I welcome the managers decision.
Home Choice Loan
Home Choice Loan is a mortgage provided through a number of local authorities for First Time Buyers who cannot get sufficient finance from a bank or building society.
Home Choice Loan will provide up to 92% of the market value of a property purchased.
The maximum loan ammount will be €285,000. The loan is a normal Capital and Interest bearing morgage which is repaid on a monthly basis.
The Morgage Term will be for a maximum of 30 years.
Home Choice Loan will only be available for newly built homes.
Home Choice loan is a market designed mortgage to provide access to credit for first time buyers who can afford to purchase on the open market, can afford to service a mortgage, but are unable to get a sufficient motgage ammount from a bank or building society.
Cork City Council have been appointed as the distributing body for the Southern Region.
For further information please feel free to contact me.
Burial Grounds Review for West Cork
There are 86 burial grounds within the Western Division. It has been decided to conduct a review of the burial grounds in order to plan a number of programmes. A review of current procedures will also be undertaken to ensure the management of burial grounds operates efficiently and effectively. The review requires a member of the engineering staff to visit each burial ground to conduct a survey in order to ascertain key information which will facilitate programme planning. The review will take some time and it is difficult at this stage to estimate how long it will take to complete, but as the engineer involved has been allocated from other works, a timely delivery of the review is envisaged. At the Western Divisional Committee meeting on Monday 20th October 2008 I proposed that any access gates which are currently under standard or in need of replacing, would be replaced or repaired immediately as they were identified by the inspecting engineer. I got a committment from the Ass. County Manager & Director of Services that this would be done.
County Budgetary Issues 2009
At the Development Committee Meeting on 17th October 2008, held at County Hall, our County Manager Mr Martin O' Riordan painted a bleak pitcure for the County in 2009 as our allocation from the Local Government Allocations has been cut by 6.87% or €4,087,611. How any Government Minister could do this to the largest County in Ireland staggers belief. I informed the Manager that should he propose an increase in Commercial Rates or Service Charges, then I for one would be voting against his proposals. This battle has just begun. Watch this space for up dates.
Housing Aid Grants
The grants have been suspended, due to the money having run out. I had hoped that extra funding would have been made available around now from Central Government. alas this was not to be. On the 17th October I requested the County Manager to increase the allocation to these schemes, and to request same from the relevant minister. I await the outcome.
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