local elections - trim

oslosinclair

me_right_one wrote: »

I'm sure it would cost a pretty penny alright, but surely it would pay for itself, especially if privately operated? Who would've thought that putting 20c into the towns parking metres now and again could have paid for the lovely new streets we have? And dont the council already own the land? The volume of commuter traffic and passengers from all around the Trim area (I'm talking Kildalkey, Summerhill, Boardsmill, Rathmoylan etc) to Dublin everyday is in the region of thousands. Imagine if only 500 people paid merely 5 euro everyday to cummute by train from Trim 300 days per year - thats 750,000 yoyo's per year! If it took 5 million to build, it could be paid for in less than 10 years, and the town would have an invaluable amenity that would be green and contribute to the towns economy! But the real winner out of it all would be tourism! It probably isnt a real concern among voters at the moment, but look at the asset it would be to the future of South Meath!

It would be savage to have allright. And Trim does suffer because it isn't railwayed to Dublin and the North btw. but it would take more than 5 bar to build and a f*ckload to maintain. Would someone wtoth do the figures?

AnCatDubh

I dunno lads, but for the Porchfields maybe a natural amenity but I think there is a difference between something that you would rightly graze sheep on and something that is a usable amenity for the town and its people.

The porches is an integral part of living in Trim whilst also being a link to the town's past. I think it could become part of a wider "Trim Walk" project exploring the history of generations which would give another reason to retain those valuable tourists in the town for a while longer. It would give the townspeople something in addition to the castle which they might like to bring relatives or other visitors to the town. It could provide the grounding of newcomers to Trim in the heritage and culture of the town. Or it can stay as a field where you would rightly graze sheep on and as we all know it isn't even that at present. In fact if you think about it, the field in its current incarnation is quite a dysfunctional amenity - it doesn't graze sheep and it doesn't welcome the townspeople to it.

The walk along the Boyne is a beautiful amenity and so enjoyable on a nice evening but it needed to be developed such that people could make active use of it. It is sensitive to its surrounds and sympathetic to the environment. If you observe the area, people will naturally gravitate towards the river walk but not towards the porches. That's interesting to see.

Any development of "Trim Walks" to include the porches would need to be sensitive to the surrounds and the heritage of the area but if we aren't willing to consider some advancement of our town lands then we are back to a cornerstone of the "should we put a motorway through Tara" debate.

With humble beginnings you could simply start with a number of planned walks and stops - scheduled a bit like the 'sli na slainte' walks where you get a choice of a 30min, 60min, or 90min heritage trail around Trim. In terms of delivery of the heritage and historical side of it, simply provide an iWalk online for people to download to their iPod's or phones and information placements along the way. It is all very easy and in recessionary times could be done at low cost I expect - if simply encouraged by the Council then you may be able to rustle up a coalition of the willing and have the vast majority of it done for free. Why not involve the vocal talents of the local drama groups for the iwalk to include short dramas along the route capturing the essence and history of the place.

As the recession shifts on a bit then you could consider the physical changes that you might effect - paths and trails, ponds, seating areas, a performance amphitheatre perhaps - now wouldn't that be a treasure to behold. We've always needed a theatre. There would be umteen problems with the physical side of it, but the end product would be worth it.

Enough blathering from me. I don't even know if i've described my thinking well enough. It can be difficult to capture the idea.

I hope that the next Town Council elected by the people of Trim (or at least by the 2800 odd voters who will vote) will give consideration to sympathetically enhance the heritage of our town through appropriate provision and augmentation of the natural amenities that we are fortunate to have.

oslosinclair

cat dubh, great idea.

maybe it's the savage weather but an amphitheatre sounds cool.

Turnout of 60% in the election?

IIMII

oslosinclair wrote: »

Would someone wtoth do the figures?

About €80m Trim to Kilmessan, plus annual running costs and depreciation

me_right_one

IIMII wrote: »

About €80m Trim to Kilmessan, plus annual running costs and depreciation

Didnt 70million go missing recently? Something to do with e-voting?

chewed

Super ideas AnCatDubh!

greendom

me_right_one wrote: »

Didnt 70million go missing recently? Something to do with e-voting?

Yes, put the machines on wheels and we'd all have a happy and cheap commute to Dublin each morning

spadder

greendom wrote: »

Yes, put the machines on wheels and we'd all have a happy and cheap commute to Dublin each morning

Quick, get this idea to the minister of transport, no wait, he probably would;)

AnCatDubh

oslosinclair wrote: »

cat dubh, great idea.

maybe it's the savage weather but an amphitheatre sounds cool.

Turnout of 60% in the election?

Yeah - apparently an electorate in 2004 of 5,083. A total poll on the day of 2753 giving about 54% turnout.

Valentia

oslosinclair wrote: »

Turnout of 60% in the election?

Hard to know. Many old school FF's aren't going to vote at all rather than give someone else a scratch. That said many of the newer FF's have said that they are going to use the chance to get at them,

But as Grump Cowen says, the government stays the same regardless.

Thanks for those PM's about the minister's letter. All very interesting

spadder

In the current climate I can’t see the railway progressing, in the meantime, why not radically upgrade the bus service? When the upgrades on the N3 and N4/N6 are finished this should cut travel time dramatically. We need more regular routes to south Dublin, the tourist areas, Hueston, the industrial estates, Sandy ford , the airport (could Aircoach do this?) and late buses too, so tourists could use Trim as a holiday base for taking in Dublin in day trips.

I know Bus eireann can be very nasty when it comes to anyone challenging their mediocre service.

oslosinclair

spadder wrote: »

In the current climate I can’t see the railway progressing, in the meantime, why not radically upgrade the bus service? When the upgrades on the N3 and N4/N6 are finished this should cut travel time dramatically. We need more regular routes to south Dublin, the tourist areas, Hueston, the industrial estates, Sandy ford , the airport (could Aircoach do this?) and late buses too, so tourists could use Trim as a holiday base for taking in Dublin in day trips.

I know Bus eireann can be very nasty when it comes to anyone challenging their mediocre service.

we're stuck with this hub and spoke system where you have to travel into dublin along a spoke to get a bus anywhere else. We need a cobweb system for trains and buses.

upmeath

AnCatDubh wrote: »

The walk along the Boyne is a beautiful amenity and so enjoyable on a nice evening but it needed to be developed such that people could make active use of it. It is sensitive to its surrounds and sympathetic to the environment. If you observe the area, people will naturally gravitate towards the river walk but not towards the porches. That's interesting to see.

The path that cuts back into the fields runs aground when you reach the sheep pen beside the ring road, and its uphill from the minute you enter beside the bus stop. Would you rather walk up Patrick's Hill or along the Lee? If you're adventurous you'll fancy the challenge of hills and sheep's poo, if you're trying to relax after a day's work you'll stick to the sound of the wind in the willows and pace yourself with the Boyne.

cue

oslosinclair wrote: »

maybe it's the savage weather but an amphitheatre sounds cool.

Yes, and we could turn it into a decent swimming pool for the other 51 weeks of the year

upmeath

I've heard on RTE's Six One and Nine O'Clock news bulletins this evening that 50 or so voters from areas on the outskirts of Trim (ie. from outside the electoral boundary for Trim Town Council but within the Trim Area for Meath County Council) were given ballot papers for the town council elections :rolleyes:
The Department of the Environment could have avoided headaches like this on polling day if they'd just gone ahead and extended urban electoral areas a year ago. You'd think people on the outskirts of towns were anarchists looking to run riot on town councils should they get a vote in. It would appear that bureaucracy creates more problems than it solves.

Stroke Politics

upmeath wrote: »

I've heard on RTE's Six One and Nine O'Clock news bulletins this evening that 50 or so voters from areas on the outskirts of Trim (ie. from outside the electoral boundary for Trim Town Council but within the Trim Area for Meath County Council) were given ballot papers for the town council elections :rolleyes:
The Department of the Environment could have avoided headaches like this on polling day if they'd just gone ahead and extended urban electoral areas a year ago. You'd think people on the outskirts of towns were anarchists looking to run riot on town councils should they get a vote in. It would appear that bureaucracy creates more problems than it solves.

If this is true, that would, I assume, render the poll null and void, with a re-casting of the vote to be taken.....

Valentia

Stroke Politics wrote: »

If this is true, that would, I assume, render the poll null and void, with a re-casting of the vote to be taken.....

We were told by the returning officer that that is not the case believe it or not. It seems that the count will take place and the legal people say that anyone can, within 21 days, object to the result. 52 votes in all which is highly significant in the case of Trim Town Council numbers. A monumental cock up!!

upmeath

Were the errant ballots in one box in one station or spread all across the town? Could that ballot box be isolated, then opened and the extra fifty odd ballots be linked back to the names with which they correspond on the checklist in the station? I noted that the serial number on all three of my ballot sheets ended in the same 3 digits, they were ---XYZ for the Euro, --XYZ for County Council and -XYZ for Town Council. Seems the error could be pretty easily corrected!

Stroke Politics

52 votes at Town Council elections especially can make a huge difference. Were the 3 estates which which incorrectly voted heavily canvassed by any particular party?

upmeath

Stroke Politics wrote: »

52 votes at Town Council elections especially can make a huge difference. Were the 3 estates which which incorrectly voted heavily canvassed by any particular party?

Elaborate? Do we have more info on the slip-up in the last 2 hours? Ciaran Mullooly said at 6 and 9 that there were 50 extra votes for TTC, but there was no mention of 3 estates. Where were 3 estates mentioned, Stroke Politics? If that's the case I'd imagine they're Manorlands, Effernock Manor and I think one of the estates on the Navan or Athboy Roads is still outside the boundary, possibly the Belfry.

Stroke Politics

According to a very reliable source, 3 estates outside the town were given town ballots. FF were busy getting voters from these estates to vote.....

upmeath

Just back from the count centre, early tallies show Ray Butler topping town and county polls, he seems to have a double quota for TC, depending on where his transfers go FG could do very well for themselves.

dee1dee2

Well done Ray and Trevor

AnCatDubh

is there the anywhere doing online results? RTE aren't showing anything for Meath. (just 'awaiting results')

AnCatDubh

meathchronicle.ie is reporting ray butler and trevor golden are elected for Trim Town Council. "Butler topped the poll with 652 first preferences, while Golden received 351. The quota was 265."

Valentia

Ye probably know but here are the winners:

Butler (FG)
Golder (Ind)
Reilly (FG)
McKenna (FF)
O'Shea (Lab)
O'Brien (Lab) (yippee!!!!)
Cantwell(Ind)
McHugh(FF)
Fay(FG)

Count finished after 2 o clock
How on earth can everyone else get it over with and Meath take so long. Well worth it though?!!

P.S. Looks like Labour could win a seat in the county tomorrow (today) too.

AnCatDubh

I think the answer to the 2am result is to bring back eVoting. Anyone up for a mad campaign?

Well done to all candidates.

So whats the story with the 30 / 50 votes (depending on where you read it) from the county area that were incorrectly given to inelligible voters of the Town Council?

Valentia

AnCatDubh wrote: »

So whats the story with the 30 / 50 votes (depending on where you read it) from the county area that were incorrectly given to inelligible voters of the Town Council?

We'll wait and see. The party(ies) most likely to gain from the error didn't so I don't know though I suspect the shinners would not be averse to pulling one of their feigned outrage stunts. Their loss certainly is an added bonus.

Did anyone get their anonymous (concerned citizen) rubbish that was sent around the night before the election? I think that probably lost them their seat as many many people contacted me to express their disgust at the insinuation that the only councillors that had done anything were the shinner and Cantwell. I believe that the Chronicle also received it anonymously but refused to publish it. Politics is dirty but boy are those guys the kings.

It was asked above if the votes in the box could be idenified. The short answer is no. It would make the whole process worrying if you could. WE looked at the votes from the relevant boxes and there didn't appear to be any discernably different voting patterns than the rest of the boxes so my feeling is that the result will stand if their is an objection but you never know with the courts.

Valentia

AnCatDubh wrote: »

I think the answer to the 2am result is to bring back eVoting. Anyone up for a mad campaign?

A few more staff and it could have been over at 5 o'clock.

AnCatDubh

rte.ie are reporting tracey mcelhinney (labour) taking the 4th seat for the county along with butler, fegan, and carey.