Should Waterford City and County councils merge?

robp

Yes Boss wrote: »

Can anyone provide a coherent counter argument in favour of this merger? I haven't heard one yet!

Saving have to be made. For the record I am neutral as I haven't seen any breakdowns of projected savings. However, I suspect there are far worse things that are on verge of being cut. So I am open minded about it.

Smiley Burnett

the irony is that businesses in the county town of dungarvan will see an INCREASE of 10% in their commercial rates as a result of the merger of both councils and the abolition of dungarvan town council.....and yet this reform is being sold on the idea that it will lead to savings for businesses/taxpayers!!!!

robp

Smiley Burnett wrote: »

the irony is that businesses in the county town of dungarvan will see an INCREASE of 10% in their commercial rates as a result of the merger of both councils and the abolition of dungarvan town council.....and yet this reform is being sold on the idea that it will lead to savings for businesses/taxpayers!!!!

Would you foresee it to lead to businesses simply not being set up or perhaps their gradual drift towards Waterford city/Cork city.

Professey Chin

robp wrote: »

Would you foresee it to lead to businesses simply not being set up or perhaps their gradual drift towards Waterford city/Cork city.

Id just see it as businesses on the edge closing

fricatus

Dunmoreroader wrote: »

D'you know I'm sick and tired of hurling getting dragged into this by somebody or other eventually if the thread goes on for long enough; it's boring. Cricket in the UK still adheres to long defunct county structures while local government has been updated e.g. Warickshire for cricket, West Midlands for greater Birmingham local government.
Enough already with the hurling!

Absolutely! I've never heard such nonsense as when the GAA came out a few years ago and said they were against any boundary extension of Waterford into Kilkenny. The county boundaries that were set in stone and passed down through the mists of time from father to son are sacred and cannot be breached! Even though the British invented them...

But seriously, while I admire the GAA and love my hurling, this is one area where they should butt out. Let them do sport and let others do local administration! Ironic how they can ignore local council boundaries north of the border (Moyle 3-16 Newry and Mourne 1-12 anyone?) or change the rules to suit conditions (Fingal and South Down teams).

We need sensible administration of this city, which means running the WHOLE urban area on both sides of the river as a unit. I'd be perfectly happy for players residing on the northside of Waterford city to play in Black and Amber if that's the sort of thing they're into. You know, live and let live?

O Riain

fricatus wrote: »

Absolutely! I've never heard such nonsense as when the GAA came out a few years ago and said they were against any boundary extension of Waterford into Kilkenny. The county boundaries that were set in stone and passed down through the mists of time from father to son are sacred and cannot be breached! Even though the British invented them...

But seriously, while I admire the GAA and love my hurling, this is one area where they should butt out. Let them do sport and let others do local administration! Ironic how they can ignore local council boundaries north of the border (Moyle 3-16 Newry and Mourne 1-12 anyone?) or change the rules to suit conditions (Fingal and South Down teams).

We need sensible administration of this city, which means running the WHOLE urban area on both sides of the river as a unit. I'd be perfectly happy for players residing on the northside of Waterford city to play in Black and Amber if that's the sort of thing they're into. You know, live and let live?

Can you show me where the GAA publicly came out and said this?

Smiley Burnett

http://www.munster-express.ie/local-news/kilkenny-county-board-goes-national-against-boundary-extension/

redtelephone

O Riain wrote: »

Can you show me where the GAA publicly came out and said this?

http://www.kilkennypeople.ie/sport/quot-hands-off-quot-was-warning-to-the-would-be-grabbers-in-the-south-1-2155364

O Riain

"The body will next month call on GAA Congress to support them in their demand that existing county boundaries continue to be recognised for GAA purposes"

I can understand them being worried in this area but the GAA usually tend to stay out of political dealings and I assume KK county board were not backed by GAA HQ due to this and thats why we didnt hear more from them on it.

wellboy76

O Riain wrote: »

"The body will next month call on GAA Congress to support them in their demand that existing county boundaries continue to be recognised for GAA purposes"

I can understand them being worried in this area but the GAA usually tend to stay out of political dealings and I assume KK county board were not backed by GAA HQ due to this and thats why we didnt hear more from them on it.

Hope that word should have been always. They're a sporting organisation and should have no say about what goes on politically. The GAA certainly doesn't represent me. The backward thinking on administrative boundaries should be overhauled and certainly not influenced by any organisation.

Waterford city will be responsible for fixing a pothole in tallow but not in ferrybank!!! Madness, the city should be looking after the area in a radius half way between itself and Kilkenny town and a similar radius the whole way round, that's my opinion. Let the boys wear their jerseys, nothing should change especially where the GAA are concerned. Shouldn't be an issue here, unfortunately it is.

mike65

Bump!

The new local electoral areas have been outlined.



So we see the country in effect split into three main zones West/Central/East with the east split into 3 strips taking in Waterford and Tramore. Sorry about the poor image its the best one I've found so far.

spankmemunkey

Its going to happen anyway isnt it? If it saves money and makes things run more efficiently then why not.

fuzzy dunlop

spankmemunkey wrote: »

Its going to happen anyway isnt it? If it saves money and makes things run more efficiently then why not.

Don't bet on it! It hasn't happened yet. And it won't save money. How could it? Services are been spread all over the county to make sure Deasy gets re-elected. It can only work if offices are centralised to where most people live. There already has been one major u-turn on this. I would not be surprised if this quietly went away or was abandoned completely. Remember their is local elections next year when this foolishness is supposedly going to happen.

spankmemunkey

fuzzy dunlop wrote: »

Don't bet on it! It hasn't happened yet. And it won't save money. How could it? Services are been spread all over the county to make sure Deasy gets re-elected. It can only work if offices are centralised to where most people live. There already has been one major u-turn on this. I would not be surprised if this quietly went away or was abandoned completely. Remember their is local elections next year when this foolishness is supposedly going to happen.

Oh right, sorry there, i thought it was signed up for and all already like.

Trotter

It's farcical. I still can't find any good reason for this to go through that wouldn't be equally as applicable to other competing cities. From what I can see all the money saving claims seem to focus on Waterford taking one for the team while the other cities aren't effected in the same way. I think we've taken enough of a hit to enhance other regions at this stage.

Given that the money saving reason is apparently tripe, with staff and councillors wearing out the road to Dungarvan, I'm wondering what the reason for this actually is.

If it was the good idea that many supporters of it claim, surely it would be a good idea across the board for all cities and not just us and Limerick?
It won't effect Limerick like it would us. They have a lot with which to sell their capabilities to investors. We don't.

Id love to be convinced that this is positive for Waterford, but I'm pretty sure it isn't. Cutting costs is a noble and worthwhile aim.. Cutting costs in Waterford while leaving the other gateway cities alone is simply more of the same.

Will it be of huge benefit to the county?
Is that why its being pushed so hard?

I'm genuinely open to being convinced as to why this is positive for Waterford city. But every ounce of my intelligence and instinct says to me.. Here we go again.

rasper

Our local governments are waste full and don't work. Corruption is rife and duplication of services is standard

What we been is a provincial size local authority to service roads, libraries , planning , fire etc etc

It may not have all the answers but it ll be a start