Dog owners responsibilities:

Dear Resident,

I am writing to you further to my attendance at your recent residents association AGM.  Following this meeting I requested my two colleague’s  Cllr. Bill [...]]]> Tweet

The following letter from Robert Troy T.D.,  dated  8th May 2011, was delivered to all houses in Ashefield and addresses a number of issues raised at the recent Residents Association AGM:

Dear Resident,

I am writing to you further to my attendance at your recent residents association AGM.  Following this meeting I requested my two colleague’s  Cllr. Bill Collentine and Cllr. Ken Glynn to raise the issues of concern to the residents at the next Mullingar Town Council meeting. Please see on reverse of this letter a comprehensive list of questions they asked and the replies given. We will continue to pursue these issues on your behalf.

I am enclosing a card with all our contact details for your information.  Please do not hesitate in contacting any of us should you feel we can be of any assistance to you, your family or friends in the future.

Best wishes,

Robert Troy T.D.

 

Cllr. Glynn:             That Westmeath County Council would maintain the green area at the entrance to Ashefield estate, similiar to the green strip across the road.

Reply:  This is a matter for the Ashefield Residents Association.

 

Cllr. Collentine:              Can Westmeath County Council advise what responsibility it has to ensure that the communal areas of the apartment block in Ashefield are maintained in good order, in the absence of a management company?

Reply:  It is a matter for the residents of the Ashefield apartments to make arrangements for the upkeep of any communal areas.

 

Cllr. Collentine:              Can Westmeath County Council advise that assistance it can provide to the residents of Ashefield under the National Spring Clean competition towards the removal of graffiti?

Reply:   Graffiti removal would not be covered by the National Spring Clean campaign. Westmeath County Council is currently awaiting details of the 2011 Anti Litter and Anti Graffiti Grants Scheme from the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government. When details are received, an application form will be forwarded to Ashefield Residents Association.

 

Cllr. Collentine:             Can Westmeath County Council advise it it has a schedule in place for the roadsweeper to come into the Ashefield estate and if possible to ensure that laneways are swept out as well?

Reply:  This estate is included in the road sweeping schedule and is swept once every three months.

 

Cllr. Glynn:             To ask Westmeath County Council to provide a litter bin at the entrance to Ashefield.

Reply: There is a litter bin at the entrance to the Ashefield. Mullingar Area Office will examine locating another bin at the entrance to TESCO. However, stopping the bin collection vehicle in this area is problematic from a safety view point.

 

Cllr. Glynn:              To ask Westmeath County Council if it will carry out extensive remedial works on the green area between Ashefield and Abbeylands.

Reply: Mullingar Area Office plans to cut the grass in this large open space this year with a heavy duty mower so that it can be maintained by the residents association. Mullingar Area Office also intends to commence a multi-annual programme of landscaping works along the Western By-Pass R394 this year. This section of the R394 will be included in the programme

 

 

Members of Ashefield’s residents’ [...]]]> Tweet

It’s difficult not to notice that the wall between the estate main entrance road and apartments is deteriorating.  This wall runs between the block of apartments and main estate along the main estate entrance road.  However, due to its location, it has been unclear who is responsible for the upkeep of this wall.

Members of Ashefield’s residents’ committee contacted Westmeath County Council about this.  The main aims here were to clarify who is responsible for the maintenance of this wall and to try and get the problems fixed.  The key questions raised, and responses received from the council are:

Q. For some time now, we have been observing the slow but seemingly inexorable descent into decrepitude of the low boundary wall between the apartments and the estate proper. There doesn’t seem to be anyone taking responsibility for the condition of this wall.

A. The boundary walls of an Estate become the responsibility of the residents once an Estate has been Taken in Charge and are the responsibility of the residents/Management company (whichever is applicable) of any apartments from the date of first occupancy/formation of Management Company. (Reference Westmeath County Council’s “Guidelines for Purchasers in Residential Developments” Policy)

Q. The original planning permission (97/655) had a condition (#30) that a management company was to be established to look after the maintenance of the apartments and common areas. This led to the registration of a company called Minkridge Management Company Limited in March/April 2001. Looking up this company on www.cro.ie I find that its status is recorded as “dissolved” with an effective date of June 2002. It seems clear that this company was never intended to actually perform the maintenance role and was a mere artifice in the successful attempt by Fernside Homes Ltd. to gain planning permission.

A. Condition 30 of Planning Reference 97/655 has been complied with by the Developer in 2001 in that the Management Company was set up for the maintenance of the apartments

Q. Are there separate planning references (presumably with attached conditions) for the different phases of the scheme’s development?

A. The only main Planning Reference for this Development appears to be Ref. 97/655, however you can come into our offices and request a Planning Search and ask to view the Planning Files.

Q. The planning reference only seems to cover Apts. 10-26 (there is no Apt. #13). There is an additional block of apartments (27-30) for which I don’t have a separate planning reference. Is there a separate planning permission for #27-30? Are there any conditions related to a management company?

A. I am not aware of a separate Planning Reference for apartments 27-30, however, you can view Planning File Ref. 97/655 in this regard.
Q. It is my understanding that the council endeavors to ensure that all conditions on planning permissions are satisfied prior to taking an estate in charge. I gather that the council doesn’t take apartment developments in charge, but can your enforcement section offer any input here? It would seem like the lack of a management company would have been evident when the council took the estate in charge?
A. At the time that the Estate was being Taken in Charge, the Apartments would not have been taken into consideration as they were not being Taken in Charge.

After contacting them again last week, Council staff carried out this [...]]]> Tweet

Some time back we asked Westmeath County Council about trimming trees near street lights in the estate. This was in response to safety concerns raised by some residents where Summer foliage was blocking the light. The problem was most apparent in the vicinity of houses #190-210.

After contacting them again last week, Council staff carried out this work almost immediately afterwards. Thanks again for your prompt action!

I’m sure you’ll agree that the trimmed trees are looking a lot better now: