Minutes of Council meetings- list.:

MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS AT ANNUAL MEETING OF THE COBH TOWN COUNCIL, HELD AT TOWN HALL, COBH, ON MONDAY 18th JUNE, 2007.

Presiding - Councillor Noirin Doyle

Present - Cllrs. S. O’Connor, P. Histon, J. Mulvihill, P. Whitty, D. Crowley, K. McCarthy and S. Meade

OFFICIAL PRESENT
Ms. M. O’Halloran Town Manager
Ms. R. Mullarkey, A/Town Clerk.

An apology for his inability to attend was received from Cllr M Keating

The meeting commenced with the recitation of the Lord’s Prayer.

Councillor Doyle welcomed all to the meeting.  She stated it had been an honour and privilege to be Mayor of Cobh for the last year.  She stated that it had been a busy year with in excess of 200 official functions attended. Cllr. Doyle mentioned the Fetac Awards  Presentation, Cobh Youth Services Building Project, the visit of the Irish Youth Choir to St. Colman’s Cathedral and the steady increase in business from the Cruise Liners into Cobh. Cllr. Doyle specifically mentioned the inflexibility of the business opening hours within the Town.

Cllr. Doyle also mentioned the many positive events that had happened in Cobh over recent times such as the Community Centre project and its increased funding as well as  the announcement that Spike Island will not now be used for a new Super Prison, the announcement by Michael Martin of new plans for the old Steel Plant, the decision that Cobh was to be the venue for 2008 for the largest boat angling competition in Europe and the opening of the Swimming Pool and Leisure Complex in late 2006. The issue of the lease amount with the VEC was raised however and Cllr. Doyle stated that she was still very much committed to negotiating a reduction in the amount of the lease.

Cllr. Doyle also mentioned that the news from IBAL that Cobh was at 22 and moderately littered showed that we were moving in the right direction, however, this IBAL status also took into account the approach roads which were out of the Town Councils jurisdiction thus making it harder for Cobh to achieve its litter free status. Cllr. Doyle thanked all the Town Councillors for their help in raising litter awareness and also thanked the Town Manager, the Litter Audit Committee, Dr.Mary Stack and Green Schools Co-Ordinator Brigitte O’Driscoll for their input into the Clean Up week in Cobh. Cllr. Doyle especially thanked Cllrs. Histon and Whitty and also the people of Cobh whose enthusiasm made it such a successful venture.

Cllr. Doyle also mentioned the two Civic Receptions held for Sr.Ann Linehan and   
Fr. Donal O’Mahony, the Annual Awards held in the Commodore and the new Traffic By Laws which will come into effect in August of this year for a trial period of three months after extensive lobbying of businesses within the Town. The last function officiated at by the outgoing Mayor was the Titanic Cities Memorandum of Understanding Signing on June 15th 2007 which should enable increased tourism opportunities for Cobh.

Cllr. Doyle also expressed concern over many outstanding issues such as the lack of urgency from the Government in relation to Cobh’s serious landslide problem, the slow progression of the Town Development Plan, the Town Boundary Extension proposal which has not yet been submitted, the decision on the Marina by An Bord Pleanala and the issues regarding the Fota Road. Cllr. Doyle expressed her disappointment over the reduced funding for voluntary organisations this year as the number of applications had increased and therefore the contributions to each group are reduced as a result.

Cllr. Doyle stated that she wished to thank the Deputy Mayor, Cllr. Crowley for his support and any other Councillor who acted on her behalf over the last twelve months.

Cllr. Doyle also stated that she wished to thank the Members of the Council for their support as Mayor over the past twelve months. She was honoured to have been chosen as Mayor. 

Councillor Doyle thanked the Manager, the Town Clerk and the staff of the Council for the courtesy shown to her over the past twelve months.

All of the members expressed their thanks for the work done by the Mayor over her term of office. The Town Manager stated that she wished to associate herself and all of the staff with the congratulations of the members.

1. ELECTION OF MAYOR

Nominations were invited for the position of Mayor.

Cllr. Meade proposed the nomination of Cllr. P. Whitty and Councillor McCarthy seconded it.

There were no other nominations for the role of Mayor.

Cllr. Whitty was therefore declared to be elected Mayor.

Cllr. Whitty assumed the Chair and thanked Members of the Council for the honour they had bestowed upon him. He thanked Deputy David Stanton, the Chairman of Cork and Harbour Chamber of Commerce, Jack Gilmartin, a former naval colleague and Michael Martin all of whom were in attendance that evening. The Mayor also thanked his wife, family and others who were in attendance that evening.

Cllr. Whitty stated that the Town had issues such as derelict sites and litter. Other issues such as the Marina, Fota Rd. and the Town Bus Service were also mentioned. Cllr. Whitty voiced his intention to prepare a housing scheme for the elderly and socially deprived in Cobh Town. He thanked everyone along with his fellow Councillors who came that evening.

All of the members extended their congratulations to the incoming Mayor. The Town Manager stated that she also wished to associate herself and all of the staff with the congratulations of the members.

Cllr. Keating asked that his apologies be sent for his absence from the meeting taking place. He commended the outgoing Mayor and Deputy Mayor on their work and achievements though out the past year and also wished the incoming Mayor and Deputy Mayor the very best for the year ahead.

ELECTION  OF  DEPUTY MAYOR.

Councillor Crowley proposed Councillor Doyle, Councillor Meade seconded. 

There were no other nominations for the role of Deputy Mayor.

Cllr. Doyle was therefore declared to be elected Deputy Mayor.

Members congratulated the newly elected Mayor and Deputy Mayor.

This concluded the business of the Meeting.

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CATHAOIRLEACH

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TOWN CLERK

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