Taking in charge is not works guarantee

THE ‘ taking in charge’ of estates by Louth County Council doesn’t mean a guarantee of completion of works needed, councillors heard at the May meeting of Dundalk Municipal Committee.

The members welcomed notification of the local authority taking Bellfied View, Heynestown.

Director of Services, Frank Pentony said that this represented the ‘end of the process’ for this development.

The progress at Bellfield was welcomed by the members

But the broader issue was once again highlighted by Cllr. Maria Doyle who has led calls for greater movement on the wide range of estates in the county currently waiting to be taken in charge.

‘It is great to see this on the agenda, and I look forward to the next assessment [of estates across Louth] due at the next meeting.’

Mr. Pentony explained that once a plebiscite is passed by residents for an estate to be taken in charge, there are a number of complications which then arise. not the least of which are the bonds which could be in cash or paper form.

‘Firstly we now have to refer the development to Irish Water, as they are concerned with the services which are connected to the estate

He added that the process is more complicated when there is no longer a developer who they can contact or who may be still connected with the estate.

If this is the case, then the local authority must liaise with banks or other financial institutions to advance the process of taking in charge.

The Director of Services added that he understood residents were anxious to get works carried out.

But he warned that even after an estate is taken in charge ‘residents have to be aware that this does not mean that all works, potholes and other repairs are going to be fixed.’

He added: ‘It takes time to do all of these repairs, and there is no funding currently available.’