Calls for levies to be spent on roads
CALLS have been made once again for money from the former Bray development contribution scheme to be used to repair roads in estates.
‘ There is €7 million in the bank to be spent on capital works in this town,’ said Cllr Joe Behan, who asked that the matter be put on the agenda for last week’s meeting of Bray Municipal District. ‘I’m looking fora a small bit of flexibility for these road surfaces. The actual foundations are under threat because of water.’
This stems from the application of surface dressing last year in Sugarloaf Crescent, Mountainview Drive, Charnwood, Seacrest, Herbert Park and Glenwood. So dissatisfied are residents with the surface dressing that the members have adopted a policy to change the road surfacing on the six estates and never again use that surface dressing.
However, that policy is only in the event that they have sufficient funding.
While district manager Des O’Brien has said that under the legislation, such money from the scheme can only be used for works to benefit new developments, Cllr Behan is arguing a loophole.
‘What facilitates development in one person’s view is one thing, it could be completely different for someone else. If there is industrial development, say, and someone paid money in levies, some people working there might live in one of these housing estates,’ said Cllr Behan. He said that there was nothing to suggest that one of those employees would not use roads in Sugarloaf Crescent or Mountainview Drive.
He said that in a report on the scheme, there is a line which mentions ‘strengthening and improvements to paths and roads’.
‘It doesn’t say where,’ said Cllr Behan.
He proposed that the entire scheme should be reviewed, however as the scheme is now finished and a different one operating under Wicklow County Council, that is not possible.
Mr O’Brien said that, according to the legislation, the scheme would only cover roads over which a new development would cross. ‘If an estate is in there by itself, with none of the roads serving a new development, it’s not entitled to it. We can’t do it.’
Cllr Michael O’Connor said that he has an alternative proposal. ‘I would like to look a bit more into it and see if there’s something we can do,’ he said, and asked that the matter go on the agenda next month.
‘I thought it would be possible that there would be a bit of good will from the top,’ said Cllr Behan. ‘ That’s obviously not going to happen.’
It was decided to keep the matter on the Bray agenda for next month.