Funding approved for various public projects

COUNCILLORS approved public realm expenditure monies in principal, but sought more information about a tree replacement programme at last week’s meeting of Bray Municipal District.

The total budget allocated is a sum of €240,000.

Within that, €85,000 is set aside for the provision of public lighting in black spot areas.

While the district engineer suggested a number of locations, members were asked to submit areas which they feel also need public lighting installed.

Cllr Steven Matthews said that it seems lights are failing and not being replace. He said that there hasn’t been great service in this respect.

District Engineer Liam Burke said that because there is a national programme to replace expired lights with a new type of LED light, this does take longer than usual as the entire lamp is replaced.

Because there is national funding, he said that it was decided to concentrate the funding on providing new lamps where needed, rather than bulk-replacing the town’s existing street lights.

The sum of €85,000 was allocated for the refurbishment of shelters on the seafront, so that they can be re-opened to the public.

Ten thousand euro was allocated to pro- viding another CCTV camera at Ballywaltrim playground.

There was €30,000 in the budget for the landscaping of roundabouts. T

he landscaped roundabouts at the entrance to the town are dated and need to be refreshed, according to the report. In order to exploit the prominent location to best effect and create a strong, positive impression of the town, a planting scheme has been developed that is colourful and visually striking.

Existing mature trees will be retained where possible and incorporated into the design. The overall cost of these works is estimated to be €60,000, €30,000 of which was provided in the Programme of Expenditure on Capital Works which was agreed in 2018 by the members.

When Cllr Brendan Thornhill queried if the outdoor gym would be refurbished, Mr Burke said that the works are planned and the money allocated. There were some technical issues regarding drains etc. ‘We are looking to having this done before the summer season,’ he said.

With regard to the outstanding matter, the tree replacement programme, Mr Burke said that over the past 12 years mature trees have died but not been replaced. He said that he agrees that members should see a plan of what is intended before anything is done, so that item was deferred.