New Kells boundary to take in business park

The new motorway network, the Blackwater river, Kells Business Park and the town farm at Loyd will act as the new boundaries for an extended Kells Town Council area. The boundary alteration will mean that the town council will include all residential/commercial and industrial developments, which are adjacent to the existing town boundary. Kells Town Clerk Jarlath Flanagan has said that all the areas outside the existing town boundary, which was included with the town area for electoral purposes for the town council election in 2009, would be included, as well as the area outside the town boundary included in the Kells Development Plan Area. A full report on the boundary changes will be brought to Kells Town Council members in the coming months and then submitted to Meath County Council for their scrutiny. Members of the town council have been advised that the implementation of any proposal would be financially neutral to both Meath County Council and Kells Town Council insofar as possible and that a rate equalisation period of four years had been proposed. Kells Town Council cathaoirleach Brian Curran said the boundary extension would be a positive thing in terms of marketing the town. "To be able to say we have the Kells Business Park in the town will be a positive boost for the town." However, he pointed out that it would mean the council would be responsible for a variety of services, which would mean more expense, but the rates from the business park would counteract this and there would be long-term benefits for the town, he predicted.