Abolition of Navan, Trim and Kells Town Councils

Navan, Trim and Kells Town Councils are to be abolished in the most radical reform of local government since 1898, prompting an angry reaction among public representatives in the three towns affected. There was widespread shock that Navan will lose its local authority, although it had been widely speculated that the Kells and Trim authorities would not survive Environment & Local Government Minister Phil Hogan's councils cull. He announced there would be a reduction in the number of local authorities from 114 to 31 city and county councils with integrated areas now called 'municipal districts' after the next local elections in 2014. The Mayor of Navan, Cllr Caoimhe Ní Shluain, said the town council had funded a lot of community-based initiatives and she feared that these may no longer receive local authority funding. Cllr Padraig Fitzsimons insisted Navan Town council was a very effective body. "Navan Town Council has always managed its budget and provided services, but the county council was in debt of over €40 million a few years ago. I think the disbanding of the town councils is ill-advised," he said. For Cllr Fitzsimons, the abolition of Navan Town Council will also see the end of a family connection which saw 80 years continuous service by the Fitzsimons family on Navan Urban District Council, and latterly, Navan Town Council. His father, Paddy Fitzsimons, served for 25 years and was chairman three times while his late grandfather, Pat, served for 45 years and was chairman twice. Cllr Fitzsimons will have served 10 years when the council disbands. Cllr Shane Cassells welcomed the fact that each council will have to create a publicly accessible website, fixyourstreet.ie, to enable residents to report road, lighting, environmental and other issues requiring local authority response and that they will secure a response within two working days," he said.