New Year Statement on Council Tasks

 

The New Year traditionally affords everyone a new start in their chosen career and I believe that it is particularly appropriate for the peoples representatives on Magherafelt Council.

 

We have a wide range of duties to perform in order to advance the situation of our rate-payers. I hope that this year we will see a reduction on our already low level of un-necessary junkets and trips abroad. I expect however that those Councillors who are sent on trips at rate-payers expense to provide at least an elementary report so that those councillors left at home can share in the learning experience.

 

I want to see an expansion of our leisure service facilities to cater for those recovering from injuries and illnesses. Not every one who is just out of hospital wants to go for a daily walk in our inclement wintry weather to build up our fitness. Our expensive centres need to provide attractive schedules so that fitness is for all, even if we are still taking the tablets!

 

In the last months of the Council, more elected representatives need to wake up to the growing waste-disposal needs of this district area. The cascading European environmental legislation means that although we appear to have coped well so far, common sense dictates that we need to do a lot better to avoid the punitive Euro fines in 2009. A conservative estimate shows that individual councillors in Magherafelt could fall for a fine of up to £1,000,000 pounds in that year. Ignorance is not a defence in court! We have been warned!

 

I believe that it is also going to be a year of opportunity for the citizens of Magherafelt and District - an opportunity to get to grips with the untidiness associated with litter and spat-out gum on our footpaths. Sure, the Council has a super new machine to suck up papers and debris. But that is no excuse for allowing either our visitors or ourselves to throw everything at our feet as we go along. Let us have pride in our towns and villages and let us not be ashamed to show it!

 

This District has a lot going for it with low rates, low unemployment, proximity to a main route to the Capital, beautiful scenery, access to the largest freshwater lake in the British Isles. Let us be grateful and strive to improve it all.