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Minutes
Minutes of the Special Meeting of Council
6th January 2009
Minutes of the Special Meeting of Council held on Tuesday, 6 January 2009 at 7.30pm in the Council Chamber, Strabane District Council Offices, 47 Derry Road, Strabane.
Present: In the Chair: - Councillor J McNulty
Other Members:Councillors M Boyle, A Bresland, J Donnell, J Emery, G Foley, D Hussey, T Kerrigan, T McBride, C McGill, K McGuire, R McHugh, B McMahon, J O’Kane
Total = 14
In Attendance: -
Chief Executive (CE)
Chief Building Control Officer (CBCO)
Chief Technical Services Office(CTSO)
Head of Finance (HF)
Chief Environmental Health Officer (CEHO)
Economic Development Manager(EDM)
Human Resources Manager (HRM)
Business Manager (BM)
Administrative Assistant
Apologies: - Councillor E McMenamin
Buddy Bear – N I Conductive Education School for Children with Cerebral Palsy
The CE referred to correspondence from Dungannon & South Tyrone Council in relation to the above school, which had previously been circulated for Members’ consideration. He advised that Members were invited to an Information Session to address the future provision and choice of special conductive education for children with Cerebral Palsy. The CE future advised that Ministers, Committee MLA’s and representatives from the relevant Government Departments had also been asked to attend. A letter of support was also being asked for.
Councillor Hussey proposed that representatives from the four Parties, together with the Independent Member, should attend the Information Session and take a letter of support with them.
Councillor McMahon supported Councillor Hussey’s proposal and felt that the Chairman and Vice Chairman of Council should also attend, if it was at all possible, as the school in question was one of a kind and needed to be retained.
AGREED
On the proposal of Councillor Hussey, seconded by Councillor O’Kane, the above proposal was agreed.
Proposed Strategic Benefit Review – Effects on local Social Security Agency Office
The CE referred to letters received from the civil servant workers at the Strabane Social Security Office, which had previously been circulated for Members’ consideration, stating their views on the impending review.
Councillor O’Kane stated that the situation was extremely serious and that a letter should be sent to the Minister requesting that a delegation from Strabane District Council be received to state their strong views in relation to the removal of the services in Strabane.
AGREED
On the proposal of Councillor O’Kane, seconded by Councillor Boyle, the above proposal was agreed.
Request for Council Support – merger between Strabane Grammar and High School
A letter from Strabane Grammar School had been distributed for Members attention.
Councillor Hussey declared an interest as a member of the Western Education & Library Board (WELB).
Councillor McMahon declared an interest, as he was a classroom assistant.
Councillor Hussey felt that the tone of the letter from Strabane Grammar School suggested that WELB representatives from the Council had not been pushing the issue and he wished to state that many difficulties had been encountered in relation to the matter, but that both Council representatives had been fully supportive of the issue being advanced.
Councillor Boyle concurred with Councillor Hussey’s views and advised Members that prior to Christmas the matter had been raised with the Minister and that he would be responding to Mr Lacey, Headmaster of Strabane Grammar School, after he had spoken with Mr Pat Doherty, MLA.
AGREED
It was agreed that a letter should be sent to the relevant Department and also to the WELB offering support for the above merger.
Illegal Parking of Taxis at Bus Stop, Abercorn Square
Councillor Foley declared an interest as a taxi driver.
The CE advised Members that a meeting to discuss the above issue was to be set up, date and time to be confirmed later.
Strabane Lifford Anglers Association
The CE referred to correspondence, previously circulated for Members’ consideration, in relation to a request from the above Association to permit them to carry out necessary repair work to the bankings upstream of the Strabane Bridge, in order to gain better access for anglers. The CE further advised that although Council owned the land, the cost of the repairs would be covered by a grant being sought by the Association.
The CTSO advised that the works to be carried out were minor and that the Association had previously carried out minor works to the riverbed 3 years ago and no problems had occurred. He further stated that as long as the relevant Public Liability Insurance was in place, he could not foresee any reason to refuse their request.
AGREED
On the proposal of Councillor O’Kane, seconded by Councillor McHugh, it was agreed that the Association could carry out the necessary repair work, providing the necessary Public Liability Insurance was in place.
Letter of Sympathy
Councillor Foley requested that a letter of sympathy be sent to *Councillor Boyle on the recent death of her mother-in-law.
Chairman’s Receptions
Councillor Boyle requested that the Chairman host the following receptions to acknowledge recent achievements:-
• Strabane Shotokan Club
• St. Joseph’s Brass Band
On the proposal of Councillor McMahon, seconded by Councillor McBride, the meeting went ‘into committee’.
The meeting ended at 9.25pm.
DATED this 6th day of January 2009
SIGNED _____________________________
Chief Executive
DATED this 10th day of February 2009
SIGNED _____________________________
Chairman of the Council
The following does not form part of the Minutes recorded above but is included hereon in the interests of clarity:
At a meeting of Strabane District Council held on the day of 10 February 2009 the Minutes of the above Meeting were adopted as a true record on the proposal of Councillor Kerrigan, seconded by Councillor O’Kane, subject to the following amendment:-
* Delete and insert ‘to the family of Terri Devine’.
