Waterford City and County Council’s January meeting for the Comeragh District got off to a rocky stary on January 21, last, when the Apologies section informed the councillors that the entire Planning Department was unable to attend due to mandatory training.
It fell to Lisa Grant from Waterford Council to deliver the apology to the assembled councillors.
“Unfortunately, the whole planning team is at mandatory planning training today so we have nobody from planning today. If it’s anything urgent, if you want, I can pass it on and hopefully they will come back before the next meeting.”
Cllr. Declan Clune responded immediately, asking that if such a situation ever rose again could they have prior warning so that the meeting could be rescheduled because it was important that Planning were present.
Cathaoirleach for the Comeragh District Meetings, John O’Leary, who was first elected in 2009, made his disapproval felt when the meeting reached what should have been the Planning section.
“I think it’s totally unacceptable to have the Comeragh District assemble for its monthly meeting, to have no representation from Planning, and now no questions can be taken live here, which is the purpose of having a meeting such as this.
“There are a lot of planning issues out there that we want to discuss, there’s a lot of building going on and we want to ensure the continuity of building and that planning is carried out in a proper manner.”
To this, Sinn Féin’s, Catherine Burke commented, “I agree…I have 4 very important areas I want to discuss today.”
Cllr. Seanie Power did make some comments to the defence of the Planning Department, but these were not accepted.
“To be fair to the planners, said Cllr. Power, “they are on the phone to us, they are very helpful to us, when they are available. I have to acknowledge that.”
A view which Cllr. Clune had little time for. “So are Housing [Department], so are Roads, and Environment, and they are all still here.”
AARON KENT
Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme
