Search Results for 'Paul Benson'

The town of Ballina has benefited to the tune of €364,308,000 from capital investment in the town from both public and private investment over the past decade. The figures were given to the members of Ballina Town Council on Wednesday night by acting town manager Paul Benson in a presentation which had been requested at the previous month’s meeting by councillors.

Acting Ballina town manager Paul Benson has said that funding figures for tourism and sports projects in the three major towns in the county in the last 18 months that were published this week were “erroneous”. Mr Benson was speaking at the November meeting of Ballina Town Council, where he was giving a presentation on the numerous capital projects that have been undertaken in the town over the past 10 years, by local authorities, other State bodies and private investments. At the start of his presentation he said: “I don’t share that view on the news report on funding for Ballina in relation to Castlebar and Westport, that there is an anti-Ballina bias.”

Up to 50 homes in Kiltimagh are facing the threat of the power being cut off to their estate’s pumping station at the end of this month, which could pose a potential public health issue it has emerged this week.

The first weekend of August next year will see large numbers of people descend on the north-eastern part of the county to celebrate The Gathering. At the November meeting of the Ballina Electoral Area Committee this week, Acting Director of Services, Paul Benson told the members, that Minister of State, Michael Ring TD had written to all local authorites to ask for budget provisions to be made for the event next year. He also told the members that it had been decided the first week in August is a potenital week to target for events for The Gathering next summer, so it could tie into a number of events that will be running and school holidays, especially in the UK.

Fine Gael councillor Seamus Weir this week clashed with council officials over a potential road widening scheme at Ardagh National School to improve safety in the area. The Knockmore based councillor placed a notice of motion before the Ballina Electoral Area Committee saying, “I am calling on Mayo County Council to engage with the local community in Ardagh and myself regarding the removal of a dangerous fence opposite Ardagh National School. Funding is available through notice of motion and the replacement fence/wall requested by the landowner will be built by the local FÁS team on request of the board of managment of the school.”

Less than 40 per cent of the homes with septic tanks in Mayo have registered their tanks according to figures given out this week. At a reconvened meeting of the Water Supply and Sewerage SPC of Mayo County Council on Wednesday (the previous meeting was suspended as there was no quorum) the members were given an up to date break down of the figures.

Members of Mayo County Council have questioned costs relating to the imposition of septic tank charges.

Members of Mayo County Council have questioned costs relating to the imposition of septic tank charges.

The elected members of Ballina Town Council on Wednesday night gave their permission for the council to dispose of 2.35 acres of land at Pearse Street/Humbert Street to Tesco for €3.43 million. The lands are located in the area where the existing Tesco store is located in the centre of the town, and it is planned that Tesco demolish the existing store and develop a whole new large store at this location. The total investment that Tesco will make in this project is estimated to be around €21 million. When completed the new store is expected to employ between 160 and 170 people, up from the 68 currently employed in the existing store. Some 300 car parking spaces both over and underground are also to be created as part of this development which will see an extra 180 to 190 car parking spaces being brought into the town centre of Ballina.

Unlike their colleagues in Mayo County Council and Castlebar Town Council this week the elected members of Ballina Town Council failed to strike a budget at the annual budget meeting.