Tuam councillor favours the Midleton approach to resist abolition of town councils

By JACQUELINE HOGGE TUAM's longest serving town councillor has proposed a unified approach by local representatives in East Galway to resist plans to abolish town councils at next year's local elections. Cllr Tom Reilly has called for an urgent meeting with Ballinasloe Urban District Council and Loughrea Town Council to discuss ways to fight the imminent demise of the lowest tier of local government. Cllr Reilly said he wouldn't rule out following the route being taken by Midleton Town Council, where councillors have threatened legal action over Minister for Local Government Phil Hogan's plans to do away with the country's 80 town councils.[private] The Cork councillors have pledged to mount a legal challenge to the plans unless the representative body for councils, the Association of Municipal Authorities of Ireland (AMAI), does so. Cllr Reilly said he believed the minister's decision was a retrograde step and claimed the cost involved in maintaining town councils was money well spent. 'I have called on the Mayor of Tuam to seek an urgent meeting with our colleagues in Ballinasloe and Loughrea and if I have the full support of my own board members I will be proposing that we consider taking the same route as Midleton Town Council on this matter,' he said. 'I personally don't think the minister has given this enough thought as he seems adamant that the town councils will be abolished next year. 'As town councillors we are au fait with local issues in a way that county councillors, no disrespect to them, are not. 'We have led by example on a range of issues, none more so than the ongoing campaign to retain residential services at Toghermore House. 'I was very surprised by the minister's announcement last October as I thought he would increase the powers of town councils, as I am the first to admit that the power we do have is at the mercy of the director of services to deliver. 'The clock is ticking on this issue and we have to do something to fight for the retention of town councils. I know what I have achieved in the 19 years I have been a town councillor and at the end of the day we are the voice of the people, which is in danger of being lost.' The AMAI is due to hold its AGM next month where the issue is likely to dominate the agenda. Under the proposals town councils will be discontinued in favour of new municipal and council districts, the boundaries for which are due to be announced in May.[/private]