leitrim county council annual report

Leitrim County Council Annual Report 2020 1

Leitrim County Council Comhairle Chontae Liatroma

#LoughMelvin


Vision

Our vision is to build an economically strong, creative and inclusive County Making Leitrim the best place to live, to work, to invest and to visit.

Mission Statement

We will place this vision at the centre of everything we do, and we will ensure that we develop policies, procedures and services that are fair and equitable and that we fulfil our statutory duty in having regard to human rights and equality in the performance and delivery of all our functions.

#AcresLakeBoardwalk


Contents Introduction from An Cathaoirleach and Chief Executive ............................................................................................ 4

Elected Members of Leitrim County Council ................................................................................................................ 5

Leitrim County Council Strategic Policy Committee’s 2019 - 2024 .............................................................................. 6

Leitrim County Council Strategic Objectives and Supporting Strategies from the Corporate Plan 2019 - 2024 ......... 7

Delivering for Our People ............................................................................................................................................. 8

Housing ..................................................................................................................................................................... 8

Veterinary Services ................................................................................................................................................. 12

Forward Planning and Development Management .............................................................................................. 13

Fire Services ............................................................................................................................................................ 15

Major Emergency Management ............................................................................................................................ 17

Civil Defence ........................................................................................................................................................... 18

Water Services ........................................................................................................................................................ 19

Delivering for Our Places ............................................................................................................................................ 20

Environment and Climate Action ........................................................................................................................... 20

Community Development ...................................................................................................................................... 23

Library Services ....................................................................................................................................................... 26

Leisure and Recreation (LSP) .................................................................................................................................. 28

Arts ......................................................................................................................................................................... 30

Delivering for Our Economy ....................................................................................................................................... 35

Economic Development Unit ................................................................................................................................. 35

Local Enterprise Office ........................................................................................................................................... 37

Tourism Promotion and Development ................................................................................................................... 38

Capital Projects Office ............................................................................................................................................ 40

Roads Transportation & Safety .............................................................................................................................. 43

Our Organisation ........................................................................................................................................................ 45

Corporate Services ................................................................................................................................................. 45

Human Resources ................................................................................................................................................... 48

Health and Safety ................................................................................................................................................... 49

Information Communications Technology ............................................................................................................. 50

Finance ................................................................................................................................................................... 51

Appendix 1 – Statement of Income And Expenditure At Year Ending 31 December 2020 ........................................ 53

Appendix 2 – Statement of Financial Position (Balance Sheet) At Year Ending 31 December 2020 ......................... 54

Appendix 3 – Committee Memberships ..................................................................................................................... 55

Appendix 4 – Details Of Conferences/ Seminars Attended By The Elected Members ............................................... 57

Appendix 5 – Details Of Training Events Attended By The Elected Members ........................................................... 57

Appendix 6 – Corporate Plan Annual Progress Report 2020 ...................................................................................... 58

Appendix 7 – National Performance Indicators 2019................................................................................................. 68

Appendix 8 – Local Performance Indicators 2019 ...................................................................................................... 75


Introduction from An Cathaoirleach and Chief Executive

Elected Cathaoirleach Cllr Mary Bohan

Chief Executive Lar Power

We welcome the publication of the 2020 Annual Report and are delighted to present and detail the many activities and achievements undertaken and delivered in what has undoubtedly been a challenging year. It is with great pride that we report on our Council’s successes in its’ delivery of a quality and professional service to its customers and the communities that it serves. Leitrim County Council has evolved as an organisation in 2020. It is evident by the challenges that have been overcome this past year that a solution based, innovative and creative culture exists within the organisation. In addition to a changed work environment and new work practises required to comply with COVID-19 public Health Advice, technological change has been rolled out and has been embraced by the staff. This has ensured that throughout 2020 the organisation has been fit for purpose to deliver for the People, the Places and the Economy of County Leitrim. The achievements, highlights and progress as set out in the 2020 Annual Report were made possible through the combined efforts of the Elected Members and Staff of this Authority and, together with the many voluntary and community organisations with whom the Council interacts. I wish to thank them for their commitment and dedication to securing our mission, vision, and goals in 2020. We look forward to continuing to deliver high quality services to all our customers and to working with all stakeholders in order to make County Leitrim the best place that in can be for those who choose to live, work, invest and visit our County.

#Glenade Lake


Elected Members of Leitrim County Council


Leitrim County Council Strategic Policy Committee’s 2019 – 2024

Planning, Economic Development and Infrastructure SPC

Councillors Frank Dolan (Chairperson) Enda McGloin Ita Reynolds Flynn Finola Armstrong McGuire Brendan Barry Justin Warnock

Sectoral Nominations Colm McGrath Business/Commercial National Pillar (Chambers Ireland) Stephen Clancy Construction/Development National Pillar Sean O’ Conlain Environmental/Conservation Pillar (PPN) Vacant Social Enterprise/Inclusion (PPN)

Issues considered by the SPC: Policy Development: -Review of Leitrim County Development Plan and preparation of Draft County Development Plan 2021 – 2027 and related strategies Review of the Development Contribution Scheme -Leitrim County Heritage Plan -Review of Leitrim Local Economic and Community Plan -County Digital Strategy Economic and Enterprise Development:

-Glenfarne Forest Development Plan -Carrick on Shannon Town Economic Plan -Update on implementation of the Regional Enterprise Plan – North West -Update on Ireland Hidden Heartlands Shannon Master Plan -Update on Atlantic Economic Corridor -Brexit Supports to SMEs Operation Management: -Local Improvement Scheme Review -County Parking Byelaws -Update on Public Lighting Energy Efficiency Programme

Number of Meetings: 4

Housing, Community & Culture SPC Councillors Caillian Ellis (Chairperson) Padraig Fallon Sean McDermott Paddy O’Rourke Enda Stenson Mary Bohan

Sectoral Nominations Maura Gallagher (Social Inclusion PPN) Vacant (Community/Voluntary PPN) Aodh Flynn (Cluainin Housing Association) Voluntary Housing Sector Sean O Reilly (Cultural/Creative Sector)

Issues considered by the SPC: Housing Grants Housing Programme Housing Needs Assessment Affordable Housing Scheme Traveller Accommodation Programme

Love where you Live Awards Community Development – Keeping Well Campaign Peace Programme Choice Based Letting Scheme Public Art Policy Library Service


Environment, Climate Action and Agriculture SPC Councillors Justin Warnock (Chairperson) Sean McGowan Felim Gurn Paddy Farrell Thomas Mulligan Gerry Dolan

Sectoral Nominations Eddie Mitchell (Agriculture/Farming) National Pillar (IFA) John Brennan (Agriculture/Farming (Organic Interest) Vacant (Business/Commercial) National Pillar Jan Melia (Environment Pillar) PPN

Issues considered by the SPC: Draft Work Programme 2020 and Schedule of Meetings for 2020 Consider new Section 26 Fire Service Plan Overview and update on Climate Change Adaptation Plan Overview and update on Waste Management Planning. Consider Draft Litter Plan

Update on Water Services Overview of Climate Action at Regional and National Level To consider timeframe for development of funding application around agriculture and climate change Presentation on Water Quality



Leitrim County Council Strategic Objectives and Supporting Strategies from the Corporate Plan 2019 - 2024 Leitrim is a unique County offering unparalleled quality of life, a rich and diverse natural environment and strong communities. Our priorities and objectives have been developed and shaped around these county attributes. We will deliver an ambitious programme of development for Our People, Our Places, and Our Economy.


#GlencarWaterfall

Delivering for Our People At the heart of County Leitrim are our People. We will focus on delivering outcomes for Individuals, Neighbourhoods and Communities. We will continue to review and improve the services we provide to all residents. We will provide homes and help shape neighbourhoods. We will build and strengthen communities and groups, including a continuing investment in our young people, sport, and recreation. We will support and provide the tools and opportunities for all our people to engage and shape local decision making; and we will ensure we do it all with Dignity, Equality and Respect.

Housing Housing Applications and Allocations The net need that was reported as part of the Statutory Assessment of Housing Need completed in November 2020 was 196 households. This was a minimal increase on the 189 number of households on the housing waiting list as identified in the 2019 assessment. A total of 208 new housing applications for social housing support were received and processed in 2020. 81 offers of accommodation issued to housing applicants for casual vacancies arising within the Council stock. The refusal rate on offers of accommodation was 22%. 75 new tenancies were established broken down as follows; 42 relets, 5 transfers, 12 regularisations, 14 acquisitions, 2 Home for Life Mortgage to Rent. Choice Based Letting (CBL) is a method that can be used for the allocation of Social Housing which is designed to offer more choice and involvement for applicant households in selecting a new home. Available Social Housing is let by being openly advertised, allowing qualified households to apply for available homes.

Choice Based Letting commenced in October 2020. 29 properties were advertised between October and December 2020 and 182 expressions of interest were received. Homelessness Leitrim County Council continued to assist with the housing needs of homeless persons and a review of homeless services within the County was progressed. During 2020 the housing department responded to 48 homeless presentations and 10 adults and 4 children accessed emergency accommodation. Implementation of the Housing First programme was progressed in 2020. The Housing First model aims to provide someone who has been long-term homeless, with their own secure accommodation as well as providing intensive and specialised tenancy sustainment and health and mental health support services. Leitrim County Council met the target of 3 households to accommodate under this programme by the end of 2021. One household was

Homes Communities Services


accommodated in 2019 and a further two households were accommodated in 2020. A number of meetings of both the Management Group and the wider North West Regional Homeless Forum were held in 2020. Traveller Accommodation Programme (TAP) 2019-2024 At the Annual Traveller Census on 30th Nov 2020 there were 73 No. Traveller families registered for Social Housing Support with Leitrim County Council. This is an increase of one family since the 2019 census. Of these 73 families:

2020 Traveller Census No. of

Families %

Standard Local Authority housing & Traveller Specific Accommodation incl. 4 families with permanent housing provided by an Approved Housing Body (AHB) in conjunction with the local authority.

46 63%

Long Term Rental Contracts (RAS / SHLI / HAP)

15 20.5%

Rent Supplement / Involuntary Sharing or via Own Resources

12 16.5%

The Traveller Accommodation Programme (TAP) 2019-2024 is a five-year statutory programme carried out by all Local Authorities and relates to the provision of Local Authority housing / Private Rental Accommodation and relevant programmes and supports to the Traveller Community. This is the fifth Tap programme adopted by Leitrim County Council since 2000. The target for the current TAP 2019/2024 is 25 No. units of accommodation over five years. At the end of December 2020 there were 13 No outputs representing 130 % of targets for two years 2019 /2020 and 52% of the targets for the overall five-year programme 2019/2024. The TAP target for 2020 was 5 No. units of accommodation. From the 1st of January 2020 to 31st December 2020 Leitrim County Council has achieved 5 No. TAP outputs of Social housing support to the Traveller Community (including RAS renewals and offers refused) which represents a 100% target achievement for 2020. Housing Supports

➢ Housing Grants Leitrim County Council continued to operate three housing grants schemes for private houses. The

purpose of the schemes is to help people to remain living in their own homes and greatly enhance the living conditions of eligible elderly and disabled household members in our community. The following is a breakdown of grants paid in 2020.

Grant Name Total Amount

Mobility Aid Grant 17 €56,196

Housing Aid for Older People 38 €161,919

Housing Adaptation Grant (Disability)

11 €118,626

Total 66 €336,741

➢ Housing Assistance Payment (HAP)

HAP replaced Rent Supplement for those with a long-term housing need. The HAP team worked closely with the Department of Employment and Social Protection to transfer rent supplement recipients to HAP. There were 297 active HAP tenancies in Leitrim on 31st December 2020, this includes 101 new tenancies processed in 2020.

➢ Social Housing Leasing Initiative (SHLI)/Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS)

Under the above schemes, the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government has allocated funding for local authorities to lease residential properties from private landlords on medium to long term contracts. These properties are then offered to households on the housing waiting list.

➢ Capital Advance Leasing Facility (CALF) The CALF Scheme allows the approved Voluntary Housing Associations to purchase existing properties and lease them back to the Council for social housing for a term no less than 25 years. At the end of 2020 Leitrim County Council have a total of 13 houses leased under this initiative from Approved Housing Bodies, Tuath and Respond.

➢ Mortgage to Rent The Mortgage to Rent (MTR) scheme is a government scheme which was introduced in 2012 to help homeowners who are at risk of losing their homes due to mortgage arrears. It lets homeowners in mortgage difficulty switch from owning their home to renting their home as social housing tenants. The MTR scheme is a social housing option only available if one is eligible for social housing support and the mortgage is unsustainable. As at 31st December 2020, 5 MTR applications have been fully processed by Leitrim County Council.


Housing Stock ➢ Estate Management and Maintenance

Programme At the end of 2020 Leitrim County Council had 984 houses in its ownership, excluding demountables, traveller specific accommodation, community houses and temporary emergency accommodation houses. A total of 571 housing maintenance requests were received in 2020, 88% of which were completed by year end. Under the Council’s 2020 Planned Maintenance Programme, a program for the installation and the replacement of fire detection and carbon monoxide detection devices was completed. The Tenant Liaison Officers (TLOs) continue to work with tenants and Residents Associations during 2020 to promote good estate management and establish best practices. Compulsory pre-tenancy courses are given by the TLOs and attended by all new tenants.

➢ Tenant Purchase At the end of 2020 Leitrim County Council had received 15 tenant purchase applications and sold 4 houses under the national Tenant (Incremental) Purchase Scheme.

➢ Disability Strategy and Disability Works to Local Authority Dwellings

The implementation of the Leitrim Housing & Disability Strategic Plan for Housing People with a Disability plan was progressed in 2020 with new Housing and Disability Steering Committee membership being sought and initiated. The new Committee comprises of local authority staff, key HSE personnel, members from the voluntary housing sector and various advocacy groups active within the County. Leitrim County Council spent €149,698 on medical and disability related works in 2020 for 27 local authority dwellings carrying out improvements such as extensions, installation of level access shower, rails in bathrooms, ramp access, conversion to oil heating or storage heating systems.

➢ Private Rented Inspection Programme Leitrim County Council continued its enforcement role of standards in private rented accommodation. The restrictions imposed by Covid-19 created difficulty in carrying out the private rented inspection programme. During 2020, 240 inspections were carried out, this represents a 72.5% completion rate on the targets set for the year. 116 properties failed on first inspection and 114 Improvement Notices issued to owners of properties identified as having items to be addressed to meet the private rented standard regulations.

Please see table below of inspections carried out for 2020.

INSPECTION STATISTICS 2020 (1 Jan - 31

Dec)

Total number of RAS inspections carried out in 2020

48

Total number of HAP inspections carried out in 2020.

148

COMPLAINTS (i.e. Total number of inspections conducted in 2020 as a result of receiving a complaint EXCLUDING any already included under No. 1, 2 and 4 in this table).

2

OTHER (i.e. Total number of OTHER inspections conducted in 2019, EXCLUDING any already included under No. 1, 2 or 3 in this table).

42

TOTAL INSPECTIONS/RE-INSPECTIONS 240

The Housing Department’s principle services outlined in this 2020 Annual Report are measured through a number of performance indicators that keep Leitrim County Council’s objectives of delivering for our People, Places and Economy at the forefront of our decision making process. There are a number of performance indicators within the Housing Services that include a build target, stock, voids, re-letting times, maintenance costs, private rented inspections and homelessness. These along with local indicators for improvement works, new tenancies, housing grants and Traveller accommodation provide key information that allows us to understand the local housing demand and improve services.

Performance Indicator

2017 2018 2019 2020

H2: % of dwellings vacant at year end

5.7% 4.5% 3.3% 2.64%

H3 Average Re-Letting Time

70 weeks

43 weeks

25 weeks

47 weeks

The restrictions imposed by Covid-19 during 2020 created difficulty for the Housing Department in carrying out its estate management and maintenance work programmes. Restriction in the construction sector impacted on the delivery of these programmes and resulted in a higher average re-letting time than 2019.


However, during the Covid-19 restrictions, all housing services were maintained, and the housing Staff showed a willingness to change internal processes and thus created innovated and novel solutions to ensure the housing services were delivered. The results of such innovations were a decline for the fourth successive year in the area of housing voids, 75 new tenancies were created and the introduction of Choice Based Letting. Housing Capital The Housing Capital section continued to deliver on the targets set by the DHLGH under the Rebuilding Ireland Strategy during 2020.

➢ Acquisitions

Leitrim County Council purchased thirteen houses in 2020 under the housing acquisition programme all of which received energy efficiency upgrade works to ensure high levels of comfort for the Local Authority tenants whilst helping to achieve our climate action targets.

➢ Traveller Accommodation Programme (TAP) The Housing Capital Section purchased two houses in Carrick on Shannon during 2020 under the Traveller Accommodation Programme.

3-bedroom houses under construction at Townparks, Carrick on Shannon

➢ Direct Build Programme: Construction

The construction of 27 no. social houses at Summerhill, Carrick on Shannon continued throughout 2020 for completion in 2021.

➢ Direct Build Programme: Planning The planning and detailed design of direct build projects capable of delivering 33 housing units in Carrick on Shannon, Manorhamilton, Ballinamore & Dromahaire advanced to Part 8 Public Consultation stage during 2020.

Proposed Single Storey 2-Bedroom Houses at Taobh Tire, Manorhamilton

➢ Turnkey Construction

The Housing Capital section secured Social Housing Units through Turnkey Construction in the villages of Kinlough & Mohill during 2020. Turnkey Construction also advanced on projects in Newtowngore, Drumkeerin & Mohill for early delivery in 2021.All these projects had the additional benefit of helping to complete unfinished estates.

3-bedroom Turnkey Houses at Oakgrove, Kinlough

➢ Construction/Turnkey Pipeline The Housing Capital section continued to build a future pipeline of Turnkey projects via the Expression of Interest process and through targeted land acquisition in area of need.

➢ Leasing A total of 5 additional units were secured in 2020 on a Long-Term basis through Long Term Leasing (LTL) and the Mortgage to Rent (MTR) mechanisms.

➢ Partnership with Approved Housing Bodies (AHB)

Leitrim County Council established the Housing Forum during 2020 with the key Approved Housing Bodies that are active in County Leitrim. The Housing Capital section produced an opportunity register for the AHB’s from which future projects may be developed.


➢ Vacant Homes The Vacant Homes Officer identified approximately 500 vacant homes in the main towns and villages of Co. Leitrim during 2020 and commenced engagement with the owners of specific properties that can be brought back into productive use through the Buy and Renew or the Repair & Lease schemes. Age Friendly Housing Technical Advisor A member of the Housing Capital staff at the appropriate technical level of expertise has participated in training provided by Age Friendly Ireland to enable them to become the local authority specific age friendly Housing Technical Advisor. The Technical Advisor will provide specialist advice to the authority itself, to private sector interests who want to get involved in providing age-friendly housing and to individuals from the public generally. The overall aim is to ensure that older people will ultimately have greater choice by developing a range of housing options that are suited to their needs, so they can plan and, insofar as possible, choose the right home for themselves. Covid 19 Pandemic Impact Like all elements of society, the COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on the Housing Capital section. A number of projects due to be completed by end of 2020 had their completion dates extended into 2021. New work practices on social housing sites arising from social distancing requirements has led to longer construction build times. Several of the key products used in the building process have longer lead-in periods from ordering to site delivery. This is due to restrictions in the manufacturing process which again is having an effect in the overall build timeframe. On contracts that were at the construction stage Contractors are having to be compensated through Ex-Gratia Payments for the additional cost associated with implementing COVID 19 safety measures resulting in an increase in the overall cost of the project.

Veterinary Services

Slaughter Returns

Sheep 1943

Pigs 111

Cattle 708

Total 2,762

Premises Inspections

Meat Inspection 456

Hygiene Inspection 54

Sampling Inspections 22

Total 532

Sampling

Food 50

Water/Environmental 25

Veterinary Residues 9

Carcass 31

Total 115

Animal Warden Services This was a challenging for the Animal Warden Service due to ongoing Covid-19 restrictions. Contact with the general public was on a strictly limited basis and the call-out service was limited.

Animal Warden Services

Stray & surrendered Dogs 185

Dogs Re-Homed 150

Dogs Re-Claimed by Owner 34

Dog licenses Issued 1,667

General Licenses 3

Lifetime dog licenses issued 29

Stray cats neutered under TNR Programme 52

Service Requests 283

The Animal Warden Service received 283 Service requests including 6 dog attacks on persons, 11 dog attacks on livestock, 26 dog fouling complaints, 83 roaming dogs and 135 animal welfare complaints. Dog licence fee income was €37,400 or 2.6% lower than 2019. There was significant public interest in control of stray dogs, livestock worrying and dog fouling. The Warden Service carried out 624 service calls at 14 Dog Waste stations and dispensed 36,000 free dog waste bags. 22 dog control & dog fouling signs were erected in the County. The Warden and the Veterinary Officer gave 6 radio interviews, 6 newspaper articles, 2 school visits and issued 1020 leaflets and dispensed 36,000 free dog waste bags.


Forward Planning and Development Management Taking in Charge Significant progress continued to be made during 2020 by the Planning Department in resolving incomplete housing developments to bring such developments to the required standard to allow them to be taking in charge. A total of 13 no. residential developments were taken in charge during the year following the declaration of the roads within these developments as public roads. The undertaking of remedial works within such estates is being managed by the Capital Projects Office. The Planning, Capital Projects and Water Services Departments are working with Irish Water to transfer responsibility for the maintenance of the piped water services in these estates to the utility company. Part 8 Public Consultation on Local Authority Own Development Proposals The Planning Department managed the Part 8 public consultation process for 7 Local Authority own developments during 2020. These included the approval of the Mohill Public Realm Improvement Scheme, a new library in Dromahaire, housing schemes in Carrick on Shannon and Manorhamilton and an extension to the Hive, Carrick on Shannon.

Connecting Through Heritage – Leitrim’s Garden Bioblitz

Heritage The Leitrim Heritage Plan 2020 – 2025 was adopted at the March Council meeting following the second public consultation phase from 15th January to 12th February 2020. The adopted Heritage Plan was translated into Irish and was published in April. The Heritage Officer secured funding from a number of sources for heritage projects which matched the Heritage Plan objectives and actions. These projects included:

• Geological Heritage Audit of County Leitrim funded by The Heritage Council.

• Public Awareness Programme - ‘Connecting through Heritage’, funded by The Heritage Council. Initiatives under this Programme included ‘Harnessing Leitrim’s Oral History’; ‘Leitrim’s Garden BioBlitz’; Leitrim Heritage Podcast series; and Leitrim Heritage YouTube series.

• Swift survey of County Leitrim funded under the National Biodiversity Action Plan Local Authorities Biodiversity Project Fund.

• Bat survey of all publicly accessible Council owned properties funded under the National Biodiversity Action Plan Local Authorities Biodiversity Project Fund.

• Modern Day Mummers funded by Creative Ireland.

Modern Day Mumming - Leitrim

Heritage Week took place virtually in August 2020, with community groups, organisations and individuals from across Leitrim submitting heritage projects online which celebrated both new heritage initiatives and projects which have been carried out over a number of years.

Connecting Through Heritage – Harnessing Leitrim’s Oral History

Forward Planning The formal preparation of the review of the existing County Development Plan and the preparation of a


new County Development Plan for the period 2022-2028 commenced on 17th June. A Strategic Issues Paper was prepared and published as an integral part of the pre-draft consultation phase which lasted until 12th August. Public information sessions were held in July in Carrick on Shannon, Manorhamilton and Ballinamore as public meetings were curtailed arising from the public health restrictions in place. A report on behalf of the Chief Executive summarizing the pre-draft consultation phase which included 43 no. written submissions and recommended policy content was submitted to the Elected Members in October. A workshop was held with the Elected Members in November and the Report was considered at a Council meeting in December. Work is progressing on the preparation of the draft County Development Plan for submission to the Elected Members in Q2 2021. The Planning Authority prepared a draft Renewable Energy Strategy as part of the review part funded through the SECURE Programme. This includes an assessment of the landscape to absorb further wind energy developments. The Planning Authority has also undertaken a review of the Landscape Character Assessment which was prepared in 2002. This includes a re-examination of designated landscapes and the views and prospects identified in successive County Development Plans. Development Management A total of 184 no. valid planning applications, including 43 no. applications seeking retention of planning permission and 2 no. applications seeking an extension of duration of planning permission were received during 2020. This decreased slightly from the number of applications received in the previous 2 years (207 no. received in 2019 & 191 no. received in 2018). The level of activity was affected by the impact of the Covid 19 pandemic.

Of the valid applications received, 13 no. related to applications for commercial developments, 1 application related to community, sporting and educational development with a further 6 no. applications relating to forestry, namely forest access provision. The proportion of applications relating to commercial developments is slightly lower than previous years again most likely as a result of uncertainty due to the global pandemic.

Of note, there were a number of applications seeking planning permission for renewable energy developments: a windfarm consisting of 8 no. turbines at Croagh, Dromahair; battery storage units at

Corderry, a biomass processing facility at Kiltoghert, and a meteorological mast at Garvagh Glebe. Other permitted developments of note included a 90 bed Community Nursing Unit for the HSE in Carrick on Shannon, the extension and refurbishment of the food production facility at Dowra Road, Drumshanbo and an upgrade to Ballinamore Wastewater Treatment Facility. It was also encouraging to see a number of applications submitted to complete existing housing developments and construct new dwellings. These included schemes in Carrick on Shannon, Drumkeeran, Manorhamilton, Drumshanbo, Rooskey and Dromod.

A total of 19 applications for determination on exempt/non-exempt status of a proposed development (Section 5 declarations) were received over the course of the year.

In 2020, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine referred to this Council 44 no. applications for licenses for tree felling and 30 no. applications for tree planting. A further 39 no. applications for Forest Access Roads were referred for comment prior to the Department making a decision in respect of same.

National Planning Awards, held in the Westin Hotel, Dublin. Leitrim County Council received a Highly Commended Award in the Management and Delivery Category, for the Carrick-on-Shannon Public Realm Improvement Scheme. The photo (pre-Covid 19) shows Leas Cathaoirleach Sean McGowan and Marie Henry of Dhb Architects accepting the award, together with Chief Executive, Lar Power and Senior Planner, Bernard Greene.

Irish Planning Institute National Planning Awards The Carrick on Shannon Public Realm Improvement Scheme was nominated by Leitrim County Council for the Irish Planning Institute National Planning Awards. The project was shortlisted by the Panel of Judges for the Design Category and received a commendation in the Management and Delivery Category.


Pre-Planning The Planning Authority had formal pre-planning consultations on 78 no. proposed developments during 2020 which is a decrease on previous years due to the Covid 19 pandemic. Every effort was made to accommodate pre-planning meetings through phone-calls /e-mail or virtual meetings. The average waiting time of 19.5 days is slightly above the target of 15 days, but this can be attributed to the impact of the Covid 19 restrictions and to the competing demands of staff resources in meeting all statutory deadlines.

Attending the County Development Plan pre-draft consultation information event in the Bee Park Centre, Manorhamilton in July – Assistant Planners Deirdre Lardner and Joe Duffy.

Cost of the Planning Service The cost per capita of the Planning Service has fallen from 30.38 in 2019 to 30.15 by the end of 2020 which is approximating the target of 30 set for the year. This is largely dependent on the fees receipted for the year which had risen slightly on the previous year. Enforcement The Planning Authority investigated or instigated 28 no. enforcement cases during 2020 with a further 52 no. cases carried forward from the previous years. Of these cases, 34 no. were closed off during the calendar year leaving a total of 46 no. live cases at year end. Whilst our target of 60% of all cases instigated being resolved by year end was not reached (43% cases resolved), every effort was made in dealing with the cases on hand in 2020 but certain cases can be complex and slow to resolve. The Covid 19 Pandemic and Level 5 restrictions also had an impact for a period on site visits and investigative work during the year.

Appeals: 10 no. planning appeals were made to An Bord Pleanála with respect to decisions made by the Planning Authority during 2020. 8 of the appeals were decided by the end of 2020 and 1 appeal was withdrawn. 7 no. of the appeals were determined, confirming the decision made by the Leitrim County Council and 1 of the appeal decisions overturned the decision of the Planning Authority.

Fire Services Capital projects/Funding

➢ Manorhamilton Fire Station Rhatigan Architects were appointed as the design consultants for the design and construction of the new fire station in Manorhamilton. We prepared a working brief and held a number of design meetings with them to prepare an outline design for the new station and drill yard. The Stage 1 report was prepared and submitted to the Department for approval.

➢ Replacement HP We received capital funding of €88,000 to procure a replacement Hydraulic Platform for Leitrim fire service. The new vehicle was procured in the UK and was imported in March 2020. It was put into operational use in September 2020.

Replacement Hydraulic Platform procured by Leitrim Fire Service in 2020

➢ New Class B appliance

Leitrim County Council received confirmation from the National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management that we received approval to procure a new Class B appliance in the Capital Funding programme announced in late 2020.

➢ Operational A new Section 26 Fire and Emergency Operations Plan was prepared for approval by the Council members. This was discussed at SPC level before being approved by the full Council in September 2020.


Chief Fire Officer Finian Joyce at the BFireSafe stand at the BT Young Scientist Exhibition January 2020

Community Fire Safety - Erasmus+ BFireSafe@School project Leitrim County Council Fire Service is the project coordinator for this fire safety project that has secured €318,000 in funding from Leargas and the National Agency. The project consortium consists of 9 partners from 7 EU Countries (Ireland, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Lithuania and Spain). The aim of the programme is to develop a new fire safety education programme for post primary schools in Europe. The programme content consists of ten modules and uses innovative digital technology to deliver the programme both online and in class. Work continued in 2020 in translating the programme into 9 European languages and in developing the Learning Management System to upload all of the content. The programme was pilot tested in a number of post primary schools around the country and in the following schools in Leitrim, namely, Carrigallen Vocational School, St. Clare’s Comprehensive School in Manorhamilton and Lough Allen School in Drumkeeran. It is hoped to extend the programme to all schools in Leitrim in 2021 and to translate the programme into Irish. As part of the programme, a new Augmented Reality App called FireSmart AR was developed in 2020. It teaches students how to identify fire safety risks at home. The app is available from the Apple and Google Play store. To help promote the project, we attended the BT Young Scientist exhibition in the RDS Dublin in January 2020.

Project partners for BFiresafe@School project

New Online Payment System During 2020, we implemented a new online payment system to process the quarterly payments for firefighters in a more efficient manner. Training was provided at station level to help improve the input of data. New e-licensing system Leitrim Fire service piloted the new e-Licensing system developed by the Courts service to handle all licence applications for the Courts Service. Further enhancements are planned to the system in 2021. Fire Service Staffing Leitrim County Council ran a very successful recruitment campaign in late 2020 to fill a number of firefighter vacancies. Leitrim County Council employs 4 senior officers and 1 Assistance Fire Officer to run the service for the County from headquarters in Carrick-on-Shannon. Leitrim County Fire service has 5 fire stations throughout the County in Carrick-on-Shannon, Mohill, Drumshanbo, Ballinamore and Manorhamilton. The following number of firefighters were employed as of 31/12/2020.

Station No. of Firefighters

Carrick-on-Shannon 12

Mohill 8

Drumshanbo 8

Ballinamore 9

Manorhamilton 6

During 2020 fire service operations were curtailed due to the impact of Covid-19. Fire service training was suspended for part of the year. All fire service personnel were provided with PPE and were briefed and kept up to date with Covid 19 protocols at national and local level.


Leitrim Emergency Incidents in 2020 Leitrim fire service attended the following number of emergency incidents in 2020.

Breakdown of Incidents by Fire Station

Performance Indicators Leitrim County Fire service continues to comply with the minimum mobilizing time of 5 mins required for retained brigades in the country. All our brigade units are mobilized in a time of just under 5 minutes. Average time taken, in minutes, to mobilise in respect of fire is 4.41 mins. This is a reduction from the 2019 figure. Average time taken, in minutes, to mobilise in respect of all other non-emergency incidents is 4.8 mins. This is a small increase from 2019.

Major Emergency Management

Images of the Mass Fatality Unit installed in Drumshanbo Leitrim.

Leitrim County Fire service continued to update our Major Emergency Plans and Appendices as well as our Directory of Contacts. Leitrim County Council produced a Severe Weather Plan and contributed to the development of the North West Regional Mass Fatality Plan for Covid 19. As a result, Leitrim County Council procured a refrigerated unit. This was installed and commissioned at the Civil Defence facility in Drumshanbo. Capacity Review The National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management carried out a capacity review on all aspects of the service in August 2020. Positive feedback was received, and a final report was issued. The Cross Border Emergency Management Group The aim of the group is to improve Cross Border Cooperation in emergency management. counties involved in the Republic. The counties involved in the Republic of Ireland are those in the North West and North East Emergency Management regions while in Northern Ireland the new Council areas making up the Western and Southern Emergency Planning Groups are included.

Station

No. of Incidents 2020 Assisting

Total Calls

Manorhamilton 69 11 80

Carrick-on-Shannon 46 5 51

Mohill 39 10 49

Drumshanbo 42 4 46

Ballinamore 49 1 50

245 31 276


Irish Prison Service Presentation to Community Forum collected by Civil

Defence.

During 2020 the activities of the group were hampered by the impact of Covid-19. Nevertheless, the group succeeded in completing the Cross Border Notification protocol and provided a briefing for the stakeholders in the Republic of Ireland. The group also produced a new Business Plan for the next three years 2021 - 2024.

Civil Defence Leitrim Civil Defence commenced 2020 with the completion of works associated with the occupation of the new premises in Drumshanbo. Volunteers were delighted to start the year on a positive note with a facility which would meet all their requirements for storage, training, and operations.

Civil Defence Headquarters, Drumshanbo

Operations

• In January Monaghan Civil Defence requested assistance with a water-based search for a missing person, which they were conducting with An Garda Siochana. The Sonar Team responded and assisted our colleagues in Monaghan over a 2-day search.

• In February Leitrim was once again impacted by flooding. The Drone Team carried out a number of aerial surveys of flooded areas. Assistance was provided to some elderly residents who were isolated by flood waters. Assistance and transport were provided over a number of days.

• In July / August a number of requests were received from the Coastguard to assist boats in difficulty on the Shannon. All incidents were dealt with by Volunteers without injury to the individuals involved.

• Throughout the year Volunteers remained on standby to respond to requests for assistance from the Principle Response Agencies in accordance with the Major Emergency Framework.

Covid 19 In late March with the arrival of Covid, Volunteers commenced training and preparations for possible requests for assistance from the Community and the Principle Response Agencies. Those requests arrived shortly afterwards and continued throughout the year. The following is a sample of the type of operations carried out by Volunteers on a weekly basis.

✓ Transport clients to Hospital appointments. Dublin/ Sligo/Galway/Roscommon.

✓ Transport clients to GP appointments. ✓ Transport clients to Dental appointments. ✓ Transport clients to Physio appointments. ✓ Shopping requirements for isolated/

vulnerable clients. ✓ Distribution of flowers donated by Irish Prison

Service. ✓ Transfer of Nursing Home residents. ✓ Assistance provided at Blood Donation Clinics. ✓ Operational support to National Ambulance

Service. ✓ Assistance to other Civil Defence Units with

operations. (Donegal/Roscommon.) ✓ Operation and maintenance of Temporary

Mass Fatality Storage Facility at Civil Defence Base.

✓ Collection and storage of Local Authority P.P.E. Training Routine training was impacted by the arrival of Covid and the subsequent restrictions. However essential training continued. Training was provided to Local Authority Staff in donning and doffing P.P.E. in conjunction with the Health and Safety Officer.


Water Services Multi Annual Rural Water Programme 2019 – 2021 The Rural Water Department entered year two of our three-year Multi Annual Rural Water Programme. In 2020, we achieved the following:

the estimated cost of this GSS and the Grant Funding available. The Scheme has been requested to submit details of all costs incurred to date by the GSS and we are awaiting this information from the GSS.

Capital Grants paid to Group Water Schemes in 2020 under the Multi Annual Rural Water Programme 2019 – 2021 Capital Grants totalling €151,190.67 were paid by Leitrim County Council in 2020 to Group Water Schemes under the following Measures of the Multi Annual Rural Water Programme.

Measure 5 - Taking in Charge of GWS’s & GSS’s by Irish Water - Summary 2020

Number of Schemes allocated Funding 25 (24 GWS’s &

1 GSS)

Number of Schemes submitted to Irish Water

14 (13 GWS’s &

1 GSS)

Number of Schemes Taken in Charge by Irish Water

6 (5 GWS’s &

1 GSS)

Funding Spent to Date €19,731.50

Environmental and Public Health Compliance – Breveiga GWS Co-Operative Society Ltd.) This Group Water Scheme remains on a Boil Water Notice.

• €21,141.83 was paid to the scheme in respect of source protection and network upgrade works completed.

• Tendering for upgrade works to the Water Treatment Plant was completed and works will proceed in 2021 subject to Departmental approval.

Hartley-Cartown Group Sewerage Scheme Leitrim County Council are awaiting a response from this GSS Committee regarding a decision on the future of this GSS having regard to the Funding Gap between

Measure 8 – Individual wells (private or household wells) In June 2020, the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage launched the new Private Well Grant Programme. The Programme saw an increase in funding across a range of measures from the previous well grant Programme. A total of 7 Individual Well Grants paid in 2020 in the total sum of €14,194.30. Subsidy towards Operational Costs of Group Water Schemes In 2020, a total of 32 Subsidy Applications were processed and paid to Group Water Schemes to a total value of €381,015. Covid 19 The Covid-19 Pandemic resulted in construction works on some GWS’s being delayed in 2020. The Rural Water Office of Leitrim County Council was in ongoing contact with all GWS’s around the County regarding the operation of their GWS’s during the Pandemic. This office provided guidance to GWS Committee’s regarding the necessary precautions to comply with public health guidelines and contingency measures needed in order to minimise disruption to water supplies should a member of the operations team contract Covid 19.


#glenadevalley

Delivering for Our Places Shaping our landscape and creating our identity are our Places. We will continue to sustain and create great places throughout the county. We will support and develop our towns and villages so that they are vibrant and dynamic spaces today and into the future. We will tackle the challenges faced by environmental and climatic changes. We will seek to develop solutions and identify opportunities for our places that deliver access to services and facilities that meet the needs of our people and communities into the future. We will promote and celebrate the unique nature of individual places and the county as whole; protecting our heritage and providing opportunity and access to the arts, information, lifelong learning and cultural events.

Environment and Climate Action EPA Ambient Air Quality Monitoring The Environmental Protection Agency manages the national ambient Air Quality Monitoring Network. An air quality monitoring station was installed in Carrick-on-Shannon in late 2020. This will be of great benefit to the public in Carrick-on-Shannon town, giving them real time information on air quality. We look forward to this Air Quality Data being made available to the Public which is in the common good interest and will help to improve people’s public health and particularly those as risk with asthma, respiratory conditions etc. The data for the Carrick Air Quality monitor is available on the EPA website: https://airquality.ie/station/EPA-80. The map updates regularly with the most up-to-date calculated Air Quality Index for Health (AQIH) for each station.

Air Quality Monitoring Station Carrick on Shannon

Anti-Dumping Initiative 2020 As part of the 2020 Anti-Dumping Initiative, funding was made available through the Connaught/Ulster Waste Enforcement Regional Lead Authority to Leitrim County Council to carry out a number of projects, aimed at reducing illegal dumping activities. Each project undertaken by Leitrim County Council was based on how it could best tackle the issue of illegal dumping through Education, Enforcement, Abatement and Prevention. A brief synopsis of each project is provided overleaf.

Towns & Villages Environment & Climate Heritage & Culture

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https://airquality.ie/information/air-quality-index-for-health


Synopsis of each project under the Anti-Dumping Initiative 2020

In a county-wide media campaign, people in and around the Leitrim area were encouraged to drop off their unwanted bicycles to Manorhamilton Civic Amenity Site, Sligo Road, Manorhamilton and also to Mohill Civic Amenity Site, Tullybarden, Mohill. The bicycles were then stored at these locations until collected by local prison services and then delivered to a prison bike workshop at Loughan House Prison in County Cavan. There, the bikes were refurbished before their onward journey to Gambia, where children use them to shorten their journeys to school every day. School Bikes for Africa Project forwards the refurbished bikes to people, for who this simple mode of transport can transform their daily lives.

Bikes for Africa Leitrim County Council in conjunction with Rotary Club Ireland have been recycling bikes from our civic amenity sites and shipping them to school children and families in Africa, thanks to Anti-Dumping Initiative Funding.

The project allows the local community to find a good use for quality usable bicycles that are no longer required and provides life enhancing mobility to school children in The Gambia.

Launch of Bikes for Africa Project in Leitrim in August 2020

Bulky Household Waste Collection Events During the 2020 Anti-Dumping Initiative, funding was made available through the Connaught/Ulster Waste Enforcement Regional Lead Authority to Leitrim County Council to hold Bulky Household Waste Collection events within the County. Leitrim County Council held four successful Bulky Household Waste Collection events in Leitrim during September 2020. It was necessary to select two separate locations in Leitrim to best suit the County’s geographic. The events were held at Lough Rynn Amenity Area, Mohill and Manorhamilton Civic Amenity, Manorhamilton on 12th & 19th September 2020 from 10am to 4pm each day. It was established that the Bulky Household Waste that could be included were: suites of furniture, armchairs, indoor/outdoor dining sets, bikes, mattresses, kitchen and bathroom furniture. The events were widely advertised through social media platforms, local newspaper and local radio stations. A total of 74.9 Tonnes of Bulky Household Waste was collected between Mohill (2 days) and Manorhamilton (2 days). The event ran efficiently and in line with COVID guidelines, with customers co-operating and being very appreciative of this worthwhile initiative.


Site location Prepared for Bulky Household Waste Collection Event – Lough Rynn Amenity Area Mohill

Image of waste collected at the Bulky Goods Collections events ran by Leitrim County Council in September 2020

Litter Management Plan 2020-2023 Leitrim County Council adopted its Litter Management Plan 2020-2023 at Council Meeting held in September 2020. The quality of the local environment and in particular, its litter management is a visible barometer for the public in judging an area’s attractiveness.

Implementing best practice litter management is paramount to achieving Leitrim County Council’s mission to make Leitrim a sustainable, creative, inclusive County where individuals, family and businesses can flourish. The Litter

Pollution Act 1997 requires that each Local Authority shall make and implement a Litter Management Plan in respect of its functional area for a three-year period. A

report on the review of the plan will be submitted annually to the Council for consideration. Leitrim County Council engaged in a process of statutory consultation, including discussion at Strategic Policy Committee level and invited public submissions/observations, prior to the replacement of the Litter Management Plan. Leitrim County Council’s Litter Management Plan 2020-2023 sets out the objectives and actions required to implement the plan over the next three years under the following headings. 1. Litter Prevention & Control 2. Public Awareness, Advisory Measures and Youth Education Measures 3. Community & Voluntary Cooperative Measures 4. Enforcement Measures

Dawn of Hope Bridge surrounded in peat

Landslide on Shass Mountain A major landslide occurred at Shass Mountain on 28th of June 2020, several kilometres north east of the village of Drumkeeran. A large area of upland bog including forestry moved off the mountain and large quantities of liquefied peat, vegetation and trees flowed down the mountain. The landslide followed the course of the Diffagher river resulting in ecological damage to the river over its entire length between the Dawn of Hope bridge to Lough Allen. Actions taken at Dawn of Hope Bridge:

• Council appointed RPS Group to undertake a risk assessment report of the bridge and options for reinforcement to prevent collapse. Report completed within days of appointment.

• New bridge was constructed, abutting the old structure on the downstream side to support it from collapse.


• Opening of two public roads LS8423 and the LS8244-2 – this required removal of large quantity of peat and the build-up and reconstruction of carriageway.

• Extensive cleaning of material clogging the sections of the Diffagher river in the low areas, placing the removed peat in the fields adjacent to the roadworks and along the river.

At eight no. different sites water samples were collected for analyses, at each site the GPS locations and field measurements were recorded in the downstream section of the river as it flows towards Lough Allen. These sites are being monitored and water samples analysed monthly by the Environment Department. A number of these sites are now showing significant improvement in water quality parameters tested. Total Number of Pollution Cases’ During 2020 Leitrim County Council experienced an increase in the number of customer complaints relating to environmental pollution. (631 received in 2020, 405 received in 2019), largely due to lockdown restrictions imposed by Government due to COVID 19 pandemic with many people seeing and exploring more of their locality than ever before and being extra vigilant. Funding through the Anti-Dumping Initiative was set aside to assist in clean-up of illegal dump sites which may have occurred during Covid 19 pandemic given the rise in complaint cases. The funding also allowed for additional monitoring & surveillance of sites following clean up through engagement with Tidy Towns Groups.

Community Development Peace IV programme

➢ Leitrim PEACE IV Funding Programme ERDF

Funding €

Government Match Funding €

Total €

Building Positive Relations

502,330 88,646.48 590,976.48

Children & Young People

329,084.54 58,075.75 387,158.29

Shared Space & Services

717,229.11 126,569.85 843,798.96

Overall Funding

1,548,643.6 273,292.08 1,821,933.7

*Additional match funding of €146,458 provided by Leitrim CoCo for Mohill Library extension

➢ Shared Space & Services

Three capital projects under Shared Space & Services:

Kiltyclogher Community Centre

Investment of €115,030.47 in Peace funding to refurbish kitchen and lounge area, green room, and community hall space.

Mohill Library Investment of €263,572 in Peace funding with match funding of €146,458 to build new extension to the existing Mohill Library aswell as an additional community space, An Seomra Cairdis. A full refurbishment of the Main Library, Sensory & Meeting Rooms also carried out.

Refurbishment and new extension to Sextons House, Manorhamilton

Investment of €291,959 to create a new cross-community hub in Manorhamilton.

Peace IV Mohill Shared Space – An Seomra Cairdis

Peace IV - Manorhamilton Shared Space – Sexton’s House Community Hub

Key Achievements included the development of 3 Steering Committees who have proved themselves very capable in developing Actions Plans and Terms of Use for the 3 Shared Space Projects. The completion of Mohill and Manorhamilton to an excellent standard despite delays due to COVID restrictions.


➢ Building Positive Relations Six projects were delivered under Building Positive Relations with 236 participants. Support Programme for Ethnic Minority Communities, Support Programme for Minority Faith Communities, Events around Women’s Suffrage, Rural Women’s Along the Border, Remembering Leitrim War Dead Programme and Capacity Building in Kiltyclogher and Cashel. Key Successes:

• Development of 4 community gardens in Fenagh, Oaklands Estate, Carrick-on-Shannon, Newtowngore & Manorhamilton.

• Installation of 3 WW1 Memorial benches – two on the location of our Shared Space capital projects and one in Carrigallen alongside the 1916 Memorial.

• Re-invigorate the Leitrim International Community Group (LICG) & the Leitrim Intercultural Forum (LIF).

• Publishing of the first definitive online List of Leitrim’s War Dead from WW1 which is held by Leitrim Local Studies Library Service.

• Development of a mobile app and online resource charting local sites of interest & historical significance along the border area of Kiltyclogher in Leitrim and Cashel in Co. Fermanagh.

• The production of 7 unique handmade ‘story quilts’ depicting small villages on both sites of the border in North Leitrim. Each quilt tells a story about characters and places in the community.

➢ Children & Young People

Programmes under Children & Young People with 499 participants included the following:

• Cross-Border exchange project – Open Tender delivery by ETB/Music Generation Leitrim

• Peace Learning for Young People – Open Tender delivery by Foróige.

• Diversity Project: Conflict, Tolerance & Difference & Diversity Through the Arts - Open Tender delivery by Leitrim County Childcare Committee & the North Connaught Youth Services.

• Anti-social Behaviour Programme – Partner Delivery by Leitrim Development Company

• Sports 4 Peace – Open Tender delivery by the Centre for Sports Enterprise, Ulster University.

Key Achievements included:

• Meeting cross community targets as the challenge facing Leitrim was in terms of

recruiting younger participants from the minority faith group as numbers are small and many attend schools outside the County.

• Sustainability in other funding streams listed below, being used to continue projects started under PEACE IV.

• Continuation of cross border engagement between soccer clubs, especially newly formed under-age girls’ team in Carrick FC.

Covid 19 Community Helpline and Response Forum A dedicated Community Helpline was established in March 2020 offering a 7 day per week service to older and vulnerable people across Leitrim. The helpline was supported by an online mapping project which outlined all voluntary and statutory agencies that would support people who were cocooning. A network of supermarkets, pharmacies, agencies and volunteers that provided essential medical, shopping, transport, befriending, counselling services was established. The Community Response Forum is a multi-agency group and has supported the 'In this Together', 'Hold Firm' and ‘Keep Well’ programming campaigns. Through creativity, arts, sports, reading, heritage, or outdoor amenities, the programming encouraged people to staying connected, stay active, creative and eat well while minding their mental health. 2020 Highlights included:

• Setting up of a daily helpline for older/vulnerable people.

• Delivery of 3000 wellbeing packs to older people across Leitrim.

• Message of Hope Campaign to Older and Vulnerable People in conjunction with primary school children across Leitrim.

• Rechargeable Torches issued to 300 older and vulnerable people across Leitrim as part of our Light Up Lock Up Campaign.

Covid 19 Community Response – Distribution of wellbeing packs to older people across Leitrim


Healthy Ireland Programme Round 3 Funding was approved for Healthy Ireland Round 3 for the delivery of the Priority Themes and Community Mental Health Fund. The following was approved for rolling out in 2020: 1. Priority Themes €72,500 2. Community Mental Health Fund €32,050 3. Small Grants Fund €30,000 Under the Priority themes, five partners were appointed to roll out a series of programmes and activities.

• Healthy North Leitrim is being rolled out by the Beepark in Manorhamilton - A physical activity and nutrition programming.

• Breffni Family Resource Centre ran a series of activities for the residents of Townspark around health screening and providing health and wellbeing packs and programming to residents.

• North West Regional Drug and Alcohol forum delivered several initiatives based around early intervention alcohol consumption in adolescents.

• Leitrim Sports Partnership are running a variety of physical activities for Children and adolescents with additional needs.

• Finally, Leitrim County Council ran physical activities for people with mental health issues.

Highlights in 2020

• Over 200 people participated in the Stay Well Screening early intervention workshops.

• Informational Signage around low-risk drinking guidelines in place on 40 Bring banks across Leitrim.

• Use Your Brain Not Your Fists promotion reached 6,500 people in the first 57 days.

• Over 150 adults and children with additional needs participated in physical and wellbeing activities.

Community Mental Health Fund Leitrim Development Company ran a social farming programme for participants with additional needs while Leitrim Childcare Services rolled out Play Therapy virtual workshops to address anxiety and wellbeing issues with pre-school children. Mohill FRC ran a Brief Intervention support service for 12–18-year-olds who are showing early signs of mental health difficulty.

Key Achievements

• 15 students took part in social farming programme.

• New Social Farming report launched in September 2020.

• Social Farming participants from Heslin’s farm in Gortlettragh appeared on Ear to the Ground.

• Two virtual play therapy workshops delivered and supporting equipment purchased.

•

Social Farming Programme supported by Healthy Ireland

Playgrounds Drumshanbo Playground was upgraded with €22,500 from DCYA Capital Grant for Play & Recreation, and 25% match funding from Leitrim County Council. Funding of €45,000 was from Dept of Justice & Equality to provide a play area for Ballinamore Childcare. This project will be completed in 2021.

Drumshanbo Upgraded Playground

Age Friendly programme – Leitrim Age Friendly Alliance Age Friendly Ireland launched a national website https://agefriendlyireland.ie/ where Leitrim’s portal is now live. Six age-friendly smart tablets, specifically designed for use by older people, were provided to Árus Carolan, Mohill with funding of €3,225 provided via Age Friendly Ireland.

https://agefriendlyireland.ie/


Pride of Place- Local Authorities Programme, Co-operation Ireland Townspark housing estate (Carrick on Shannon) and Dromahair represented Leitrim in the annual Pride of Place Awards. This is an all-island competition, hosted online this year by Marty Morrissey with 6,000 people logging in from the 32 counties.

Townspark, Carrick on Shannon – Top Prize in the Urban Neighbourhood Category in the Pride of Place Winners Awards.

Townspark took top prize in the best Urban Neighbourhood category, with judges saying: “This entry concerns an urban neighbourhood that is blessed and fortunate to be served by an extremely diligent and productive group providing an extensive range of services from childcare to healthy eating projects”. Comhairle na Nóg ICT Capital Funding Funding of €5374.12 was secured from the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to support on-going delivery of Comhairle na nÓg. Laptops and PCs were purchased for an ICT suite based in Drumshanbo. The Comhairle AGM was held virtually in November, and the online format with breakout rooms produced great feedback from the 72 young people participating.

Community Grants – Covid 19, Community Enhancement, Healthy Ireland Community funding increased for community groups impacted by Covid 19. Under the Community Enhancement Programme 2020, 107 groups around the county were offered funding. Small grants accounted for €53,040 Round 1 and larger grants circa

€3,000 accounted for €94,491 under Round 2 (Community Centres & Community Buildings). Under the Covid19 Community Response Fund, €56,393 was distributed to 62 groups while € 30,000 was allocated under Healthy Ireland to 14 organisations to deliver mental health programmes.

Library Services One of the highlights of 2020 for the library service was its ‘Open Day’ on Saturday February 29th. All 9 branch libraries across the county were open and members of the public were actively invited to attend a range of events and activities which included 3D Printing Workshops, Science Workshops, Creative Writing Workshops, Puppet Shows, Storytelling, Exercise and Fitness Classes, Art &Craft Workshops as well as demonstrations of library online services and showcasing of local studies material. All events received very positive engagement and feedback and resulted in a number of new library memberships.

Open Day Art Event at Ballinamore Library

Covid 19 Impact Following government advice, all public library services in the country had to close their physical buildings to the public on Thursday March 12th to address the spread of the Covid 19 Virus. This resulted in staff very quickly becoming heavily engaged in the promotion of library online services and developing a range on online content for access by library members. During April and May and again in October and November many library staff were also engaged in supporting Leitrim County Council’s Community Helpline.


June saw the to roll out the very popular ‘Contact and Collect’ service whereby library members could request items and collect them from libraries across the county. It was also possible to offer a limited ‘Browse and Borrow’ service in selected branches where space and public health guidelines allowed. While the restrictions severely impacted physical visits and borrowings the number of online items borrowed trebled when compared to the previous year with the number of users of online services doubling in number.

Helen and Derval in Carrick-on-Shannon Library preparing for the ‘Contact and Collect’ Service

‘Right to Read’ Initiative All activities under the National ‘Right to Read’ initiative was delivered online with library staff engaging in a

range of story-time, arts & craft activities, quizzes and competitions for children as part of the ‘Spring into Storytime’, Summer Stars and Children’s Book Festival programmes. All events under the ‘Healthy Ireland at Your Library’ initiative took place before the closure of library buildings in March. These included yoga workshops for children, exercise and fitness classes for adults as well as a number of talks on the subject of asthma, COPD and Arthritis and Osteoporosis. All events proved to be very popular and were well attended.

Open Day Healthy Ireland Event in Kiltyclogher Library with Karen

A number of new bespoke shelving units were also purchased for the larger branch libraries in order to highlight and promote the broad range of health and well-being titles available in the collection. Decade of Centenaries Funding in the amount of €10,000 was received to cover the 2020 programme in County Leitrim. The funding was used to cover costs associated with the digitisation of local studies material relating to 1920/21 period and also to develop a Leitrim Decade of Centenaries website www.leitrimdoc.ie Funding Funding secured under the DRCD Small Scale Capital Works Grant for Public Libraries resulted in a number of upgrade works taking place in Drumshanbo, Mohill and Manorhamilton Branch Libraries. Dormant Accounts Funding for Library Supports for Marginalised, Socially Excluded and Disadvantaged Communities was used to provide a more sensory friendly space in the recently refurbished Mohill Library and also to upgrade a separate Sensory Room for those with sensory issues.

Refurbished Mohill Library

National Age Friendly Strategy As part of the National Age Friendly Strategy and through engagement with the Leitrim Age Friendly Alliance, a focus was placed on understanding and responding to the specific needs of older people. Additional library stock items in large print format as well as audio books on CD were purchased and made

available through each library service point. Stuart Lawn from Fab Lab at the 3D Printing Open Day event in Manorhamilton Library

http://www.leitrimdoc.ie/


Other Highlights in 2020 include: ➢ As part of the government’s Keep Well

campaign, which aims to support people and communities to mind their physical and mental health Leitrim Library Service partnered with five primary schools around the county, in a ‘Christmas Post’ initiative which involved children writing letters to residents of Care Homes in the county. The letters together with a book for each resident were delivered to each Care Home just before Christmas.

➢ There was also a good reaction to the Council’s

first online ‘Advent Calendar’ from Leitrim people at home and abroad who enjoyed engaging in the suggested activities which ranged from making a seasonal wreath to baking mince pies.

➢ Library staff working on the Community

Response Helpline used the opportunity to promote the service to the two Leitrim based Befriending Services (Leitrim Calling and Rossinver Calling) and included information regarding the service in the Well Being Pack which was issued by Leitrim County Council. There was a very positive response to this resulting in a number of new library memberships.

➢ An RRDF Application was submitted for a new

library development in Dromahaire. The proposal involves extending the library’s traditional role with facilities for the digital provision of information and services. Plans include for the incorporation of a digital hub which will facilitate people in interacting, learning and exploring new and emerging technologies.

➢ Work on projects, in partnership with other

local authority departments, continued such as with the Arts Department on the Creative Ireland Yellow River project and the Cruinniú na nÓg national day of creativity programme for young people.

2020 Summary - Library Services With library buildings closed for much of 2020, the service was very focused on assisting members access the range of online services from e-books e-magazines and e-newspapers to e-courses and e-language learning. Usage of these services increased significantly in 2020. There was a threefold increase in the number of e-books and e-audio books borrowed

with the number of users doubling in number. The number of new registrations for Universal Class where library members can take the opportunity to undertake an online course of study also more than doubled with users keen to avail of the e-learning option in terms of continuing education and continuous professional development. The most popular courses included the suite of Microsoft courses such as Word, Excel and Power-point as well as Delegation Skills, Dealing with Difficult People and Stress Management. The Online Newspaper and Magazine service PressReader recorded over 83,000 articles read and the top 3 online Language Courses taken in 2020 through Transparent Languages were Portuguese, Hungarian and Italian.

Leisure and Recreation Leitrim Sport Partnership had a challenging year regarding programme delivery but when possible and within the government and HSE Covid guidelines, we did deliver some exciting initiatives and including online physical activity initiatives for many different target groups within the community. The Leitrim Sports Partnership (LSP) team of four staff members was very proactive in developing Programmes online where participants could participate in physical activity initiatives within the 5km distances from home or they could engage and participate at home. Please see below some examples of the Programmes delivered with 3,212 people participating in LSP Programmes in 2020. ➢ Education & Training - Safeguarding 1: This course educates participants

on the implementation of best practice in protecting the welfare of children involved in sport. We have run a total of 9 Safeguarding1 courses this year 3 classroom based and 6 online. Total Participants: 105 (male 64 & female 41)

- Safeguarding 2 Club Children’s Officer Training: We ran 2 Safeguarding2 courses this year, 1 classroom based and 1 online. Total Participants: 16 (male 4 & female 12)

- Sports First Aid: This course is ideal for coaches and volunteers who deal with sports injuries or for those who offer immediate emergency care at sporting / training events. We ran 2 Sports First Aid Courses this year classroom based. Total Participants: 14


➢ Athletics Ireland Assistant Coaching Course This course is an introduction to coaching in three key event areas, Running (Sprints and Endurance), Jumping (Long Jump) and Throwing (Shot Putt). It delivered in partnership with Athletics Ireland regional development officer Dermot McGranaghan. It was funded through the Volunteer Supports fund. Total participants: 51 participants (16 male, 35 female)

➢ Inclusive All Stars GAA Club CARA Sport Inclusion

Disability Course We hosted an online zoom training workshop for volunteers who will be coaching and helping out with our new inclusive GAA club in St Mary’s GAA club. Total 23 males 10 females 10 Total participants: 23 participants (13 male, 10 female). We ran basic child protection courses which were delivered to Gaelic for Mothers and Other participants and their club mates via the Ladies Gaelic Football Development programme. Total: 15 participants. ➢ Primary School Sports Hall Athletics programme We held Heat 1 in Manorhamilton and Heats 2 & 3 in Ballinamore of the countywide primary schools’ competition The County and National Finals were cancelled due to Covid 19. Total number: 878

➢ BeActive Day in Lough Rynn On Saturday 26th September we delivered a Be Active day celebration of Sport at the Lough Rynn Amenity Area. Carrick on Shannon Rowing Club members took part in a training session in the early morning. Women on the Water participants took part in a conclusion paddle later in the morning. Bornacoola Youth Group members took part in a lovely cycle around Lough Rynn. Children with additional needs took part in a movement to music session and also took part in an angling session on a boat on Lough Rynn. Total participants: 91

➢ Women on the Water Women on the Water 2020 commenced with four programmes on Tuesday 28th July in Drumshanbo, Wednesday 29th July in Ballinamore, Thursday 30th July in Lough Rynn and Friday 31st July in Drumsna and will run for 6 weeks Total Number: 80

➢ National Bike Week Round Up: Many groups throughout Leitrim facilitated events to support Bike week which took place from 19th- 27th September.

- Annaduff ICA completed a cycle along the Blueway.

- Lough Key Tri Club members and their friends completed a 225km cycle around county Leitrim.

- Eslin GAA club completed a walk and cycle from their local GAA pitch.

- Leitrim Cycling Festival hosted a cycling confidence workshop.

- Ballinamore Men’s Shed completed a Senior Cycle along the canal in Ballinamore.

- St Clares NS Manorhamilton took part in a school cycle with the senior students in the school.

- Bee Park Sports Hub hosted open Spinning Sessions in Manorhamilton.

- Differeen NS had a talk from the community Gardai and took part in a recreational cycle.

- Foroige Gamechangers took part in a group cycle on the Blueway.

- Gaelscoil Liatroma took part in a Bike Maintenance workshop and school cycle.

- Lough Key Tri club hosted an open cycle with the option of a 20K and 40K cycle.

- Drumshanbo NS school students cycled the Blueway.

➢ Kayaking Taster Day for children with Down

Syndrome We completed a Kayaking taster day with The Leitrim West Cavan Branch of Down Syndrome where the children/ young adults with Down Syndrome, their parents and siblings got the opportunity to have lots of


fun taking part in kayaking lessons in Garadice Lake. We had two groups and a total of 12 children with down syndrome and in addition their parents/siblings taking part in the sessions over the day. ➢ Chair Exercise and Dance Fit Six-week program for people with disabilities started on the 9th of November with a huge turnout of 68 people logging into our zoom sessions. Total Participants 68 (28 males, 40 females) ➢ Girls Active Programme Girls Active is a physical activity programme targeting teenage girls in schools in Leitrim. It is a joint initiative between the Health Service Executive and Leitrim Sports Partnership. We have six post primary schools participating with 127 girls participating on this programme. Total Number 127

➢ Online Programmes A series of videos were created by Michelle Fanning, Sports Inclusion Development Officer some of which were Fun Toilet Roll Challenge, Nature Walk, Shoulder Exercises, Resistance Band Workout, Chair Exercises and Healthy Tips. These videos have been very successful in reaching out to participants that have engaged with Leitrim Sports Partnership in the past along with developing a new audience. These videos got over 13,115 views.

➢ Strength & flexibility Programmes We held two 6-week Strength & flexibility programme chair exercise programme with Fenagh Active Age group with 5 males and 20 females participating on the programmes. We held two 6-week Strength & flexibility programmes chair exercise programmes with Drumkeeran Active Age group with 8 males and 15 females participating on the programmes. We held a 6-week Strength & Flexibility Programme with simple chair exercises split into two groups due to Covid regulations in Ballinamore with 10 females in group 1 and 9 females in group 2. Total participants 67.

Michelle also

organized a series of

zoom classes ‘Ability

not Disability Inclusive Fitness’

based around dance and exercise which have been very

successful. These classes are in six-week blocks averaging attendance 10 per class. Disability Inclusion Dance Fit Programme, Disability Inclusion Chair Exercise Programme, Stretch and Flow are just a few of these classes. These received positive feedback. ➢ December Challenge This initiative involves participants setting a challenge for them to achieve during the month of December. Total: 152 people signed up to complete this challenge Bee Sports Hub Leitrim Sports Partnership supported the Bee Sports Hub which has a woman in sport initiative, nutrition and self-care and home workouts, an investment in skiing machines and taster sessions with coaches, board meetings and guest speakers, creative writing, cookery virtual walks and storytelling. 2020 Performance The activity of Leitrim Sports Partnership is delivered by a team of four staff members and a pool of extremely committed and talented community sport coaches. All our activity is overseen and guided by the LSP board. This year had challenges in our mission to facilitate a positive culture of enjoyment in sports and physical activity. Developing a range of online classes and exercise programmes way a new way to draw in an audience. Visitors to our YouTube and other social media channels have greatly increased and while maintaining a good relationship with our current audience, we have also reached to more people. Having access to healthy eating and healthy living programmes have been popular during the lockdown and we have received a great response to the range of classes and workshops we have to offer such as a workshop in resilience with Sligo based psychologist Shane Martin and a motivation workshop with Donegal based internationally renowned global endurance athlete Jason Black.

Arts 2020 proved to be a very challenging year for the Arts where programmes, venues and galleries were closed overnight, with loss to the livelihoods of those who work in the sector and to the communities they serve. While programmes such as Spark, Leitrim Youth Theatre, Cruinniú na nÓg and Culture Night continued on a smaller scale, others pivoted quickly in response to the crisis and expanded to meet the needs of the sector and the community.

Thanks a million Michelle for getting these classes

organised. They're a big hit with NLN Manor! Thanks

for everything. Staff Member NLN

Manorhamilton


Community Engagement The majority of community engagement initiatives the arts office was involved in this year were developed as part of Leitrim County Council’s Creative Ireland programme which involve many different departments and partners. Open Call Projects

• Drumsna Community Resource Centre Senior Citizens Group completed the project “Back to the Future”, an online journey through childhood songs and stories with singer Fionnuala Maxwell.

• Modern Day Mummers saw dancer Edwina Guckian, singer Fionnuala Maxwell and musician Brian Mostyn visiting elderly cocooners, re-enacting a mumming tradition providing a unique and opportunity to break the social isolation experienced by some older people in Leitrim.

• Magnetise, A Call for Home, was an intergenerational performance project between six internationally based professional dance artists and two local community groups, WILL (Women Living Independently in Leitrim) and Creative Current Youth Dance.

• MuseHyper, a group of 12 young autistic adults worked with Artist Denise Corbett on a project using digital photography to explore their immediate environment.

• Web-Spinning was a creative writing project for disabled people living in Leitrim working with Artist Isolde O’Brolcháin Carmody creating stories reflecting their experiences in the current situation.

• Leitrim Intercultural Forum Music worked with musicians Ciaran Rock and Brian Sweeney bringing together people of different cultures living in Leitrim to source, learn, write and arrange several songs from different countries including Ireland.

• Helena Golden Willow Woman completed online workshops with Carrick ICA and Tidy Towns groups.

• Shannonside Community Childcare Centre and artist Kate Murtagh Sheridan are working with the Museum of County Life to develop a project based on Traveller Culture and Identity.

• North Leitrim Men’s Shed worked with actor Paddy McEnaney to write and record a radio play for broadcast on Ocean FM.

• Leitrim County Council were successful in a joint application with Mayo, Donegal and Roscommon which saw artist Andy Parsons paint the portraits of 12 elderly people through Zoom. The paintings will be exhibited together in a virtual gallery for Bealtaine in 2021 before being returned to the sitters.

Artist Andy Parsons paints one his subjects as part of a Creative Ireland Creativity in Older Age project with Roscommon, Sligo, Leitrim and Donegal Local

Authorities.

• The Organic Centre worked with artist Sarah Lundy to develop a creative environmental programme focusing on biodiversity, sustainability, organic growing, and climate change.

Magnetise Dance Project

Culture Night For Culture Night this year, onsite events were held in The Dock, St. Georges Heritage Centre, Rainbow Ballroom of Romance, The Glens Centre and Leitrim Sculpture Centre while Leitrim Intercultural Group, The Dock and Rabbits Riot Theatre Company streamed online events on the evening.


SPARK Despite lockdown, artist Amanda Jane Graham continued to work with Image Skillnet in Drumshanbo developing a series of works that look at hairdressing in Ireland and how it has evolved in our culture over centuries.

‘Romans in Rollers’ by Amanda Jane Graham as part of her SPARK residency at Image Skillnet in Drumshanbo.

Support to Arts Organisations We continued to support The Dock, The Glens Centre, Solas Gallery and The Cornmill Theatre, which adapted quickly to providing events and activities online and outdoors. A crucial concern for 2021 will be to ensure that venues such as The Dock, which normally welcomes over 40,000 visitors per annum with over 20,000 people attending 2,300 performances, workshops and other activities can continue to provide for our communities at this time, but more crucially, can emerge intact following the current restrictions and hit the ground running, servicing those communities and audiences from Leitrim, and visitors from elsewhere, that we all rely on. Children & Young People Many initiatives for children and young people that the Arts Office has been involved in this year were also developed as part of Leitrim County Council’s Creative Ireland programme that involved different departments and partners.

➢ Creative Ireland Open Call Young members of Leitrim Down Syndrome group completed a digital photography project with artist Anna Leask over zoom, acknowledging the artistic capacity of children and young people with an intellectual disability, specifically Down Syndrome, and their family unit.

Dancer Edwina Guckian produced a film ‘Le Cheile Ona Cheile’ featuring 41 young dancers from Leitrim, the surrounding counties and from New York dancing within 2km of their homes.

Image from the film Le Chéile Óna Chéile by Edwina Guckian with 42 dancers for Cruinniú na nÓg.

Other Programmes

• The Dock’s ‘2Km, 3 Locations’ was a project for young poeple led by artists David Smith, Anna Leask, Wayne O Connor and Laura Mahon for young people aged 14-19.

• Artist Crona Gallagher worked with Diffreen National school afterschool group to create a stained-glass panel focusing on the natural world.

• North Connacht Youth Services are working with artist Phoebe Dick to develop a street art project.

• Fab Lab Manorhamilton worked with parents and children to design unique music making machines.

Youth Theatre Manorhamilton and Carrigallen were able to complete their programmes with junior and senior groups combining in-person and online workshops as restrictions permitted. ➢ Cruinniú na nÓg Cruinniú na nÓg continued in 2020 albeit on a smaller scale, and successes in 2020 included:

• Virtual Sustainable Fashion Show with Rabbits Riot Theatre Company.

• NATURE NURTURE online exhibition with The Dock.

• ‘Build Your Own Wings’ with artist Crona Gallagher.

• Leitrim Organic Centre children’s groups with artist Sarah Lundy.

• Dungeons and Dragons workshop with Illustrator and group facilitator, Wayne O’Connor.


• Design Construction workshop with Fab Lab Manorhamilton and Mastersons NS.

• Mohill Storytelling workshop with Alan Woods and artist Kate Murtagh-Sheridan.

• Mudbugs workshops with Leitrim Library Service.

• Live Music broadcast from The Glens and masterclass programme with Glen Hansard.

• EZxploring Art Workshops with Leitrim Design House

➢ Music Generation While most school projects were heavily impacted by Covid-19, instrument tuition continued online as did Musical Lockdown Sessions and Shannon Voices programmes. Leitrim Youth Trad Orchestra continued to meet online with their recording of ‘Si Bheag Si Mhor’ selected to be played at The Ireland Fund Annual Conference in New York.

Image from the film of Leitrim Youth Trad Orchestra’s performance of Carolan’s Sí Bheag, Sí Mhór

Professional Development In tandem with our Community Engagement Programme we reconfigured our professional development programme, Creative Frame, to be entirely on-line. On top of the usual training programme, we rapidly upskilled artists in the use of on-line technologies and developed new ways of networking online to enhance peer-learning. Training and Networking undertaken included: - ‘Filming and Editing on Your Smartphone’ with

Michael Fortune - ‘Digital Marketing for Artists’ with Emma Dwyer - ‘How to Present Your Work to an Audience’ with

Declan Drohan. - Music Capital Scheme seminar in partnership with

Music Network. - Wellness and Resilience for Artists with Margaret

Dorgan. - Child Protection Training with the National Youth

Council of Ireland. - Writing proposals (including one-to-one clinics)

- 4-part workshop series with Lepus Print for writers on Professionalizing their Practice.

- Tax Matters for Artists with chartered accountant John Dempsey (including one to one clinics)

- Training for festivals and venues to manage physical events under Covid-19 and how to successfully move events online.

- Working online with Kate Wilson, Crona Gallagher and Edwina Guckian.

- On-line Studio Tours with Esther Hoad, Edwina Guckian and Natalyia Beyliss.

- On-line Studio Tours with Monica Corish, Padraig Meehan and Kate Murtagh Sheridan

International Developed marketing material and researched potential EU partners and with a view to developing a partnership for the Creative Europe Programme in 2021. Along with, brokered relationships with partners in Sweden and Macedonia. In terms of Evaluation, published report on ‘Career Practice and Development of Artists in the Creative Frame Network’. Film Further developed and implemented the REDF project Creative Heartlands supporting the film and design sectors in partnership with Sligo and Roscommon County Councils and Local Enterprise Offices. In addition, developed a partnership with Sligo and Roscommon County Councils for WRAP II. Social Practice Programme Developed and published a comprehensive online toolkit for artists www.socialpracticetoolkit.com. Also, developed a 6-month training programme on Social Practice in partnership with Cork City Council. Creative Sector Jobs Stimulus Programme As part of Leitrim County Council’s Creative Ireland programme and arising from specific funding provided through the Government Jobs Stimulus Package, Leitrim County Council developed and issued three new programmes to support the sector and those working in it. ➢ Creative Sector Internship Programme for Arts

Organisations to employ interns for 20 weeks. ➢ Leitrim Creative Sector Co-Support Programme

providing grants for artists to collaborate. ➢ Leitrim Creative Sector Tech Voucher Programme

for artists to use tech hubs.

http://www.socialpracticetoolkit.com/


Bursaries In 2020 Leitrim County Council provided direct grant aid to 41 individual artists while four further artists were supported through the Arts Office mentoring programme. Leitrim Arts Awards The Arts Office hosted the Creative Frame Christmas Get Together and Leitrim Arts Awards on-line this year which was attended by 50 guests and addressed by Director of the Arts Council Maureen Kennelly, Actor Pauline McGlynn and Cathaoirleach, Cllr. Mary Bohan who presented the awards. Four specially commissioned films on the recipients, The Home Place with Brian Leyden, The Organic Centre with artist Sarah Lundy, Web-Spinning by Isolde O’Brolcháin Carmody and Back to the Future with Fionnuala Maxwell were also shown. As part of Leitrim County Council’s Creative Ireland programme last March Edwina Guckian produced a film ‘Le Cheile Ona Cheile’ featuring 41 young dancers from Leitrim, the surrounding counties and from New York dancing within 2km of their homes. On Twitter it was shared by the Minister for the Arts and the Irish Consulate NYC. On Facebook it had over 40,000 organic reach. Later in the year the Modern-Day

Mummers project with Edwina, singer Fionnuala Maxwell and musician Brian Mostyn visiting elderly cocooners featured on RTE and has gained huge national following as a result. In December, a film of Leitrim Youth Trad Orchestra playing Carolan’s ‘Sí Bheag, Sí Mhór’ was chosen to be shown at The Ireland Fund Annual Conference in New York, while Cate’s Waltz by Youth Orchestra Director Lorraine Sweeney and arranged by Michael Rooney has had over 20,000 views. In December one of the co-support projects that received international attention was a music video filmed in Leitrim by Drumshanbo band, The Vibes, who worked with a filmmaker to create this video. The song called ‘Christmas Feels Different’ was produced by Grammy-winning LA-based music producer Greg Wells. While many in-person activities were not possible this year, a corresponding increase in online engagement meant that performance indicators were broadly in line with previous years. However, this only accounts for direct engagement in activities and does not include the thousands of new followers and online audiences that online arts events gained last year.

https://bit.ly/3vRXpw6


#Ballinamore Pol an Eas

Delivering for Our Economy Delivering opportunity for all our people and places is our local Economy. Economic development and sustaining economic growth are core to what we do and underpins and drives much of what we deliver, whether it be directly or indirectly. We will focus on building and sustaining the conditions that allow our economy to grow. We will lead, mobilise and support economic development across County Leitrim, maximising our potential. We will capitalise on our strengths, continuing to invest in the county’s strong entrepreneurial culture through the Local Enterprise Office. We will invest and build our Tourism brand, experience and offer, expanding reach, appeal and opportunity. We will seek out and attract inward investment potential by creating and marketing the county as an attractive and viable business location; and

Economic Development Monthly meetings are held which deal with the general operation of the LCDC and monitoring of the Local Economic and Community Plan (LECP) as well as programmes which the LCDC is responsible for oversight of including, Rural Development Programme – RDP (LEADER element), Social Inclusion Community Activation (SICAP) programme, Leitrim Peace IV programme, Healthy Ireland Fund, Community Enhancement Programme. Information is also provided to the LCDC on other funding streams for e.g., CLAR, Town & Village and Outdoor Rural Recreational Infrastructure Scheme. The following programmes were delivered:

Leader Funding LEADER is a community led approach to local development delivering EU funding into rural businesses and communities through Ireland’s Rural Development Programme 2014-2020. It promotes social inclusion, poverty reduction and the economic development of rural areas. Leitrim County council is

the lead financial partner responsible for maintaining and retaining records of all financial aspects of the programme. Leitrim County Council is also responsible for making payments to project promoters on behalf of the LAG. Leitrim Development Company is the Lead Implementing Partner with responsibility for implementing actions on behalf of the LAG. Leitrim Development Company is responsible for administration and animation of project applications. There were 68 Leader claims processed and paid to promoters with a value of €1,612,818.22.

SICAP The Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP) 2018-2022 provides funding to tackle poverty and social exclusion at a local level through local engagement and partnerships between disadvantaged individuals, community originations and public sector agencies. Delivery of the SICAP Programme 2020 with a value of €524,650 monitored and reported to LCDC, Mid-Year Review 2020 and End of Year Review 2020 presented and approved.

Infrastructure Enterprise Tourism


Rural Development Funding Schemes: Amounts Secured in 2020

Funding received under T&V 2020 €645,150.00

Funding received under T&V Accelerated Measures

€276,952.77

Funding received under CLÁR 2020 €347,597.00

Outdoor Rural Infrastructure Scheme 2020

€464,710.00

Urban & Rural Regeneration Schemes In February 2020, a Category Two application for development costs related to the development and design of the riverside boardwalk from Carrick on Shannon to Battlebridge was submitted to the Department. This application was successful and €476,033 at a rate of 75% of the cost of the project was approved. Two Category One applications under RRDF were submitted in 2020, we await the outcome of same. Purple Flag Purple Flag is an accreditation process for night-time economy similar to the Green Flag award for parks and the Blue Flag for beaches. The Purple Flag standard is awarded to successful towns for the management of their evening and night-time economy. It involves a comprehensive assessment of the town across themes such as Well-Being, Movement, Safety, Care, Appeal, Sense of Place and Identity and Planning for the future. Carrick on Shannon, following an external assessment by assessors from the Association of Town and City Management (ATCM) in the UK, again retained its Purple Flag standard for its evening and night-time economy in 2020. County Promotion – Development & Launch of Ambassador Publication 13 local ambassadors from business and other sectors agreed to be Leitrim Ambassadors to promote County Leitrim as a place to live work and Invest. This publication will now be used as a tool to encourage new businesses to locate in the County. Consideration is being given to a marketing campaign with strong social media focus to be rolled out in the future featuring video footage of ambassadors promoting Leitrim as a place to live, visit and do business from.

National Broadband Roll out Leitrim County Council continued to engage with the Department of Rural and Community Development, the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment and other relevant stakeholders while fulfilling its role to assist with the implementation of the National Broadband Plan. Broadband

Connection Points (BCPs) are public locations which have been selected to receive 150Mb high-speed internet connectivity in rural and isolated parts of the country. In 2020, twelve locations for Broadband Connection Points were identified throughout Leitrim and surveying had commenced toward the end of the year. Additionally, Leitrim County Council was successful in securing funding to assist with the provision of IT equipment for each of the twelve BCP locations.

In 2020, Sord Data Systems Ltd was awarded the contract to assist with the design, implementation, and ongoing support of free public Wi-Fi under the WiFi4EU project. Locations for the Wi-Fi access points had been provisionally identified and surveying had commenced towards the end of 2020. Other Highlights

• Ongoing support of Town Teams in Carrick on Shannon, Manorhamilton as well as Chamber of Commerce in Carrick on Shannon, facilitating meetings, identifying actions and support the groups on the ground to develop their areas and access funding support where possible.

• Local media were very supportive throughout 2020 in promoting the Be Local campaign.

• Working with Carrick on Shannon Community CCTV committee to deliver a second phase of the town centre community CCTV Scheme in the town.

• During 2020, we worked with the Heritage Council and Queens University Belfast on Town Centre Health Checks for Carrick on Shannon, Drumshanbo and Mohill with a Health Check report finalised for all three.


• Currently finalising a 10-year economic development plan for Carrick on Shannon 2020-2030.

• Marketing and promotion campaign being delivered to support the town of Carrick on Shannon while the public realm works are ongoing.

• Successful collaborative study with Coillte resulting in Options Report for Glenfarne Wood exploring potential for recreation and tourism.

• Funding awareness workshops held online giving information on funding streams and assistance on grant applications. Attended by 50 representatives across the County.

• Process initiated to produce Development Framework for Dromahaire based on collaborative vision of community, business and residents.

Students and staff from Queens Belfast were in the County in February to carry out research on the ground in relation to the Health Check Reports.

Leitrim Enterprise Office (LEO)

Financial Supports (Grants)

Number of Projects Approved* 20

Amount Approved €366,433

Covid Supports

Trading Online Vouchers Workshops 9

Trading Online Vouchers Approved 173

No. of Business Continuity Voucher Awards

151

No. of Business Approved Funding – Micro Enterprise Assistance Fund

6

Training, Mentoring and Networking**

Number of Training Courses 45

Number of Participants*** 662

No. of Businesses received One to one Mentoring Supports

227

*7 were start-up businesses

** After the onset of Covid all training moved online and was

available free of charge. *** Including 4 Start Your Own Business programmes to 50 participants.

In addition, LEO submitted five applications to Microfinance Ireland on behalf of Leitrim businesses. Brexit One to one mentoring continued to be delivered and two Prepare your Businesses for Customs workshops were delivered. LEO Leitrim began the roll out of the Green for Micro as one of the six Brexit Stimulus programmes to be delivered in the border counties. Student Enterprise Programme Six of the seven secondary schools participated in the Student Enterprise Programme in 2019-2020, the county winner for My Entrepreneurial Journey was Damhsa le Cheile in the Junior Category for Lough Allen College, Drumkeeran. Cable Chompers at St. Clare’s Comprehensive, Manorhamilton won the Junior Category, Book Worms at St. Clare’s Comprehensive won the Intermediate Category and Spikey Stoppers at St. Clare’s Comprehensive, Manorhamilton won the Senior Category. The National Final took online and Damhsa Le Cheile from Lough Allen College, Drumkeeran, take third place in the My Entrepreneurial Journey’ category and Book Worms” from St. Clare’s Comprehensive School, Manorhamilton took third place in the Intermediate

Category. A total of 20 Primary schools engaged in Enterprise Education programmes, the winner was Four Masters National School, Kinlough and runner up was St Marys National School, Annaduff.

Enterprise Promotion Aine Faughnan, Dromod Boxty was the County winner of the National Enterprise Awards in 2020 and represents Leitrim in the National Final. The network of Local Enterprise Offices including Leitrim ran a national #LookforLocal campaign to highlight the impact local businesses have and to encourage individuals to support them in the coming months. This was a hugely successful campaign for Leitrim with many local celebrities coming out to produce videos for social media, as well on The Six o’ clock show on TV3 with Chef Sham.

Winner of County Leitrim National Enterprise Awards 2020 – Dromod Boxty


Online Sessions

During the first lockdown, LEO Leitrim had weekly Facebook Live and Online sessions with a different guest speaker and subject every week, this proved very popular among Leitrim businesses and topics covered Getting more from Linkedin, How to write and Publish your own book and Making Professional Videos, Getting more from your Website, Brand, Resilience and Wellness etc.

Launch of Look for Local campaign

Leitrim Design House Leitrim Design House continued to deliver supports during 2020. In coping with the effects of Covid-19 on the sector, they focused primarily on three elements:

• Continued development of the retail gallery

• Improved marketing strategy & increased national and international profile (PR campaign)

• Strengthening of LDH’s digital channels

They delivered an Online Marketing & Social Media Training Programme as well as the LDH Co-Create Programme, a collaboration process developed for the creative sector. Leitrim Enterprise Office Performance The targets set out in 2020, were 100% achieved in relation to grants approved, training courses run, and number of Start Your Own Business programmes provided. The targets for other programmes were overachieved such as Trading Online Vouchers, arising from the change in grant rate from 50%-90% between April and December 2020 and the opportunity for a business to apply for a 2nd voucher also. The number of businesses receiving one to one mentoring also increased exponentially during this time, because of Covid.

Tourism Promotion and Development Tourism in County Leitrim, along with the rest of Ireland, had a challenging year in 2020. With the outbreak of COVID 19, overseas tourist numbers nationally dropped by approximately 80%. Government restrictions significantly controlled people's movement to and from Ireland. It was not until late July that government guidelines allowed the domestic audience to move out of their county to holiday within Ireland. Activities undertaken pre COVID-19 In January, Leitrim Tourism attended World Holiday Shows in Limerick, Belfast and Dublin, to showcase and highlight the tourism offering in County Leitrim. Several tourism providers from the county joined the stand at the various shows, and there was great interest from the attendees at each of the shows.

Leitrim Tourism launched its new Slow Adventure Virtual Reality Experience at the World Holiday Show in Dublin. The VR was launched by

Eoghan Corry editor of Travel Extra and was covered by a number of travel writers including Pól O Conghaile, Travel Writer with the Irish Independent. This innovative new experience immerses the user in cruising, canoeing, cycling and walking on the Shannon Blueway Leitrim.

Michelle Whelan, Chief Executive Lar Power, Cllr Enda McGloin and Director of Services Joseph Gilhooly pictured at the VR Launch. Trade Engagement Leitrim Tourism supported the trade throughout the year, advising them of the various supports and grants available. A weekly ezine was produced to update


Leitrim's tourism providers on what was happening in the industry, both county and nationwide. This was on-going throughout the year. Meitheal Online Leitrim Tourism attended Virtual Meitheal 2020. Initially scheduled for earlier in the year, this annual event took place virtually July 22nd to 24th, and the tourism officer met with over 40 tour operators. The feedback was excellent, and it was interesting to note that operators reported that over 80% of their clients who have had to cancel this year have rebooked for 2021. Clients are looking for destinations away from the busy cities in rural locations where they can engage with the outdoors and see Ireland as a safe destination. Most interest is coming from small groups and FIT travellers who are looking for new destinations. Radio Campaigns

- Summer Radio Campaign took place in early July, which helped to start the season and encourage the visitor to choose Leitrim as a destination to visit. Domestic visitors will tend to choose a coastal location as their first choice; however, when availability was reduced and prices were out of budget, Leitrim became an option for many. The industry in Leitrim experienced an increase in bookings due to the advertising campaign. The season also saw a major boost and increased in the cruising sector, with many booking a cruiser for the first time.

- Autumn Radio Campaign conducted in September to extend the season; however, restrictions were put in place again in October.

Social Media Campaign Extensive social media campaigns were conducted throughout the year, keeping Leitrim's awareness at the forefront of people's minds. These campaigns included several competitions with prizes. Video Production, a video on Leitrim, was produced, which consisted of interviews from various artists and footage from multiple videographers. The video proved successful with additional coverage on all social media channels. Funding Leitrim Tourism prepared and successfully applied to the LEADER company to secure funding for additional advertising campaigns when the industry would reopen in 2021. European Travel Commission (ETC) - Leitirm Tourism alongside Derry in Northern Ireland

formed a consortium to apply to the ETC for funding to conduct an awareness campaign on Slow Adventure on the island of Ireland. The campaign consisted of three elements Consumer-focused media partnership, digital campaign and trade activation. Unfortunately, due to COVID 19, this campaign had to be paused. However, the programme's Trade Activation element was able to go ahead as it was an ideal time to engage with tour operators and travel agents and present to them the Slow Adventure experiences in both counties. The Trade Activation element began in September with Podcasts and Ezine and an online webinar for American Tour Operators. Activity providers from both counties took part in all elements and welcomed the opportunity to connect with the US tour operators and travel agents. Tourist Information Office The Tourist office operated entirely from July to October with a different layout due to COVID 19 requirements and guidelines. Due to the increase in the domestic market, the office was busy with enquires throughout the season. New Website The Tourism team launched a brand-new website live on the Leitrim Tourisms Facebook page by Cathaoirleach Cllr Mary Bohan. The website www.enjoyleitrim.com was designed as a comprehensive, one stop portal for visitors to Leitrim. Created specifically to meet the needs of the tourist from home or abroad who are looking to visit the area, the site offers easy navigation, attractive imagery and information to help the visitor find what they are looking for Leitrim such as: - Plan your visit; What’s on; Brochure & Map downloads and information about the heritage of the Leitrim. With easier navigation and easy to find information the new site also offers, an interactive Google map where you can choose places to stay, eat and drink.

Image of New Tourism website Launch

http://www.enjoyleitrim.com/


Media Coverage We facilitated a number of journalists and bloggers in 2020 which resulted in the county being featured in a number of national editorials. These included:

- Fiona Donnellan for Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands who wrote a great piece on staycationing in Leitrim,

- Eleanore Hutch who did a feature on slow Adventure in Leitrim for TV3’s Elaine Show and

- Lauren Arthurs for Discover Ireland who stayed at Ard Nahoo Eco Retreat and visited a number of other places in Leitrim.

We also hosted The Novel Traveller, Michelle Jackson author, journalist and broadcaster in Leitrim where she visited the new Shed Distillery which featured in her weekly broadcast on TV3. We assisted the producers of Brite Spark Films who were in Leitrim filming a new series for the UK’s Channel 5. They previously made ‘World’s Most Scenic Railway Journeys’ for the channel and are now making ‘World’s Most Scenic River Journeys’. In Ireland they have chosen to film the Shannon and were in Leitrim a number of weeks to film for the series.

Capital Projects Office Construction contracts were disrupted during 2020 due to Covid 19 lockdown restrictions on construction activities. Regeneration and Development Fund The construction contracts for the Carrick on Shannon Public Realm Scheme continued in 2020 following approval of €6.5m grant funding for the €8.6m project announced in 2018.

- The new town centre car park was opened in Nov 2020 just in time for the Christmas period.

- The new boardwalk on the river was nearing completion towards the end of 2020.

- Construction is ongoing for the new footpaths and streets along Main Street, St. Georges Terr and Priests Lane during the year.

Rural Regeneration Development Fund

➢ Manorhamilton Public Realm Scheme The new town centre car park was completed in 2020. The contractor for the public realm works on the Main Street and Old Church St/Big Brae plus the works to enhance the presentation of the business park was selected at the end of 2020.

➢ Junction Project in Ballinamore The Junction Project in Ballinamore involves the refurbishment, alteration and extension of the former

railway buildings and hard and soft landscaping of the former rail yard as a new civic space. Design work continued in 2020 by design consultants Cooney Architects. A 230m stretch of the Cavan-Leitrim walking and cycling Greenway extending northwards from the site towards the Sports Centre and the Community School was completed in 2020.

➢ Mohill Public Realm Scheme Planning approval was obtained for this project in 2020. An application for funding of €2.3m was made under the RRDF scheme in 2020. Flood Relief Schemes Works continued on the €6m Carrick on Shannon Flood Relief Scheme. Leitrim County Council is the lead authority for this scheme in conjunction with the OPW and Roscommon County Council as the scheme includes work in Cortober. Design Consultants, Ryan Hanley, were appointed to commence work on the Leitrim Village Flood Relief Scheme in 2020. SLNCR Greenways

• SLNCR Sligo to Enniskillen Greenway - This is a 75km greenway from Collooney, Sligo through Dromahaire, Manorhamilton, Glenfarne, Blacklion and onto Enniskillen. Funding of €500,000 was obtained to commence the design and planning process for this Greenway in 2020. Leitrim County Council is the lead authority and is working with Sligo County Council, Cavan County Council and Fermanagh & Omagh District Council.

• The SLNCR Greenway – Manorhamilton to Boggaun is 4.2km long trail from Manorhamilton town to the GAA grounds at Boggaun. Works were substantially completed on the project in 2020.

• The SLNCR Greenway – Demonstration Stretch Dromahaire is the provision of a pedestrian bridge at the start of the demonstration stretch to allow pedestrians safe passage from the village to the trail. Works were completed in 2020.

Carrick on Shannon to Battlebridge Blueway This project is to provide a Blueway from Carrick on Shannon to Leitrim Village and onto Battlebridge to connect with the Drumshanbo Blueway. Funding of €476,000 was obtained for this Blueway. Tenders for the appointment of a design consultant were advertised in 2020 to commence the design and planning process.


Leitrim Way Trail This is the provision of a pedestrian bridge over the Yellow River in the middle of the Leitrim Way trail at Ballinaglera. It will allow walkers to remain on private land as opposed to walking on the busy regional road, R207, as happens at present. Works were substantially completed on the project in 2020. Cavan Leitrim Greenway Ballinamore to Corgar is a 2.2km trail from Ballinamore to Corgar Lough. Construction work was ongoing in 2020 on the project, with completion in early 2021 subject to Covid 19 restrictions being lifted. Carrick on Shannon Destination Towns Funding of €500,000 was secured from Fáilte Ireland for this €800,000 project to enhance the visitor experience within Carrick on Shannon town. Design Consultant DHB Architects appointed, and design works on going.

Hartley Bridge Design work was ongoing for a new replacement bridge at Hartley over the River Shannon

Lough Rinn Recreational Facility:

➢ 2018 ORIS Funded Project The Department of Rural and Community Development awarded Leitrim County Council under the 2018 Outdoor Recreational Infrastructural Scheme (ORIS) – Measure 2 grant funding of €200,000 to Leitrim County Council to enhance the Lough Rinn Recreational Facility. The following works were complete under this Scheme:

• Provision of 3 no Fishing Stands consisting of two no fishing stands adjacent the spectator viewing area and one no fishing stand adjacent the side of caravan park where people fish. The fishing stand located adjacent caravan park area is designed to be fully wheelchair accessible.

• Viewing Area for spectators to view all water-based competitions. This area will also be used as an amenity area for sports enthusiasts and for anglers.

• Widen and upgrade trail from Amenity Area along the lakeshore for access to water-based activities for participants and spectators.

• Landscaping and Enhancement Works to Trailer car park area.

Works had to be completed in 2020. The addition of three new fishing stands will increase the number of angling positions around the lake for match angling competitions. The improvements will increase the numbers of anglers to fish the lake.

Spectator Viewing area and Fishing stands with Trail completed in 2020.

➢ 2018 Sports Capital Programme The Department of Transport Tourism & Sport (DTTAS) awarded Leitrim County Council funding under the 2018 Sports Capital Programme to enhance the Lough Rinn Recreational facility. The following works were complete under this scheme:

• Supply and installation of piles to lakebed for fixing of the Start Tower Pontoon/Supply and installation of pontoon for Start Tower.

• Supply and installation of finish Tower Structure including Finish Tower Design & Ancillaries.

• Umpire Boat - RS-CAT-16 and Trailer 1. All works to be completed by May 2021 as per conditions of the 2018 Sports Capital Grant. Aerial photo of Completed Finish Tower on Lough Rinn


Roads, Transportation & Safety 2020 was a very busy and productive year in the Roads and Transportation Department with expenditure of €22 million, notwithstanding the fact that the restrictions imposed by Covid-19 caused delays to the commencement of the Roadworks program. Works completed in 2020 on National Roads included the following: Realignment of 1.4km section of N16 at Drummahan – Following the completion of the Advance Works Contracts, (and the period for the consolidation of the surcharged ground), works on the Detailed Design and Tender Documentation for the main Construction Contract were progressed and substantially completed in 2020. Approval was obtained from the TII to advertise the main Construction Contract for Tender in January 2021 and it is anticipated to have the successful contractor appointed for the main Construction Contract in Quarter 2 of 2021.

Realignment of N16 at Munakill – In 2020, Phase 1 (Concept & Feasibility), was completed. This included undertaking a Constraints Study in order to inform the development of possible route options. The first Virtual Public Consultation Process was held to assist with the Constraints study, and all affected landowners and members of the public were invited to engage with the Design Team. Phase 2 (Option Selection) is currently in progress and a second Virtual Public Consultation process, (which indicated possible Route Corridor Options), was held, and again all interested parties were invited to engage in the process. A Ground Investigations Contract will be completed in early 2021 and this will be followed by a third Virtual Public Consultation Process which will indicate the draft Emerging Preferred Route Corridor.

Carrick on Shannon By-Pass – A Consultant Team was appointed in early 2020 to carry out Phases 1 – 4 Technical Consultancy Services for the N4 Carrick on Shannon to Dromod By-Pass Scheme. Phase 1 (Project Inception & Feasibility) was completed in 2020 and Phase 2 (Option Selection) of the Planning and Design Process was commenced. This included a Virtual Public Consultation event for the Constraints Report in October 2020. Traffic Surveys were also completed in 2020. Leitrim County Council is in the process of appointing a Ground Investigation Contractor to carry out the necessary Ground Investigations work within the study area and Consultations with Landowners regarding this Ground Investigation Contract have

commenced. The next Virtual Public Consultation Process will be held in the first half of 2021 to display Route Corridor options. National Road Pavement Overlay Schemes – Two major Pavement Overlay Schemes were completed on National Roads in 2021 and these included a six-kilometre-long scheme, on the N4 from Jamestown Junction to the R201 Junction, and a 3.5-Kilometre-long scheme on the N16 from Tomrud to Tawneymoyle.

In addition to this, three further pavement schemes were completed on National Roads under the Category B funding stream and these were at Srangross and Munakill on the N16 and at Attirory on the N4.

N4 Fence Retrofitting Contract – Under the Retrofitting Scheme to improve Safety on National Roads, 1.5 km of Fencing along the N4 was retrofitted in 2020 and it is planned to complete a further 725m on the N4 in 2021. National Road Safety Inspection Implementation Programme Substantial Safety Works were completed in 2020 on the N16 under the HD17 Road Safety Inspection Programme. These included the provision of a footpath at the Garda station, road safety improvements works at the Junction of the L21361 at Cornastauck, the provision of 770 metres of VRS (Safety Barrier) along the N16 west of Manorhamilton and the erection of Driver feedback signs on the N15 at Tullaghan. Three Feasibility reports were also submitted to the TII for future Road Safety works on the N16 at Bee Park, Manorhamilton (Provision of Footpath) and on the N16 at Strabrick Junction (Widening of Junction) and on the N4 at Faulties (Provision of Footpath/Cycleway).

Works completed in 2020 on Non-National Roads included the following:

• 90Km of Non-National Roads were strengthened in 2020.

• 85Km of Non-National Roads were surfaced dressed in 2020.

• Drainage Grant – A total of 18 road drainage schemes were completed in 2020 at a cost of


€455,338 and a further €20,000 was spent on the Drainage districts.

• Bridge Rehabilitation Works – Bridge Rehabilitation works was completed on a total of 12 Bridges throughout the County in 2020 and this included Emergency Works to 3

Bridges in North

Leitrim. In addition,

consultants were

appointed, and work was

progressed on the

preparation of the

documentation for a full Stage 2 Appropriate Assessment, for Bord Pleanala for the replacement of the Hartley Bridge on the River Shannon. Pictured above - Completed works at Annaghveagh Bridge, Tooman

• Specific Improvement Work at Gorteendarragh A Specific improvement scheme was undertaken on the R281 at Gorteendarragh which included realignment of a section of the Regional road and improvement works on the Junction layout and the adjoining local roads.

Specific Improvement Works completed on R281 at Gorteendarragh

• Shass Mountain Landslide Major Emergency works was carried out in response to the Shass Mountain Landslide. These works included:

o construction of a dam to prevent further damage to the existing Dawn of Hope bridge,

o buttressing the existing bridge,

o constructing a new bridge in order to reopen the local road,

o clearing inundated material from public roads and from behind the bridge,

o cleaning road drainage systems and rediverting streams, providing filters in streams and resurfacing local roads damaged by the landslide and its after-effects.

• Safety Improvement Works Safety Improvement Works under the Low-Cost Safety Improvement Works Programme were completed at a total of 9 locations in the County in 2020.

• Speed Limit Signs and Cycle Safety Signs Speed Limit Signs were erected in newly Taken-In-Charge Housing Estates and Cycle Safety Signs were provided at various locations on Regional & Local Roads.

• Community Involvement Schemes (CIS) In 2020, a total of 11 roads were upgraded under the CIS Programme at a total cost of €754,706.

• 2020 Active Travel Measures Allocation Funding of €1,049,000 was received by Leitrim County Council in September 2020 for 12 Active Travel Schemes for local authorities’ response to Covid-19 challenges and to assist in improving walking and cycling infrastructure, and safety measures for pedestrians and cyclists. Some of these schemes were fully completed in 2021, with the remainder for completion in 2021.

• Climate Change Adaptation Allocations €1,480,000 was received by Leitrim County Council in August 2020 for 5 different Climate Change Schemes, to address the impact of climate change on the road network. These schemes are currently ongoing and will be completed in 2021.

• Local Improvement Scheme (LIS) Programme This Scheme provides funding for the upgrade of Private/Non-Public Roads that comply with certain conditions including access to a number of different parcels of land. In 2020, there were 9 Local Improvement Scheme


Projects completed in the county with the 2020 Grant Allocation of €250,000.

• Community Hedge Cutting Grant Scheme A total of 29 Hedge Cutting Grants totalling €8,906, were paid under the 2019/2020 Hedge Cutting Grant Scheme. This marked a significant increase in the uptake on this Grant Scheme and this has continued for the 2020/2021 Hedge Cutting Grant Scheme.

• Machinery Yard A new workshop was constructed at the Faulties Depot to assist with the repair and maintenance of our plant, and a Plant replacement program was initiated.

• Other Works The Roads Department also undertook many other projects throughout the year with assistance from funding streams such as Town & Village, Clár and ORIS. In some instances, projects were undertaken in conjunction with Community Groups. Examples of these works included upgrades at Amenities, provision of footpaths, pedestrian crossings, etc.

Road Safety The Road Safety Working Together Group met on one occasion in 2020 (virtual meeting due to Covid-19 restrictions) in order to review the objectives, set out in the County Leitrim Road Safety Plan 2016 – 2020. This Group consists of Representatives from Leitrim County Council, An Garda Siochana, the Road Safety Authority (RSA), Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), the HSE, Carrick on Shannon Education Centre and North Connacht Youth Services. The following initiatives were undertaken in respect of Road Safety in 2020: -

• Promotion of Road Safety – Promotion of Road Safety on our Website and via Facebook and Twitter and close and ongoing liaison with the Road Safety Authority in relation to the promotion of Road Safety and Education on Road Safety.

• “Drive for Life” Programme – This is an Educational Road Safety Programme delivered to Secondary Schools. The Programme is delivered by a Private Company engaged in road safety promotion and this Programme is a day long programme delivered in Schools around the Country.

The Road Safety Office of Leitrim County Council facilitated the provision of the “Drive for Life” Educational Road Safety Programme in the following Secondary Schools in County Leitrim in 2020 – Drumshanbo Vocational School (2 Day Programme) & Carrigallen Vocational School (1 Day Programme).

• RSA Child Car Seat Checking Service – “Check it Fits” – This service visited Carrick on Shannon on 1 occasion in 2020. Due to Covid-19 restrictions, the RSA has now introduced a new “Virtual Child Car Seat Checking Service” and this Service has been promoted by Leitrim County Council (promoted on our Website, Social Media, Leitrim Observer, sent to Gardai and HSE etc.)

• Speed Monitoring at identified sites in County Leitrim - Leitrim County Council continued to carry out speed monitoring at various locations and worked in close liaison with An Garda Siochana in relation to the results.

• Driver Feedback Sign - Leitrim County Council continued to operate the mobile Driver Feedback Sign at different locations in 2020. This greatly helps to raise driver awareness which improves road safety. Results recorded by this Sign are forwarded to An Garda Siochana who follow up with Speed Checks at locations as required.

• World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims – This Annual Event took place on Sunday 15th November 2020. Due to Covid-19 restrictions, the RSA held a special ceremony online. Leitrim County Council and other Local Authorities held a “Light up for Road Safety” Event where communities were encouraged to light candles in their homes and the Leitrim County Council Aras An Chontae Building was lit up to mark the occasion on Sunday 15th November 2020 from 7 – 8 pm.

• Leitrim Observer Road Safety Campaign – Due to Covid-19 restrictions, 2020 was a very difficult year to get access to Schools etc. to promote the Road Safety Message. The annual Transition Year Information Day which includes Road Safety Workshops had to be cancelled. Instead, a Road Safety Campaign was promoted on our Website throughout 2020 and we are currently working on a Road Safety Promotion Piece/Campaign for the Leitrim Observer which will be ran by the Leitrim Observer during February 2021.


#glenadevalley

Our Organisation In addition to the themes of People, Places and Economy we will focus on delivering continued improvement across our

Corporate Functions. These functions are essential to our success and without investment and focus we could not be

the best we can be. Local Government is the foundation of democracy and we will continue to enhance local democracy

in county Leitrim by supporting our Elected Representatives in their policy making and representational role. We will

build our operational and organisational capacity by maximising the potential of our resources and seeking to

continually improve as an organisation. We will provide assurance through proactive risk management, health and

safety compliance and by demonstrating value for money. All underpinned by strong governance and financial

management.

Corporate Services With the onset of COVID-19 in March of 2020, all meetings thereafter except for meetings in June and September were held online in adherence with public health advice issued by the Government. Meetings of Leitrim County Council

County Council Meetings

Annual Meeting 1

Bimonthly Meetings 6

Budget Meeting 1

Special Meeting 4

County Leitrim have three Municipal Districts – Ballinamore, Carrick-on-Shannon, and Manorhamilton. Each District have 6 Members one of whom is elected Chairperson of the Municipal District.

Municipal District Meetings

Municipal District

Meetings Annual Meetings

Special Meetings

Ballinamore 9 1 3

Carrick-on-Shannon

10 1 2

Manorhamil-ton

9 1 2

Annual Meeting of Leitrim County Council The Annual Meeting took place took place on Friday 26th June 2020 in The Bush Hotel. Councillor Mary Bohan was elected Cathaoirleach; the fourth occasion which she has served as Cathaoirleach. The Agenda and Minutes of Council meetings can be viewed on the Leitrim County Council website at www.leitrimcoco.ie.

Enhance Local Democracy Build Capacity Provide Assurance

http://www.leitrimcoco.ie/


Being mindful of COVID-19 social distancing protocols, Councillor Mary Bohan is passed the Chain of Office from out-going Cathaoirleach Enda McGloin

Corporate Policy Group (CPG) The Corporate Policy Group (CPG) consists of the Cathaoirleach and the Chairpersons of the three Strategic Policy Committees and is supported by the Chief Executive. There were 9 meetings of the Corporate Policy Group during 2020. Municipal Districts In 2020, the Municipal District of Carrick-on-Shannon held 10 ordinary meetings. Ballinamore and Manorhamilton held 9 ordinary meetings each with the March meeting for these two MD’s being cancelled due to COVID-19.

Cathaoirleach Cllr Mary Bohan with Leas Cathaoirleach Cllr Finola Armstrong McGuire and Cllr Ita Reynolds Flynn Cathaorleach of Ballinamore MD, together with Chief Executive Lar Power.

An Annual Meeting for each of the three Municipal Districts was held in The Bush Hotel on June 26th, 2020. At the respective Annual Meetings for each Municipal District the following members were elected as Cathaoirleach:

➢ Ballinamore Municipal District: Councillor Ita Reynolds Flynn

➢ Carrick-on-Shannon Municipal: District: Councillor Paddy Farrell

➢ Manorhamilton Municipal District: Councillor

Sean McDermott Special MD meetings were held during 2020 to approve arrangements for holding of the Annual Meeting outside of Aras an Chontae and to adopt revised standing orders.

Members of Leitrim County Council at the AGM in June 2020 with the newly elected Cathaoirleach Cllr. Mary Bohan. Absent from the photo: Cllr Des Guckian.

Audit Committee The committee comprises 2 (two) Elected members and 3 (three) External Members. The Elected Members appointed to the Committee are Councillor Enda McGloin and Councillor Paddy O’Rourke. The role of the Audit Committee is to advise the Council on financial reporting process, internal control, risk management and audit matters. A total of 4 meetings were held in 2020. Joint Policing Committee The Joint Policing Committee met on 3 occasions in 2020 and progressed actions included in the Joint Policing Committee Strategic Plan. A public meeting was held in on 4th March 2020 with the theme of “Assisting Families and Communities in dealing with the misuse of drugs”.


Ms Mary Quinn, Mr Lar Power, Cllr Enda McGloin, Garda Chief Superintendent Aidan Glacken, Christina McElenery (Donegal ETB), Garda Superintendent Kevin English at the Joint Policing Committee meeting in March 2020.

Both Leitrim County Council and An Garda Siochana were significant stakeholders in the Leitrim COVID-19 Community Response Forum. A number of joint initiatives to support older people during the COVID-19 campaign were rolled out. These included the provision of a 24-hour Community Call Helpline, the Christmas Message of Hope - Christmas Cards for older persons, the Light up/Keep Well Campaign providing rechargeable torches to older persons and the provision and distribution of 3000 COVID Well Being packs to older persons. Strategic Policy Committees Regular meetings of the Economic Development, Enterprise and Planning SPC; Housing Policy, Social and Cultural Development SPC and Environmental, Transportation and Infrastructural Policy SPC took place throughout 2020. Several policy matters were progressed and brought to the full Council for adoption, one such example being the Choice Based Letting Housing Scheme.

Cathaoirleach Cllr Mary Bohan with Chief Executive of Leitrim Coouonty Council Lar Power

Members Expenses

2020 Payments to Members of Leitrim County Council

Cathaoirleach Allowance €20,000.00 (in line with National Regulations)

Leas Cathaoirleach Allowance

€4,000.00 (in line with National Regulations)

Strategic Policy Committee Chairpersons’ Allowance


Municipal District Chairpersons’ Allowance


Members’ Representational Payments

€312,853.50

Members’ Annual & Municipal District Allowance

€112,921.63

Members’ Mobile Phone Allowance

€3,330.27

Total €489,105.40

Register of Electors The Register of Electors for 2020/21 was published on 1st February, 2020. The figures in relation to the Live Register at 2020/2021 were as follows:

Dáil Constituency Presidential Electors

Dáil Electors

Sligo/Leitrim 25,682 26,800

European Parliament Constituency

European Electors

Potential European Electors

Midlands-North West 27,167 1

Local Electoral Areas Local Government Electors

Ballinamore 9,719

Carrick-on-Shannon 8,995

Manorhamilton 9,022

Total 27,736

In advance of the General Election on February 8th, 2020, a Supplement to the Register of Electors was created. An additional 2,136 electors were added to the Register. In addition, there were 1,289 persons removed from the Register, for reasons such as moving out of the area or having recently deceased. The breakdown of deletions per LEA was as follows: Ballinamore LEA: 554, Carrick-on-Shannon LEA: 399, Manorhamilton LEA: 336.


Freedom of Information Activity under the Freedom of Information legislation decreased slightly on 2109 with 79 requests received in 2020. Requests from the media continues to show significant activity with requests from journalists accounting for 49% of all requests received in 2020. A total of 76 FOI requests were cases were determined during the calendar year, with 3 requests carried over from 2019 and 6 cases brought forward to 2021. Of those determined, 36 were granted in full, 15 were partially granted, 5 were withdrawn by the requestor, 1 was withdrawn and handled outside of FOI, 18 cases were refused and 1 was transferred to another FOI body. Communications Office Engagement with the local and national media continues to grow year on year. This was reflected with media enquiries and requests increasing significantly in 2020 by approximately 67% compared to 2019 with 193 requests in total received from media sources. The Council continues to actively promote its activities, events, and initiatives through its social media channels, namely Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. A strong social media presence with varied content across all our service areas resulting in a 24% growth on 2019 in terms of followers, with a total of 14,386 social media followers across the 3 above named platforms at year end. Social Media proved to be particularly effective means of communicating during the COVID-19 pandemic and was used with great affect to raise awareness of the Community Response Helpline and promote the KeepWell campaign. Traffic to our website www.leitrimcoco.ie , remains in line with previous years with almost 366,000 unique visits to our site. Protected Disclosures Pursuant to the Protected Disclosures Act 2014, Leitrim County Council hereby confirms that no request was received in the period 1st January to 31st December 2020 in accordance with the Act. Customer Service The Customer Services Desk in Aras-an-Chontae was transformed in 2020 to deal with the challenges presented by COVID-19. Customer Services, Cash Office and Motor Tax were merged to form a new Customer Services unit. Additional services from Planning and Housing were incorporated into this new unit. Public access to the Housing and Planning public desks was retained with customers being referred to

these desks from the new Customer Services Unit. In line with COVID-19 public health advice, we amended our customer service model to providing as many services as possible to customers by remote means, through phone, postal or email queries. Appointments to the office were facilitated in exceptional circumstances.

Human Resources Covid 19 Response Covid 19 provided the primary focus in 2020 in terms of ensuring robust Business Continuity Planning and supporting and co-ordinating our organizational response. Our workforce planning process was critical throughout 2020 in terms of realigning staff resources to meet critical business needs, including the establishment and operation of the 24/7 Community Response Helpline and identifying resources that could potentially be temporarily redeployed across the public service to support the Covid 19 response. Implementing and supporting a significant level of ‘working from home’ arrangements, with associated policy development and roll out, and HRM system support, was a key feature of 2020. Recruitment & Workforce Planning While recruitment activity was significantly curtailed in the context of the Pandemic, a total of 23 competitions were interviewed and a further 8 competitions were advertised and were at various stages of processing at year end. Our interview process has also moved to primarily online. Our overall Staffing Number as at 31st December 2020 was 317 with an additional 44 Retained Fire Fighters. A total of 28 new staff commenced work with Leitrim County Council during the year, on a mix of permanent and temporary contracts, with a further 9 existing staff having secured permanent appointments and/or promotion. 15 Staff left Leitrim County Council employment during the year, as a result of contracts ending, resignations to take up alternative employment etc. There was also 1 Staff Retirement in 2020. HR Management System The Council’s HR Management System – CORE HRM – provides an end-to-end modular IT solution, with current modules including Personnel Management, Superannuation, Training, Payroll, Time & Attendance, Recruitment and Business Intelligence Reporting. Employees can access their individual employment records, pension calculator, online payslips, training details and submit leave requests etc with significant

http://www.leitrimcoco.ie/


automation, while the manager dashboard supports approvals, automated reminders and team analytics. The Performance Management and Development System (PMDS) for staff continued to be closely linked to the Annual Service Delivery Plan as adopted by the Members, and the associated Departmental Team Plans, in 2020. The Service Level Agreement with the Local Authority Shared Payroll & Superannuation Centre in Portlaoise – MyPay – continued to operate successfully during 2020. Staff Learning & Development In the context of Covid 19 our Learning and Development Programme in 2020 was primarily focused on mandatory and statutory training and online initiatives. Employee Assistance Programme A new Employee Assistance Programme, providing a free counselling service and support and advice to Staff and Elected Members and their immediate families was also procured and rolled out during 2020.

Health & Safety Covid 19 – Business Continuity Management As with all workplaces, the presence of Covid-19 drove the agenda for the year. Membership of the Business Continuity Crisis Management Team demonstrated that Health & Safety was critical in any decision-making process. Stemming from this, a number of working groups were established with a representative from the Health and Safety section on each, from here all aspects of preparation in ‘return to work’ for our varying departments was achieved. Most of the work entailed risk assessment of all work processes, the provision of tailored guidance and the implementation & communication of safety measures to mitigate/reduce the risk of Covid-19 transmission. From data available, it would indicate that workplace outbreaks were not identified and in cases where a covid positive employee had been present in an area, transmission was minimal & in most cases non-existent which would reflect our robust measures, systems & structures but most importantly the remarkable co-operation among staff and crews. Health & Safety Week In addition, Health & Safety Week was rolled out in the first quarter of 2020. Leitrim County Council’s Safety Management System, and positive mental health was the focus. In addition to this, free physiotherapy consultations were offered to all staff to raise awareness of the importance of posture while at work. Other highlights included significant developments in the Library Services Safety Management System which will greatly improve safety standards & performance, the development of Module 2 of the H&S Online briefing focusing on the engineering and technical aspects of Local Authority scheduled for roll out in Q4

M58%

F42%

M F

Gender Breakdown of Interview Board Members 2020

M63%

F37%

M F

Gender Breakdown of Attendees at Interview2020

318

42

104

1 419

1

43

1

78

13 4 140

150 1

020406080

100120

Staff Profile at 31/12/20 – 361 (including Retained Firefighters)

Male Female


of 2021 and a complete overhaul of the H&S Portal making it more user friendly for staff requiring safety related paperwork.

Information Communications Technology Remote Working The primary overall achievement in 2020 for the ICT Department was the successful deployment and support of ICT Services to facilitate the rapid transition from an office-based working environment to that of one now primarily remote-based. Key deployments for this were:

- Upgrade and reconfiguration of a Virtual Private Network to enable the dramatic increase remote connectivity.

- Rollout of cloud-based services such as Microsoft Teams to support video calls and meetings.

- An immediate facilitation and employment of a wide variety of devices to meet the surge in demand in March and April, followed by a managed consolidation as global IT supply chains recovered.

In the course of 2020, mobile computing deployments increased 120% with the rollout of laptops to consolidate one of the more expansive remote working environments per-head in the local authority sector. There was an increase in ICT expenditure in 2020 exclusively linked to pandemic response activities, in

particular the facilitation of remote working. Michael Gunning oversees the rollout of laptops to facilitate Working from Home Requirements arising from Covid 19.

Virtual Council Meetings In tandem with the remote working environment for previously office-based staff, the IT department supported elected members and staff alike, in the transition to fully online main Council meetings and Municipal District Meetings. Virtual Recruitment 2020 also saw a change to local authority recruitment in the transition to virtual interviews with the support of ICT. Over the course of 2020, recruitment has been conducted online, with candidates, interview panels and HR staff alike now familiar with the new technologies. Remote-based Community Helpline Agents To support the rapid deployment of the Community Call 1800 service for Leitrim, IT provided new cloud-based phone and customer care systems to enable remote-based staff handle and record calls as part of the key support service in the national pandemic response.

Legacy Hardware and Software Upgrade Programme Accelerated by the transition to remote working, IT have initiated a substantial programme to upgrade legacy software to modern cloud-supported systems. This programme will see Leitrim County Council migrate fully to Windows 10 and Office 365 platforms.

There was an increase in ICT expenditure in 2020 exclusively linked to pandemic response activities, in particular the facilitation of remote working.


Finance The Finance Department is responsible for:

1. Financial Management and Oversight 2. Accounts Receivable including Motor Tax 3. Accounts Payable and Agresso Support 4. Procurement 5. Internal Audit 6. Production and Publication of Financial

Information including the Annual Budget and the Annual Financial Statement

Financial Activity – 2020 Key Points In 2020, a surplus of €2,994 was delivered on the Revenue Account. This succeeded in reducing the cumulative general revenue deficit to €256K. A combined total Revenue Expenditure of €53.9m was expended on delivering services to the citizens of Co Leitrim in 2020. This number is inclusive of the Covid-19 Restart Grant and a 9-month Rates Waiver, which are reflected under Development Management and Miscellaneous Services, respectively.

Revenue Collection The Revenue Team is responsible for the collection of the main income streams for the Council. This includes income from commercial rates, housing rents, housing loans and income from the NPPR (Non-Principle Private Residency Charge). In 2020, a total of 1,090 Rate Invoices to a value of €6,395,576 issued to commercial ratepayers in the County. The table below summarises collection performance since 2018:

Revenue Income % Collection 2018-2020

2018 2019 2020

Rates 83% 83% 72%

Rents 89% 90% 91%

Housing Loans 63% 65% 70%

Targeted Supports for Ratepayers

➢ Rates Waiver Scheme 2020 Several Government supports were put in place to assist the business community arising from the impact of Covid 19. An initial three-month waiver of rates for businesses forced to close due to COVID-19, was announced in May 2020 and this was later extended to provide for a 9-month waiver of commercial rates in 2020. The waiver was applied to all businesses except for a small number of categories, mainly banks, utilities, large supermarkets and corporates. A total of €1.73 million in funding was allocated to ratepayers in Leitrim under the Rates Waiver Scheme.

➢ Rates Restart Grant Scheme

The Rates Restart Grant Scheme was launched on 22nd May 2020 to give direct grant aid to micro and small businesses to help them with the costs associated with reopening and reemploying workers following COVID-19 closures.

Customers that qualified for the grant were approved with a grant equivalent in value to their rates bill in 2019, with a minimum payment of €2,000 and a maximum payment of €10,000.


The following Table outlines the number and value of applications processed by Leitrim County Council under the Rates Restart Grant:

Restart Grant Scheme Statistics

NUMBER VALUE

Applications Paid 443 €1,247,571

Applications Rejected

33 N/A

Total 476 €1,247,571

➢ Rates Restart Plus Grant Scheme

In July 2020, as part of range of supports to businesses impacted by the Pandemic, the Government launched a new grant – The Rates Restart Grant Plus a new standalone non repayable grant that was available to all eligible businesses, including those who received a grant under the original Rates Restart Grant Scheme. Under this grant, the minimum grant available was €4,000 and the maximum grant available was €25,000. As the scheme evolved, and further restrictions were imposed on the business community, additional top-up grants were also given to applicants. The table below outlines the value of grants paid under the Scheme.

Restart Grant Plus Scheme Statistics

NUMBER VALUE

Applications Paid 469 €2,956,216

Applications Rejected

39 N/A

Total 508 €2,956,216

Motor Tax Motor Tax service provision was maintained throughout 2020, and customers were able to submit their renewal applications by post when the offices

were closed to the public arising from the Level 5 restrictions that were in place periodically in 2020. The online motor tax service allows customers to renew their Motor Tax 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, through the website www.motortax.ie. Procurement The primary procurement objective for Leitrim County Council is to get optimum value for money in the procurement of goods, services and works, while complying with all EU Directives, National Legislation, Public Procurement Policy, Circulars and Guidelines. The key procurement principles incorporate fairness, openness, transparency, mutual recognition, non-discrimination and proportionality. The Council’s procurement of goods, services and works facilitates the development of critical infrastructure, community services and improved environmental quality. The Procurement Unit, within the Finance Department of the Council, will continue to collaborate with the Office of Government Procurement (OGP) and the Local Government Operational Procurement Centre (LGOPC) in order to maximise the use of national frameworks. Procurement within Leitrim County Council is decentralised with buyers in all areas of the organisation, and much of the high value procurement being conducted using the two electronic portals, www.etenders.gov.ie and www.SupplyGov.ie. In light on-going events around COVID-19 throughout 2020, the National Oversight and Audit Commission (NOAC) considered the initial deadline for submission of the Public Spending Code (PSC) Quality Assurance (QA) return of 29th May 2020 and confirmed its extension to 31st August 2020. Leitrim County Council submitted its QA Report for 2019, to NOAC by this extended deadline, as required under the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (DPER) PSC. Details of Leitrim County Council Purchase Orders, for sums in excess of €20,000 are published on a quarterly basis on the Council’s website.

http://www.motortax.ie/

http://www.etenders.gov.ie/

http://www.supplygov.ie/


Appendix 1 – Statement of Income And Expenditure At Year End 31st December 2020

** Unaudited figures subjected to change


Appendix 2 - Statement of Financial Position (Balance Sheet) At 31st December 2020

** Unaudited figures subjected to change


Appendix 3 - Committee Memberships Following the Annual Meeting of Leitrim County Council on 7th June 2019, this is a list committee that Leitrim County Council elected members are part of.

Northern and Western Regional Assembly

Councillor Justin Warnock Councillor Enda McGloin

Association of Irish Local Government The Association of Irish Local Government will be voting delegates at the Annual Conference and will also be the permanent delegates to the Standing Policy of the Association of Irish Local Government for the full five-year term.

Councillor Frank Dolan Councillor Ita Reynolds Flynn Councillor Thomas Mulligan

Local Authority Members Association

Councillor Sean McGowan

PEACE IV Partnership

Councillor Sean McGowan Councillor Mary Bohan Councillor Sean McDermott

Leitrim County Enterprise Fund Limited

Councillor Frank Dolan Councillor Justin Warnock

Irish Central Border Areas Network

Councillor Sean McDermott Councillor Paddy O’Rourke The Cathaoirleach is an ex-officio member

Irish Public Bodies Mutual Insurances Limited

Councillor Mary Bohan

Local Traveller Accommodation Consultative Committee

Councillor Finola Armstrong McGuire Councillor Enda Stenson Councillor Ita Reynolds Flynn

Councillor Paddy Farrell Councillor Thomas Mulligan Councillor Gerry Dolan

Regional Drugs Task Force

Councillor Finola Armstrong McGuire

Mayo, Sligo and Leitrim Training Board

Councillor Mary Bohan Councillor Paddy O’Rourke Councillor Enda Stenson

Local Community Development Committee

Councillor Felim Gurn Councillor Thomas Mulligan Councillor Paddy Farrell

Governing Body of The NUI Galway

Councillor John McCartin

Library Advisory Committee

All Members

Regional Health Forum

Councillor Paddy Farrell Councillor Felim Gurn Councillor Finola Armstrong-McGuire

County Leitrim Local Sports Partnership

Councillor Enda Stenson Councillor Sean McGowan Councillor Finola Armstrong McGuire

Audit Committee

Councillor Paddy O’Rourke Councillor Enda McGloin

Leitrim Joint Policing Committee


Councillor Sean McDermott Councillor Finola Armstrong-McGuire Councillor Enda McGloin Councillor Thomas Mulligan Councillor Justin Warnock Councillor Sean McGowan

Councillor Enda Stenson Councillor Mary Bohan Councillor Paddy Farrell Councillor Gerry Dolan Councillor Padraig Fallon Councillor Brendan Barry Councillor Felim Gurn

Heritage Forum

Municipal District Councillor Date Appointed

Ballinamore Paddy O’Rourke Ita Reynolds Flynn

14th June 2019

Carrick-on-Shannon Sean McGowan Finola Armstrong McGuire

14th June 2019

Manorhamilton Sean McDermott Felim Gurn

17th June 2019

Centenary Committee

Councillor Ita Reynolds Flynn Councillor Paddy O’Rourke

Councillor Brendan Barry

Peace IV Committee

Municipal District Councillor

Ballinamore Carrick on Shannon Manorhamilton

Gerry Dolan Enda Stenson Justin Warnock


Appendix 4 - Conferences/ Seminars Attended By The Elected Members Below is the number of Conferences/Seminars attended by Elected Members in 2020. No Conferences/Seminars

were attended by Elected Members during the following months:- January, March to December 2020 due to COVID

restrictions.

Month Details of the Conference/Seminar Location # Members Attended

February

Celtic Conferences – Health & Safety in the Workplace

Cork 2

Appendix 5 -Training Events Attended By The Elected Members Below is the number of training events attended by Elected Members during in 2020. No Training Events were attended by Elected Members during the following months: - January, April, May, June, September to December 2020 due to COVID restrictions

Month Details of Training Events Location # Members Attended

February Association of Irish Local Government – The Development Plan Making Process

Cavan 3

February Association of Irish Local Government – The Development Plan Making Process

Waterford 5

March Association of Irish Local Government - Climate Action Solving Global Challenges through Local Leadership

Longford 9

July Association of Irish Local Government – Moorhead Report Dundalk 3

August Association of Irish Local Government – Moorhead Report Athlone 2


Appendix 6 - Corporate Plan Annual Progress Report 2020

This report is being presented to the Council in accordance with the requirements of Section 134 of the Local Government Act 2001 as amended. The report sets out in summary fashion progress made in relation to commitments set down in the Council’s Corporate Plan for the period 2019-2024. In reporting on the progress in 2020 it is recognised that there is a relationship and an inter dependency across the Strategic Objectives as set out within the Corporate Plan, and services delivered in one functional area may achieve the requirements of one or more of the Strategic Objectives. The Strategic Objectives as defined within the Corporate Plan are identified as follows;

Delivering for our People Housing and Building In 2020 the Housing Department continued to secure exchequer funding to facilitate improvement and reinstatement works as follows:

• Casual Vacancies (including Voids): Leitrim County Council continued to invest in the social housing stock completing over 50 refurbishments of vacant units. This included bringing back into use void units based on funding from the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.

• Planned Maintenance Programme. Under the Council’s 2020 Planned Maintenance Programme, a program for the installation and replacement of fire detection and carbon monoxide detection devices continued to be rolled out.

• In 2020, works have been substantially completed on the following grant approvals:

o 26 Disabled Persons Grant applications

o 40 Housing Adaptation Grants for People with a Disability

o 15 Housing Aid Grants for Older People

o 17 Mobility Aid Grants

Housing Delivery Unit:

• The Housing Delivery Unit continued to deliver on social housing targets set by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage under the Rebuilding Ireland strategy during 2020.

• Acquisitions: Leitrim County Council purchased thirteen houses in 2020 under the housing acquisition programme all of which received minor upgrades to ensure high levels of energy efficiency and comfort for the Local Authority tenants.

• Direct Build Programme: The construction of 27 no. social houses at Summerhill, Carrick on Shannon continued throughout 2020. The planning and detailed design of direct build projects capable of delivering 33 housing units in Carrick on Shannon, Manorhamilton, Ballinamore and Dromahair advanced to Part 8 Public Consultation stage during the year.

• Turnkey Construction: The Housing Delivery Unit secured 14 Social Housing Units through Turnkey Construction in the villages of Kinlough, Mohill, Drumkeeran and Newtowngore. These projects had the additional benefit of helping to complete unfinished estates. The Expression of Interest process also developed a future pipeline for Turnkey projects for 2021 onward.

• Leasing: A total of 5 additional units were secured in 2020 on a Long-Term basis

Delivering for our People Delivering for our Places Delivering for our Economy

Our Organisation


through Long Term Leasing (LTL) and the Mortgage to Rent (MTR) mechanisms.

• Partnership with Approved Housing Bodies (AHB): Leitrim County Council established the Housing Forum during 2020 with the key Approved Housing Bodies in County Leitrim. Leitrim County Council also produced an opportunity register for the AHB’s from which future projects may be developed.

• Vacant Homes: The Vacant Homes Officer identified approximately 500 vacant homes during 2020 and commenced engagement with the owners of specific properties that can be brought back into productive use through the Buy and Renew or Repair and Lease schemes.

Rural Water Programme Multi Annual Rural Water Programme 2019-2021

• Cloonsarn GWS - Network upgrade works on this GWS commenced in August 2020. This project, together with approved additional works will be completed by year end.

• Carrigallen GWS - Works to install 17 kiosks, flow loggers and 1 bulk meter are now complete.

• Leitrim County council has submitted 11 No. GWS’s and 1 No. GSS to Irish Water for takeover.

• The following Group Water Schemes are in the process of appointing Consultant Engineers in order to survey their schemes, complete as built drawings and identify any upgrade works required in order for these GWS’s to be considered for taking in charge by Irish Water. o Aughawillan GWS o Gorvagh Drumlowan GWS o Glencar GWS

Water Services Leitrim County Council continued to work with Irish Water within the existing Service Level Agreement framework during 2020. The following schemes were progressed:

• St George’s Terrace: New watermain commissioned and in service.

• Trunk Main Upgrades: The Water Capital Office continued to lobby Irish Water for rehabilitation works on the South Leitrim network. In November 2020, Irish Water announced two truck main replacement schemes as follows:

o R202 Gortfada to Cornagresha South – 1.4km

o R209 Drumlitten – 600m.

• N4 to Jamestown AC Main: 4” Asbestos Cement mains rehabilitation project has been approved and site investigation works has commenced on site.

• Lisnagot Temp Main: The temporary over-ground watermain at Lisnagot has received approval for permanent installation. Works are expected to commence on site in early November.

• Carrick Water Treatment Plant (WTP): Under the Irish Water Telemetry Programme, the main PLC has been upgraded with improvements to a number of the associated controls. Design and Build upgrade works to the disinfection process are ongoing at Carrick on Shannon and Glenade WTP’s.

• 4 No. Wastewater Treatment Plant upgrades: Drumshanbo, Leitrim Village, Carrigallen and Ballinamore are substantially complete with additional civil works outstanding at Drumshanbo.

• Tullaghan Wastewater Treatment Plant: The contract has been awarded for upgrade works at Tullaghan to pump effluent to West End pump station near Bundoran. Works on site are expected to commence in November. (1.8km of rising main has already been installed along the N15 as part of a previous contract).


Fire Service In 2020 progress was achieved in the following areas:

• The design stage for the development of a new fire station in Manorhamilton has progressed during 2020.

• Work continued on the development of a Cross Border Mapping Platform by the Cross-Border Emergency Management Group to map emergency management resources required by all stakeholders during a major emergency.

• The Erasmus+ project for the development of a fire safety education programme for second level schools in Europe continued during 2020.

Major Emergency Management – Covid 19: Protocols and procedures have been prepared and issued to all HQ staff and crews in stations in relation to the Covid-19 pandemic. Additional PPE was procured.

• Section 26 Plan was adopted by Leitrim County Council at the September 2020 Council meeting.

Civil Defence

• Leitrim Civil Defence have supported Community Forum initiatives during 2020, particularly relating to Covid 19.

• Leitrim Civil Defence participated in a number of search and recovery activities during 2020, in collaboration with other state agencies.

• Leitrim Civil Defence continued to support the Environmental Section in lake water sampling in conjunction with the EPA.

Library The 2020 Library programme included the following:

• 2020 saw a national promotional campaign in relation to public libraries nationwide. The aim of the #takeacloserlook was to highlight and promote the broad range of services on offer through the public library service. All 9 branch libraries together with the local

studies library participated in a national Open Day. The campaign received good visibility in both traditional and online media both locally and nationally.

• Following government advice, all public library services in the country had to close their doors to the public in March. While physical borrowings understandably dropped during this time the number of e-books issued more than trebled. There was also a marked increase in engagement on social media in terms of services such as Pressreader and RBdigital which facilitates access to a wide range of online newspapers and magazines. 13 Library staff members were also heavily involved in staffing the Community Support Helpline during this time. Libraries commenced reopening in June for a ‘Contact and Collect’ and limited ‘Browse and Borrow’ service which continued until further restrictions in October resulted in the library having to revert to offering e-services only.

• The national Right to Read initiative continued to be offered albeit in a different format. The ‘Spring Into Storytime’ ‘Summer Stars’ ‘Children’s Book Festival’ and ‘Family Time at Your Library’ events and activities were held online with library staff involved in storytelling and art and craft activities. These sessions proved very popular and received a high number of views on social media.

• The library was successful in terms of obtaining substantial extra department funding. Over €150,000 was received for small capital works in 3 libraries and to support marginalised, socially excluded and disadvantaged communities. There was also funding received to support the local authority’s 2020 Decade of Centenary Programme.

• An RRDF application was made for a new library development in Dromahair


Delivering for our Economy Economic Development

• Local Community Development Committee (LCDC) o LECP: The Local Community

Development Committee (LCDC) and relevant SPC have continued the work of implementation during 2020.

o SICAP: Year five of the Social Inclusion Community Activation Programme (SICAP) through the LCDCs was completed. The annual action plan for 2021 will be considered by the LCDC in December 2020.

o LEADER: The LEADER Programme continued during 2020, supported by Leitrim Development Company as implementing partner and Leitrim County Council as financial partner.

• In 2020 the Local Enterprise Office (LEO) were engaged in the following initiatives: o Supporting the Micro Enterprise

Sector – In 2020 the LEO supported the Micro Enterprise sector with grant supports, training and mentoring

o Covid supports included Business Continuity Vouchers, Trading Online Vouchers and Micro Enterprise Assistance Funding as well as specific online training courses to market your business during Covid.

o Brexit supports including Brexit mentoring and Customs workshops were delivered.

o LEO assisted business with applications to Micro Finance Ireland.

o Enterprise Education - The Student Enterprise Awards were delivered during 2020 at both national and secondary school level.

o Enterprise Promotion - LEO delivered a successful weeklong

programme of events during National Enterprise Week in March.

o LEO supported the Leitrim Business Network in the delivery of four networking events as well as 9 online broadcasts during the first lockdown during 2020.

• Knock Airport: Leitrim County Council continued to support Ireland West Airport in 2020 by supporting the sectoral stake in the Airport.

• Business Diaspora Engagement: In 2020 the Council continued the implementation of the Diaspora Strategy.

• Digital Economy: The draft Digital Strategy is nearing completion in 2020 and will be considered by the Members of Leitrim County Council in early 2021.

• Atlantic Economic Corridor: Leitrim County Council is part of a government initiative aimed at development of the western portion of the country. Grant funding was secured to support the establishment of 8 no. enterprise hubs throughout the county in 2020.

• Destination Towns: Leitrim County Council made an application for funding under this initiative to Failte Ireland for the town of Carrick on Shannon.

• National Broadband Plan: 8 no. community broadband connection points will be completed by year end.

• Regional Enterprise Plan 2020 – North West: The implementation of this plan was progressed in 2020 in collaboration with Sligo and Donegal. Leitrim County Council as lead agency appointed a Programme Manager and work is ongoing on a Regional Enterprise Plan 2021.

• USEFE : 2020 is the 6th year of the USEFE jointly funded programme between Bord Na Mona, ESB and the counties of Leitrim, Cavan and Longford. The 2020 work programme included:

o Tourism ➢ Further development of

Angling Tourism Project including additional


workshop and capacity building with the trade

➢ Ongoing work on the visitor Blueway experience with Waterways Ireland

o Renewable Energy ➢ Submission of Energy

Masterplan project application to SEAI

o Diaspora ➢ Implementation and roll

out of Diaspora Strategies and regional action plan

o Regional Enterprise Development Fund

➢ Ongoing work on the implementation of LoCaL Digital and Innovation Network project under the fund

o Digital Strategies ➢ Working with county

partners for the development of digital strategies

Tourism Leitrim County Council continued to invest in the promotion of County Leitrim as a tourism destination during 2020, in collaboration with key partners such as Waterways Ireland, Failte Ireland, and Inland Fisheries Ireland. Unfortunately, the Covid 19 pandemic resulted in the cancellation of many events and initiatives. However, resources were realigned to the following initiatives in order to maximise the limited opportunity available over the summer and autumn season:

- Collaboration with the Tourism Trade to promote County Leitrim as a Staycation location of choice in 2020.

- Participation in the Destination Recovery Taskforce within Irelands Hidden Heartlands

- Delivery of an Autumn marketing campaign for Carrick on Shannon in conjunction with the Urban Regeneration Project.

- Support the operation of the Carrick on Shannon Tourist Office in conjunction with Failte Ireland.

- Support the information units at Knock Airport, Glencar and Ballinamore.

• In 2020 the Council continued to update and promote Leitrim Tourism through the development of a new website - enjoyleitrim.com.

• In 2020, Leitrim County Council supported priority investment areas in tourism based upon an open call for projects under the General Municipal Allocation.

• In 2020, Leitrim County Council continued to support the development of the Hidden Heartlands brand proposition, which overlaps in a collaborative manner with the Wild Atlantic brand proposition.

• Slow Adventure: Work continued in 2020 on the Slow Adventure Website under the Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands web improvement plan. Leitrim County Council continued engagement with the European Travel Commission on the ongoing joint campaign on Slow Adventure.

• Support: The Council issued weekly newsletters to all of the trade/tourism providers in the county where they are being kept up to date on tourism matters both county wide and nationally. We are also providing weekly updates on COVID 19 supports available in the tourism industry.

Roads, Transportation and Safety

• The 2020 roads program was agreed by the Municipal Districts and rolled out. In addition, funding was also received for Local Improvement Schemes (LIS) and Community Involvement Schemes (CIS) during the year.

• N4 Carrick on Shannon to Dromod By-Pass: Ove Arup & Partners Ireland (Arup) was appointed by Leitrim County Council for Phases 1 – 4 of the Design. Phase 1 (Project Inception and Feasibility) is now complete, and work is ongoing on Phase 2- (Option Selection) in accordance with the


2019 Project Management Guidelines. As part of this phase the Public Consultation for the Constraints report was carried out in October 2020.

• N16 realignment scheme at Drummahan: Works on detailed Design and Tender for the Main Construction Contract for this Realignment Scheme have progressed during 2020.

• Shass Mountain Landslide: The Council responded rapidly and deployed the necessary resources to deal with the urgent needs arising from this occurrence. The Council secured the necessary funding of approximately €1.2m to install a replacement bridge at the Dawn of Hope and secured the existing bridge which is operating effectively as a dam. The local roads impacted have also been resurfaced and re-opened. The Council continues to be an active participant in the multi-agency working group established by the Department of Heritage and chaired by Minister Malcom Noonan.

• Realignment of the N16 at Munakill: The Consultants continue to progress Phase 2 – (Option Selection) with Public Consultation No 2 currently in progress.

• N4 Pavement Overlay - Jamestown to Masonite Junction: This 6km was fully completed in early September.

• N16 Pavement Overlay – Tomrud to Tawneymoyle: This contract is scheduled for completion by year end.

Capital Projects Office Leitrim County Council established Capital Projects Office progressed the delivery of elements of the Capital Investment Programme 2020 – 2025. In 2020 the Capital Office continued project delivery in the following areas:

• Carrick on Shannon Flood Relief Scheme: Design works have commenced, with data collection, ground investigation and CCTV surveys ongoing at present. The 1st Public Consultation took place with over 3,000 residential and commercial properties receiving information about the scheme by

way of; cover letter, information brochure, questionnaire, ads and posters. To date we have received over 60 submissions from the public.

• Leitrim Village Flood Relief Scheme: The process for the appointment of a design consultant is complete and we await approval to proceed from the OPW.

• Mohill Flood Relief Scheme: The OPW are currently updating flood maps for Mohill which will then allow us to decide on location of defences.

• Carrick on Shannon Public Regeneration Scheme: Four construction contracts are underway in 2020 at present, namely:

o Reconstruction of Footpaths / Roads - Main Street/St George’s Terrace/Approach roads

o Construction of Car Park at Flynn’s Field

o Construction of Boardwalk along river edge

o Lighting of N4 Bridge and Boardwalk at Linear Park

• Manorhamilton Public Realm Scheme: Project design has commenced, with topographical surveys and site investigation complete. The tender process for the construction phase will commence before the end of 2020.

• The Junction Project Ballinamore: Project design has commenced, with ground investigations and site investigation complete. The tender process for the construction phase will commence before the end of 2020.

• SLNCR Greenway – Sligo to Enniskillen: Leitrim County Council received confirmation of funding from the Department of Transport Tourism and Sport but await terms and conditions of the grant funding. It is anticipated that tender for a Design Consultant team for the Scheme will be advertised before year end.

• SLNCR – Manorhamilton to Boggaun: This construction contract has been substantially completed in 2020.


• Cavan Leitrim Greenway – Ballinamore to Corgar: Construction has been ongoing in 2020 on this project.

• Carrick on Shannon Destination Towns: The design team has been appointed for this project in 2020 and options are been generated at present as a basis to proceed to Part 8 Planning approval.

• Carrick on Shannon to Battlebridge Blueway: Tender for Design Consultant team for the Scheme was advertised in 2020 and it is anticipated that the team will be appointed before year end.

• Hartley Bridge: Works are ongoing in 2020 to develop a planning application to An Bord Pleanála.

• OPW Minor Flood Schemes: In 2020, approval has been secured from the OPW for a minor flood scheme on the Glenaniff River at Rossinver involving clearing vegetation for the river. Works to be carried out by the OPW.

• The Capital Office are in discussion with the OPW regarding 2 more (possibly 3) Minor Flood Schemes in the Dromahaire area.

Delivering for our Places Forward Planning and Development Management

• Work continued during 2020 on the preparation a new County Development Plan. A Strategic Issues Paper has been published and the Chief Executives report has issued for consideration by the Members in December 2020 in this regard.

• The Council continued to focus on unfinished housing developments during 2020, with a total of 13 Estates taken in charge and over 20 applications in progress.

• In 2020 to date, the Planning Department has received 64 no. formal requests for pre planning advice. Arising from public health measures, most of this advice has been

provided in written form with some virtual meetings facilitated for larger projects.

• In 2020 to date, Leitrim County Council has received 159 no. valid planning applications of which 13 no. were for commercial development proposals. Planning permission was granted for a 90-bed nursing home in Carrick on Shannon, while applications were lodged for a significant wind farm proposal near Drumkeeran and an integrated tourism development near Leitrim Village. It was also notable that there is a return to applications seeking planning permission for multiple housing developments in Carrick on Shannon, Manorhamilton, Dromod and Drumkeeran.

• The Planning Department have dealt with 5 no. Part 8 Public Consultation applications over the course of 2020, 1 no. of which relates to a Public Realm Improvement Scheme for Mohill for which an application will be made under the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund Scheme 2020.

• The County Leitrim Heritage Plan 2020-2025 was adopted at the March Council meeting and was published in April. The Heritage Officer was approved funding for 2 projects through the Heritage Council funding programme to undertake a Geological Survey of Co. Leitrim and a Public Awareness Programme of Heritage Events. The Heritage Officer was also approved for funding under the National Biodiversity Action Plan for two projects – Undertake a swift survey in Co. Leitrim and Undertake a bat survey of all publicly accessible Council owned properties. The Heritage Officer was also approved funding through the Creative Ireland Programme – Mumming in Co. Leitrim.

Environmental Services

• RMCEI Plan: The Environment Department submitted the 2019 RMCEI Report together with the 2020 RMCEI Planned Target Environmental inspections to the EPA in February 2020. The 2020 RMCEI


programme has progressed subject to Covid 19 restrictions and the sampling and inspection programmes, particularly relating to rivers and lakes is progressing well.

• National Inspection Program (DWWTS): Notwithstanding Covid 19 restrictions, Leitrim County Council have completed 17 no NIP DWWTS inspections to date.

• EPA Ambient Air Quality Monitoring (AAQM): Leitrim County Council installed an air quality monitor in Carrick-on-Shannon during 2020. The unit was commissioned by the EPA and will give real time information on air pollutant parameters for Nitrogen Dioxide and Nitrogen Oxides and Particulate Matter (PM10 and PM2.5)

• In 2020, the Connacht Ulster Waste Enforcement Regional Lead Authority (WERLA) delivered priority actions in line with Government policy surrounding waste enforcement.

• In 2020, Leitrim County Council worked in collaboration with LAWCO on River Basin Management Planning with ongoing public engagement and participation in the making and application of the River Basin Management Plans and Programme of Measures.

Arts

2020 proved to be a very challenging year for the arts where programmes, venues and galleries were closed overnight, with loss to the livelihoods of those who work in the sector and to the communities they serve. Programmes such as Spark, Leitrim Youth Theatre, Cruinniú na nÓg and Culture Night continued though on a smaller scale. However, through Creative Ireland, Leitrim County Council was able to quickly reconfigure and expand its programme to respond to the needs of communities and developed over 30 separate projects with different youth groups, active age groups, venues and organisations around the county. Many of these moved online with some reaching vast audiences such as a young dancers project with an audience of 120,000 people and

the Céilí in the Kitchen project which reached an audience of 1.6 million viewers worldwide. Venues in the county responded likewise, carefully managing physical events in a safe way, reaching other communities and audiences online and continuing to support artists to make new work. While the newly formed Music Generation Leitrim Youth Trad Orchestra only got to meet twice in real life before lockdown, it still meets weekly online and produced a version of Carolan’s Sí Beag Sí Mór which has been selected for screening in New York in December as part of the Ireland Funds Annual Conference. Community Development

• A Healthy Ireland programme of €246,000 is being rolled out in Leitrim for 2020-2021 across themes of physical activity, mental health, wellbeing, nutrition, alcohol and tobacco using project partners such as Leitrim Development Company, North Western Drugs and Alcohol Forum, Bee Park, Manorhamilton, Breffni and Mohill Family Resource Centres, HSE and Sports Partnership for delivery as well, supporting community and sporting organisations through a small grant scheme for community mental health.

• A Peace and Reconciliation Programme (Peace IV) of € 1.8 million is almost complete. The Children and Young People and Building Positive Relations themes are now finished with almost 1,000 young people and adults taking part in the programming activities on a local and cross border basis. Three Shared Spaces are now complete; Peace Room in Mohill, Sextons House in Manorhamilton and the Community Centre in Kiltyclogher. The Shared Spaces will be used in 2021 for cross community programming activities.

• The COVID 19 Community Helpline and Community Forum were established in March in response to the pandemic. A 7 day per week, 8 am to 8 pm service is in operation with support provided from community and voluntary sector across Leitrim. Programming of activities under


the ‘In This Together’, ‘Hold Firm’ and ‘Stay Well’ campaigns are ongoing.

• The Public Participation Network continues to grow during 2020 with almost 300 groups registered. The dedicated budget provides support to the Representatives and Member groups, developing capacity and enabling participation in policy matters.

• Comhairle na Nóg Liatroma continues to enjoy the support of all second level schools and youth clubs in Leitrim. The ‘Use your Brain Not Your Fist’ workbook and video are being used by the Garda Schools programme nationally.

• Leitrim Age Friendly Alliance and Older Persons Council are working on the 2017-2020 Age Friendly Strategy. Some of the key achievements in 2020 was the preparation and delivery of 3,000 wellbeing packs to older people across Leitrim, the placement of three trio-bikes in Nursing Homes, Community Centre’s in each Municipal District to support outdoor activities for older people in Nursing Homes and the development of age friendly parking.

• Funding was secured for playgrounds and outdoor recreational facilities from Department of Community and Youth Affairs to upgrade Drumshanbo and Mohill playground and under the Clár programme, to upgrade Mohill Astro Turf pitch. All works are now complete. Funding from Department of Justice was also allocated for a playground at Ballinamore Childcare CLG to support the integration of refugees into the community.

• The Covid 19 Community Response Fund and Community Enhancement Programme provided funding of €204,000 supporting 166 community groups and sporting organizations during 2020 with small and large grants.

• Pride of Place was judged virtually in 2020 with applications from Breffni Community Development CLG and Townspark, Carrick on Shannon in the urban neighbourhood category and Dromahair Development

Association/Tidy Towns in the population category.

• The Traveller Interagency Group met twice in 2020 and action plans are in place for three core groups; Education, Accommodation and Health.

Our Organisation As an organisation we have had to adapt and respond quickly to the challenges that arose in 2020 and in particular with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent restrictions. Throughout 2020 we have continued to deliver our services to the highest possible standards despite the challenges presented. This has been achieved by:

• Implementation and continuous review of the Business Continuity Plan.

• Management of staff resources into teams or pods to ensure essential services could be maintained in the event of a COVID-19 outbreak.

• Provision of mobile technology solutions to facilitate working from home arrangements for staff.

• Enhanced use of technology such MS teams to hold meetings in virtual or online environments.

• Provision of online training to enable staff to avail of features of new technology and software.

• Greater emphasis on delivering e-services to our customers. For example, the library services has seen a 3-fold increase in lending of e-books, with the number of users availing of e-services in the library doubling in the past year.

• Development of a staff COVID-19 portal to keep staff aware of latest COVID-19 information, procedures and protocols.

• Enhancement of the Staff Health & Safety Portal to ensure staff had the latest Health & Safety Standard Operating Guidelines and compliance information. The portal also acts as a central repository for all


Health & Safety and COVID-19 compliance checks that are carried out.

• Rollout of Modern.Gov App and new Councillors Extranet to provide greater support to elected members in regard to management of Council and Committee meetings.

• Procurement of Employee Assistance Service to provide free counselling service and supports to staff and their families.

Leitrim County Council has evolved as an organisation in 2020. It is evident by the challenges that have been overcome this past year that a solutions based, innovative and creative culture exists within the organisation. In addition to a changed work environment and new work practises required to comply with COVID-19 public Health Advice, technological change has been rolled out and has been embraced by the staff. This has ensured that throughout 2020 the organisation has been fit for purpose to deliver for the People, the Places and the Economy of County Leitrim.

Conclusion The foregoing achievements were made possible through the combined efforts of the Elected Members and Staff of this Authority and, together with the many voluntary and community organisations with whom the Council interacts. I wish to thank them for their commitment and dedication to securing our mission, vision, and goals in 2020. We look forward to continuing to deliver high quality services to all our customers and to working with all stakeholders in order to make County Leitrim the best place that in can be for those who choose to live, work, invest and visit our County. Yours sincerely, Lar Power Chief Executive


Appendix 7 – National Performance Indicators 2019

Topic Indicator Value

H HOUSING

H1 Social Housing Stock

A # of dwellings in the ownership of Local Authority at 1st January 952

B # of dwellings constructed (B1) or purchased (B2) during year 23

C # Local Authority dwellings sold in year 8

D # Local Authority dwellings demolished in year 0

E # dwellings in the ownership of Local Authority at 31st December 967

F # Local Authority owned dwellings planned for demolition under Dept. HPLG approved scheme

0

H2 Housing Voids

A % of the total # Local Authority owned dwellings that were vacant at year end 3.31%

B # dwellings within the overall stock that were not tenanted at year-end 32

H4 Housing Maintenance Cost

A Expenditure during year on the maintenance of Local Authority Housing, divided by the # dwellings in the Local Authority stock at year end

€1,620.24 per unit based on

967 units

B

Expenditure on maintenance of Local Authority stock compiled for this year, including planned maintenance and expenditure that qualified for grants, such as SEAI grants for energy efficient retrofitting works or the Fabric Upgrade Programme but excluding expenditure on vacant properties and expenditure under approved major refurbishment schemes (i.e., approved Regeneration or under the Remedial Works Schemes)

€1,566,772.73

H3 Average Re-letting Time and Cost

A Time taken from the date of vacation of dwelling to the date in year when the dwelling is re-tenanted, averaged across all dwellings re-let in year

25

B The cost expended on getting the dwellings re-tenanted in year ready for re-letting, averaged across all dwellings re-let in year

€11,419.60

C # dwellings that were re-tenanted on any date in year (but excluding all those that had been vacant due to an estate-wide refurbishment scheme). Date of re-tenanting is the date the keys have been issued to the tenant

48

D # weeks from the date of vacation to the date the dwelling is re-tenanted. (Date of vacation is the date the keys are handed back)

24.92

E Total expenditure on works necessary to enable re-letting of the dwelling using direct cost calculations (see explanatory notes)

€548,140.64

H5 Private Rented Sector Inspections

A # registered tenancies in the Local Authority area at the end of June 2019 1,649

B # of rented dwellings inspected 219

C % of inspected dwellings that were found not to be compliant with the Standards Regulations

81.28%

D # of non-compliant dwellings that became compliant during the year 85

H6 Long Term Homeless Adults

# of Adult individuals in emergency accommodation that are long-term (i.e. 6 months or more within the previous year) homeless as a % of the total # homeless adult individuals in emergency accommodation at the end of year

0

# of Adult individuals classified as homeless and in emergency accommodation on the night of 31 December as recorded on the PASS system

0


The number out of those individuals who, on 31st Dec, had been in emergency accommodation for 6 months continuously, or for 6 months cumulatively within the previous 12 months

0


R ROADS

R1 Ratings in Pavement Surface Condition Index PSCI % Regional road kilometres that received a PSCI rating between 1/1/2019 and 31/12/2019 76.00%

% Local Primary road kilometres that received a PSCI rating between 1/1/2019 and 31/12/2019

57.00%

% Local Secondary road kilometres that received a PSCI rating between 1/1/2019 and 31/12/2019

48.00%

% Local Tertiary road kilometres that received a PSCI rating between 1/1/2019 and 31/12/2019

48.00%

% Total Regional Road kilometres with a PSCI rating 1-4 0.17% % Total Regional Road kilometres with a PSCI rating of 5-6 28.24% % Total Regional road kilometres with a PSCI rating of 7-8 41.65% % Total of Regional road kilometres with a PSCI rating of 9-10 29.72% % Total Primary Road kilometres with a PSCI rating of 1-4 1.66% % Total Primary kilometres with a PSCI rating of 5-6 30.84% % Total Primary kilometres with a PSCI rating of 7-8 45.35% % Total Primary kilometres with a PSCI rating of 9-10 20.66% % Total Secondary road kilometres with a PSCI rating of 1-4 5.43% % Total Secondary road kilometres with a PSCI rating of 5-6 45.54% % Total Secondary road kilometres with a PSCI rating of 7-8 32.72% % Total Secondary road kilometres with a PSCI rating of 9-10 15.14% % Total Tertiary road kilometres with a PSCI rating of 1-4 17.71% % Total Tertiary road kilometres with a PSCI rating of 5-6 41.96% % Total Tertiary road kilometres with a PSCI rating of 7-8 22.09% % Total Tertiary road kilometres with a PSCI rating of 9-10 7.32%

R2 Regional Roads Grants Works

A Kilometres of regional roads strengthened* during 2019 and the amount expended on that work.

17.5 KM €1,886,569

B Kilometres of regional road resealed* during 2019 and the amount expended on that work. 4.60km

€182,750

C Kilometres of local road (i.e., total of primary, secondary and tertiary) strengthened during 2019 and the amount expended on that work.

67.9Km €3,967,406

D Kilometres of local road resealed during 2019 and the amount expended on that work. 48.40 Km

€1,062,246

R3 % of motor tax transactions conducted online

A Percentage of motor tax transactions which are dealt with online (i.e. transaction is processed and the tax disc is issued).

69.85%


W WATER SERVICES

W1 % of Private Drinking Water Schemes in compliance with statutory requirements

% of Private Drinking Water Schemes in compliance with statutory requirements 98.85%


W2 Percentage of registered group schemes audited % of Private Drinking Water Schemes in compliance with statutory requirements 22.20%

A No. of Audits carried out in the year 6

B Total no. of Registered Schemes in the year 27


E ENVIRONMENT

E1 Number of households in an area covered by a licensed operator providing a 3-bin service

A No. Households based on 2016 census who are situated in an area covered by a licensed operation providing a 3 Bin Service at end of year.

7,941

B % of households within the LA that the number at A represents - based on 2016 Census 64.02%

E2 Pollution Complaint Cases Total Number of pollution cases carried forward from previous year 52

A Total number of pollution complaint cases 405

B Number of pollution cases closed during the year 425

C Total number of cases on hand at year-end 32 Number of pollution cases in respect of complaint during the year 405 Number of pollution cases where no investigation warranted, or investigation finalised 0 Number of pollution cases that arose in 2019 not finalised 24

E3 Litter Pollution

A % of area unpolluted by litter 2%

B % of are slightly polluted by litter 89%

C % of area moderately polluted by litter 10%

D % of area significantly polluted by litter 0%

E % of are grossly polluted by litter 0%

E4 % of Schools Awarded Green Flag Status

% of schools that have been awarded/renewed green flag status in the two years to 31/12/2019

45.45%

E5 The cumulative % of energy savings achieved by Year End relative to baseline year (2009)

E5 The cumulative % of energy savings achieved by Year End relative to baseline year (2009) 18.48%


P PLANNING

P1 New Buildings Inspected Buildings Inspected as a percentage of new buildings notified to the local authority 15.38% Total # of new buildings notified to the Local Authority 52 # of new buildings notified to the Local Authority that were the subject of at least 1 inspection 8

P2 Number of Planning decisions confirmed by An Bord Pleanála

A A. Number of planning decisions subject of appeal to An Bord Pleanala determined by board in 2019.

3

B B. % of the determinations at A which confirmed (with or without variations) the decision made by the LA.

66.67%

C C. Number of determinations confirming the LA's decision with or without variation. 2

P3 % of Planning Enforcement cases closed as resolved % of Planning Enforcement cases closed as resolved 48%

A Total number of planning cases (as opposed to complaints) referred to or initiated by the local authority in the period 1/1 to 31/12 that were investigated

41

B Total number of cases that were closed during year 49


C The number of cases at B that were dismissed under Section 152 (2), Planning and Development Act 2000.

26

D The Number of the cases at B that were resolved to the LA’s satisfaction through negotiations 23

E of the cases at B that were closed due to enforcement proceedings 0

F Total number of planning cases being investigated as at 31/12. 52

P4 Cost per Capita of the Planning Service

A The Annual Financial Statement (AFS) Programme D data divided by the population of the LA area per the 2016 Census.

36.93

P5 % of Fire Safety Certificates processed.

A The percentage of applications for fire safety certificates received in the year that were decided (granted or refused) within two months of their receipt

77%

B The percentage of applications for fire safety certificates received in the year that were decided (granted or refused) within an extended period agreed with the applicant

20%

The total number of applications for fire safety certificates received in the year that were not withdrawn by the applicant.

35

The number of applications for fire safety certificates received in the year that were decided (granted or refused) within two months of the date of receipt of the application

27

The number of applications for fire safety certificates received in the year that were decided (granted or refused) within an agreed extended time period

7


F FIRE SERVICES

F1 Cost per Capita of the Fire Service

A A. The Annual Financial Statement (AFS) Programme E data expenditure divided by the population of the LA area per the 2016 Census figures for the population served by the fire authority as per the Risk Based Approach Phase One Reports.

€70.71

B B. Programme E data €2,246,258

C C. the population of the LA area per the 2016 Census figures for the population served by the fire authority as per the Risk Based Approach Phase One Reports.

32,044

F2 Service Mobilisation

B B. Average time taken, in minutes, to mobilise fire brigades in Part-Time Stations (Retained Fire Service) in respect of fire.

4.52 mins

D D. Average time taken, in minutes, to mobilise fire brigades in Part-Time Stations (Retained Fire Service) in respect of all other (non-fire) emergency incidents

4.40 mins

F3 Percentage of Attendances at Scenes

A A. % of cases in respect of fire in which first attendance at the scene is within 10 minutes 41.98%

B B. % of cases in respect of fire in which first attendance at the scene is after 10 minutes but within 20 minutes

48.15%

C C. % of cases in respect of fire in which first attendance at the scene is after 20 minutes 9.88%

D D. % of cases in respect of all other emergency incidents in which first attendance at the scene is within 10 minutes

42.48%

E E. % of cases in respect of all other emergency incidents in which first attendance at the scene is after 10 minutes but within 20 minutes

44.25%

F F. % of cases in respect of all other emergency incidents in which first attendance at the scene is after 20 minutes

13.27%

Total number of call-outs in respect of fires from 1/1/2019 to 31/12/2019 81

Number of these fire cases where first fire tender attendance at the scene is within 10 minutes

34

Number of these fire cases in which first fire tender attendance at the scene is after 10 minutes but within 20 minutes

39

Number of these fire cases in which first fire tender attendance at the scene is after 20 minutes

8


Total number of call-outs in respect of all other emergency incidents (i.e. not including fire) from 1/1/2019 to 31/12/2019

113

Number of these non-fire cases in which first fire tender attendance at the scene is within 10 minutes

48

Number of these non-fire cases in which first fire tender attendance at the scene is after 10 minutes but within 20 minutes

50

Number of these non-fire cases in which first fire tender attendance at the scene is after 20 minutes

15


L LIBRARY

L1 Library Visits and Issues A. Number of Library Visits per head of population 4.23

A (a). Number of library visits during the year 135,554

B. Number of items issued to library borrowers during the year 91,691

C. Number of Registered Library members per head of population 5,932

L2 Cost of operating a Library Service

A. The Annual Financial Statement (AFS) Programme F data divided by 1,000 population of the LA area per the 2016 Census.

34.69

B. The annual cost per capita expenditure on collections during the year €77,723.26

C. AFS Programme F data €1,111,911.00

D.2016 Census Figure 32044


Y YOUTH AND COMMUNITY

Y1 Participation in Comhairle na nÓg Scheme

A A. Percentage of local schools and youth groups involved in the local Youth Council/Comhairle na nÓg scheme

100%

Total number of second level schools in The LA area at year end 7

Number of second level schools in the LA area from which representatives attended the local Comhairle na nÓg AGM held in 2019

7

Y2 Groups associated with the Public Participation Network

A

A. The number of organisations included in the County Register at 31/12/2019 and the proportion of those organisations that opted to be part of the Social Inclusion College with the PPN.

25.05% part of Social Inclusion Pillar (261

Registered)

Total number of registered organisations that opted to join the Social Inclusion Electoral College when registering for the PPN in the year

3

Total number of those organisations that registered for the first time in 2019 44

Number of organisations included in the County Register and the proportion who opted to be part of the Social Inclusion College within the PPN

65


C CORPORATE SERVICES

C1 Total Number of WTEs

The wholetime equivalent staffing number as of 31 December 2019 (consistent with figures provided to D/ECLG by way of staffing returns for December 2019)

288.99

C2 Working Days lost to Sickness

A Percentage of paid working days lost to sickness absence through medically certified leave 3.3%

B Percentage of paid working days lost to sickness absence through self-certified leave 0.28%

C Number of working days lost to sickness absence through medically certified leave 2197.80


D Number of working days lost to sickness absence through self-certified leave 216.6

E Number of unpaid working days lost to sickness absence included within the total of medically certified sick leave days –

33.3

F Number of unpaid working days lost to sickness absence included within the total of self-certified sick leave days

3.8

C3 Total page views of the Local Authority website Total page views of the LA website 393,625 Total number of social media followers following the LA on social media sites 11,635

C4 Overall cost of ICT provision per WTE

A All ICT Expenditure in the period divided by the WTW @ C1. €3,774

B Revenue Expenditure 1,090,628

C Wholetime equivalent 288.99

C5 Overall cost of ICT

C5 Overall cost of ICT as a proportion of Revenue Budget 2.54%

C5 Total Revenue expenditure in year before transfers to/from Reserves 42,865,032


M FINANCE

M1 5 Year summary of Revenue Account balance

A The cumulative surplus/deficit balance at 31/12/2015 -1,324,122.00

B The cumulative surplus/deficit balance at 31/12/2016 -266,479.00

C The cumulative surplus/deficit balance at 31/12/2017 -264,105.00

D The cumulative surplus/deficit balance at 31/12/2018 -260,640.00

E The cumulative surplus or deficit at 31/12/2019 as a percentage of Total Income in 2019 from the Income and Expenditure Account Statement of the AFS*

0.60

F Revenue Expenditure per Capita in 2019 1,338

G Revenue Expenditure per capita in year excluding significant out of county/shared service expenditure

0

The 2019 Total Income Figure from the Income and Expenditure Account Statement of the AFS

43,026,998

The 2019 Total Expenditure figure on the Income and Expenditure Account Statement (i.e. excluding transfers) of the AFS*

42,865,032

M2 5 Year summary of % collection levels for major revenue sources Collection level of rates from the Annual Financial Statement for 2015 79% Collection level of rents and annuities from the Annual Financial Statement for 2015 86% Collection levels for housing loans from the Annual Financial Statement for 2015 65% Collection level of rates from the Annual Financial Statement for 2016 81% Collection level of rents and annuities from the Annual Financial Statement for 2016 88% Collection levels for housing loans from the Annual Financial Statement for 2016 63% Collection level of rates from the Annual Financial Statement for 2017 82% Collection level of rents and annuities from the Annual Financial Statement for 2017 88% Collection levels for housing loans from the Annual Financial Statement for 2017 64% Collection level of rates from the Annual Financial Statement for 2018 83% Collection level of rents and annuities from the Annual Financial Statement for 2018 89% Collection levels of housing loans from the Annual Financial Statement for 2018 63% Collection level of rates from the Annual Financial Statement for 2019 83% Collection level of rents and annuities from the Annual Financial Statement for 2019 90% Collection levels of housing loans from the Annual Financial Statement for 2019 65%



J ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT €

J1 No. of jobs created

The no. of jobs created with assistance from the Local Enterprise Office during the period 1st Jan to 31 Dec

27

J2 Trading Online Vouchers

A The number of trading online voucher applications approved by the Local Enterprise Office in the year

13

B The number of online-trading vouchers that were drawn down by year-end 5

J3 Mentoring Receipts

A The number of mentoring participants who received mentoring during the year 185

J4 Tourism

A Does the local authority have a current tourism strategy? Yes

B Does the local authority have a designated Tourism Officer? Yes

Figures may be subject to change if an Audit Query is raised in the review of the data by the LGMA or NOAC.


Appendix 8 – Local Performance Indicators 2019

Ref HOUSING IMPROVEMENT WORKS Position at 31/12/2019

LOC1 # of units upgraded under Improvement Works 91 Units

LOC2 New tenancies created from 1st Jan 2019 to 31st Dec 2019 68

LOC3 # of private Housing Adaptation Grants Paid 39

LOC4 % achievement Traveller Accommodation Programme targets 2014 -2018 8 No. Units delivered = 32%

WATER SERVICES

LOC7 % Unaccounted for Water 48.12%

ENVIRONMENT

LOC6 % Schools participating in Green Schools 100.00%

PLANNING

LOC5 # of formal pre planning enquiries 20

LOC5 Average waiting time (in working days) 14.6 Days

YOUTH AND COMMUNITY

LOC8 Participation in sport (Leitrim Sports Partnership Events/Activities) 10,265

LOC9 No. of visitors to local authority facilitated leisure facilities per 1,000 population directly provided by the LA

105.933

LOC9 No. of children's playgrounds per 1,000 population directly provided by the LA

0.62414

LOC10 No. participating in Arts Activities 17460

CORPORATE SERVICES

LOC11 % of customer contacts closed within 4 weeks 79.93%

FINANCE

LOC12 % Suppliers paid within 15 days 94%

LEITRIM ENTERPRISE OFFICE

LOC13 # of start-ups through LEO/local services 12

LOC14 # of grants approved LEO 19

LOC16 # of participants on Start your Own Business Courses 40

LOC17 Business Vacancy Rate 16.70%

TOURISM

LOC18 # of page visits to Tourism Website (www.enjoyleitrim.ie) 392,890

LOC18 # of Facebook Likes 17,959

LOC18 # of Twitter Followers 3,890

LOC19 # of visitors to Glencar Waterfall 86,070

LOC19 # of visitors to Costello Chapel 37,776

LOC19 # of visitors to the Lime Kiln in Fenagh 1,718


Table 2

LEITRIM COUNTY COUNCIL

Aras An Chontae

Carrick on Shannon

Co. Leitrim

Tel: +353 (0) 71 96 20005

Email: [email protected]

www.leitrimcoco.ie

mailto:[email protected]

leitrim county council annual report

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