Fears for Eden's Tidy Towns chances

The Chairperson of Edenderry's Tidy Town Committee has expressed fears that a reduction in services in the north Offaly town will lead to failure in the national Tidy Towns competition. Noel Cribbin, who also sits on Edenderry Town Council, said a 60 percent reduction in services locally has led to a current situation whereby street cleaning takes place twice a week at 6am on both Mondays and Fridays. Though at those times the town is spotless, Cllr Cribbin said it's anything but for the rest of the week and this is sure to affect the town's chances in the Tidy Towns competition. "If the adjudicator comes any day bar Monday or Friday then we are at nothing," he said this week. Cllr Cribbin said figures supplied to him by Offaly County Council reveal that a total of €2.1m was paid by ratepayers in Edenderry and the surrounding areas. Of that total Cllr Cribbin said €200,000 is returned to north Offaly for environmental services including street cleaning and grass cutting. With €60,000 of that spent on landfill and €100,000 spent on north Offaly areas outside Edenderry the town is left with just €40,000. Meanwhile, Cllr Cribbin asserted that Tullamore has a corresponding budget of up to €350,000 and no reduction in services this year, while Birr has a slight reduction in services and a budget of €100,000. "How are we supposed to compete?" Cllr Cribbin asked describing services in Edenderry as "despicable". The councillor also highlighted that a traffic warden in Edenderry who retired approximately six months ago has yet to be replaced. "For the last six to eight months nothing has gone into the metres," the councillor said. Cllr Cribbin said he's now looking for a full budget breakdown from the council with a view to changing Edenderry's fortunes in the next budget. "We're looking for a proper share of the cake and we definitely aren't getting it now," he said.