Councillor asks electricity companies to have ‘social conscience’

The Municipal District of Mullingar Kinnegad is to write to the electrical companies regarding the cost of lighting towns and villages for Christmas.

The proposal was made by Cllr Denis Leonard at a meeting last week, and received widespread support from the chamber.

As part of the council’s 2020 budget, €60,000 in grant funding was provided for Town and Village Christmas lights, with half of that allotted to the Mullingar side of Westmeath, the other to Athlone.

And while Cllr Denis Leonard welcomed the fact that every community in Ireland is lit up in what was "quite a dark year for an awful lot of people and especially the elderly," he said communities always need more money because Christmas lights “cost twice as much” as what’s divided out in grant funding.

“Could I ask that some representation be made by this area to the electrical companies because they insist on charging standing charges and full levies right throughout the entire year,” he began. “Communities on top of that have a bill of €2,000 in our case [Kinnegad], because we have three meter boxes. And to come up with that every year before you pay an electrician, before you pay a hoist... While this funding is very welcome, it’s really not anywhere near what it actual costs, and in a tough business year it’s very hard to come up with,” he stated.

“While I welcome the funding, I think more could be done by the ESB and the electrical companies of Ireland to facilitate Tidy Towns and Community Groups allowing them to leave the box up through the year without charging them standing charges.”

Cllr Leonard’s proposal was seconded by Cllr Emily Wallace, who said it was a very good idea, and commended all the towns and villages in relation to the works they’ve done in getting the lights up this year, in what was very tough circumstance.

“The town looks absolutely brilliant. It’s a lovely feeling to drive in through the town and see the spectacular lights.”

Cllr Frank McDermott said “There was a time we used to hear about big utility companies having a social conscience, it seems to have gone out of fashion and it’s unfortunate”.

“When we look at the ESB as we know it, certainly they’re not short of ‘readies’, and I think it’s the least they could offer the communities and small towns, is not to have to come up with the charges for those meters. They’re getting enough out of the community,” argued Cllr McDermott.

Mayor Bill Collentine agreed. “These utility charges are crazy, and then standing orders all year round. We are working on a way in Mullingar to take this down... The meters are costing serious money.”

Director of services Martin Murray agreed with councillors. “Each individual town has a seperate way of establishing electrical subunits or the meters, and the standards associated to installing equipment and electric lights are so high now that we have to ensure we comply with the electrical standards,” he began.

“The fallout from that was to have meters which has a standing annual charge,” continued Mr Murray, adding that Cllr Leonard’s point was “well made”, and he pledged to write a letter on behalf of the members in respect of looking at “the standing charge element” and the community aspect of it.

Christmas Light fund

As part of Westmeath County Council’s 2020 budget, €60,000 was allotted to the Christmas Lights fund, divided equally between both the Mullingar and Athlone side of the county.

The purpose of the scheme is to encourage and support local business activity in towns and villages over the Christmas season.

Mullingar received the highest amount in this area, and was awarded a sum of €21,650, the town of Kinnegad got the next highest in grant funding with €1,250, while Castlepollard and Rochfortbridge both got €1,000 each. A joint application for Christmas lights by Killucan/Rathwire achieved €1,000.

The rest of the monies were spread out across other villages including Clonmellon €750, Collinstown €500, Crookedwood €450, Delvin €750, Milltownpass €350, Multyfarnham €500, Raharney €400, and Streete €400.