FERMANAGH and Omagh District Council’s (FODC) Best Kept Awards are starting to get messy.
Fourteen towns and villages have been nominated for the awards and the judges are now out visiting the areas.
However, despite Enniskillen’s nomination, several comments on the FODC’s Facebook post promoting the awards complained that photos used to highlight the county town were of “hard areas” not “grass areas” such as roundabouts and grass verges.
This prompted a Facebook post by local UUP Councillor Mark Ovens on the Herald’s story, which put a new twist on the issue.
“At a meeting of Fermanagh Omagh Council on 4th June this year I made a formal proposal that an options appraisal would be brought to the next meeting regarding the possible reinstatement of the maintenance of non-Council owned urban infrastructure particularly the maintenance of roundabouts in Enniskillen and Omagh,” Mr Ovens wrote.
“For many years the Council maintained the roundabouts – and not at a big cost – even though they were owned by the Roads Service.
“It was a win-win for both bodies. Yet even that request just for an options paper to explore the matter was voted down with 19 against and 14 for. It’s little wonder why ratepayers question what exactly they get for the increasing and excessive charges each year.”
When asked to clarify who voted for and against the motion SDLP Councillor Adam Gannon replied: “I was happy to support Mark’s proposal at the time and seconded it. It was voted against by Sinn Féin and Alliance and the UUP and SDLP voted for it.”
Mr Gannon could not recall how the DUP had voted.
The latest Facebook exchange generated even more colourful comments on the upkeep of local towns and villages.
Last week a Council spokesperson said that the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) was responsible for the maintenance of roundabouts and roadside verges in, and on the approach roads to, Enniskillen.
“The Council continues to lobby the Department for Infrastructure in respect of their approach to grass-cutting and verge maintenance across the District,” the spokesperson said.
“Council staff undertake a programme of daily, weekly and monthly scheduled maintenance activities across its estate and Enniskillen has regularly been recognised in the Best Kept Awards.
“Our staff work closely with many local volunteers and community groups, on an ongoing basis, reflecting a renewed focus on ‘community spirit’ within the Best Kept Awards.”
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