Communities to share €30k pot for Christmas lights
The contribution that Westmeath County Council are making to 17 towns and villages in the Mullingar Kinnegad Municipal District towards the cost of Christmas lighting has been increased by €500 this year, to make for a total fund of €29,777.50.
Next year’s allocation is, however, to total €45,000 for the district, following approval at district level of the 2024 General Municipal Allocation (GMA) for this area.
In the meantime, the largest single allocation from this year’s allocation – €20,359.50 – is to go to the Mullingar Lights Committee, part of Mullingar Chamber of Commerce.
The next largest sum, €1,500, is to go to the Kinnegad Action Group/Community Council; Castlepollard, Rochfortbridge and Killucan/Rathwire are to receive €1,000 each.
Amounts of €500 apiece are going to Clonmellon, Collinstown, Coole and Multyfarnham, while Delvin is receiving €468.
The following are to receive €350 each: Crookedwood, Finea, Fore, Milltownpass, Raharney, Streete and Whitehall.
Cllr Denis Leonard said many rural areas have found it difficult to get Christmas lighting projects off the ground, and are hampered by the cost of insurance and electricity. He pointed out that all the work is done by volunteers, usually the same people every year.
“But I just think we need to be giving better allocations to rural towns because it’s so important that the main street of every rural town is lit up at Christmas,” he said, explaining that would encourage people in to shop on the dark nights coming up to Christmas.
“We have to light up our own town to make it accessible and, you know, attractive for people to shop locally at Christmas.”
Cllr Emily Wallace said she had asked last year that the district write to the ESB and ask it to subsidise the cost it is charging what are voluntary groups.
“It’s kind of a Catch 22 situation where we are given funding to light up our towns and villages, to encourage people to shop local and then we have to give money to the ESB.”
She asked if the district had ever applied to the ESB Community Fund, stating that she knows that community groups that have applied to the organisation for funding have found the process to be onerous.
On the proposal of Cllr Leonard, seconded by the mayor, Cllr John Shaw, the members agreed to write to the ESB asking for assistance for areas in Westmeath from its community fund.