Tidy Towns Results 2014

The 2014 SuperValu Tidy Towns results have been published today. Millstreet has gained another point this year to score 297 points. Kilkenny have won the national title with a score of 320.
We will add more here as more is released

Tidy Towns Competition 2014
Adjudication Report
Centre:	Millstreet 480	Ref:	480
County:	Cork(North)	Mark:	297
Category:	D	Date(s):	09/07/14

	Max Mark	2014 Mark
Community Involvement & Planning	60	43
Built Environment and Streetscape	50	39
Landscaping and Open Spaces	50	42
Wildlife, Habitats and Natural Amenities	50	31
Sustainable Waste and Resource Management	50	12
Tidiness and Litter Control	90	63
Residential Streets & Housing Areas	50	33
Approach Roads, Streets & Lanes	50	34
	450	297

Community Involvement & Planning / Rannpháirtíocht an Phobail & Pleanáil: 

Many thanks for your entry in this year’s Tidy Towns Competition. Thank you for a most  comprehensively completed entry form and several pieces of supplementary information. On these last, you are cautioned to be aware of the amount of relevant information you should be submitting. The guidelines are clear on this. Pick only relevant and recent information for submission. The danger of giving us too much information is that the really important details get overlooked. The map that you provided was perfect for use, including a scale which is a rarity!
Is the map as up to date as it might be? More points would have been forthcoming in this category had not
historical material (as well-presented as it was) not been unnecessarily submitted.
Your group is highly experienced and you are clearly well-motivated. You have good ‘buy-in’ from the community and high levels of participation. Be careful what information goes where on the newly revised entry form.

Built Environment and Streetscape / An Timpeallacht Thógtha agus Sráid-dreacha:

The work at the square was greatly admired. It has made a huge difference to this space since the adjudicator last visited. The work at the castle gate is shown very well in your before and after pictures. Well done. The bog walk work is very worthwhile but will be adjudicated under the Wildlife, Habitats and Natural Amenities category. The RC Church looks great. This is activity impressive building – what restoration works are required? The Town Hall, and adjacent area look very well indeed. The GAA club looks freshly-painted and clean.
Your shopfronts are among your better assets. The adjudicator hadn’t visited Millstreet for some years and was very impressed with the standard of presentation on this visit. The palette of colours that is used on the square and adjoining streets is surely no accident. Was this a previously organised project?
Several shopfronts caught the eye for standard of presentation. These are too many to list but they included O’Leary and O’Brien’s butchers’ shops. A book/stationery shop was very colourful and a pharmacists premises extremely sharp and neat. The Clara Inn is just one of several lovely pubs. The standard of shop presentation wasn’t universal though. The Centra shop on-site the Town Hall has ridiculously oversized signs. Large pictures of chickens and sandwiches aren’t necessary here. The plastic banners on the pedestrian barriers here look cheap.
Visibility of children to motorists may also be reduced by such signs. Presentation of petrol stations must be kept up too – they are often the first commercial premises seen by visitors. Affixing advertising to areas around the premises is not recommended.
The adjudicator was very impressed with the standard of presentation of the Alps industrial facility.

 

Landscaping and Open Spaces / Tírdhreachú agus Spásanna Oscailte:

Thank you for your clear entry on your most recent work in this category. The adjudicator compliments you on the standard of presentation and upkeep of the many areas to which you have devoted your efforts. The many examples show your experience in this competition as well as an eye for design. From complex new shrub areas to planting atop the church wall, really good use is made of space and colour. The palette of colours used in your planters is highly effective throughout the town but was remarkable for its impact at the Garda Station.
The Town Park is excellently kept and presented. Benches, playground, pitches and paths were seen to be in great condition. The new entrance was admired and used. A sincere well done to all involved.

Wildlife, Habitats and Natural Amenities / Fiadhúlra, Gnáthóga agus Taitneamhachtaí Nádúrtha:

The bog walk work is correctly adjudicated under this category and the adjudicator sees that you have listed this again here. Be careful where you submit material, you will only get points once. Your entry form refers to a hedgehog survey but this was not found among the material submitted. This is a category in which you have room for improvement. The adjudicator feels that your wildlife area on the Drishane Road is a nice display area for features such as bug or hedgehog hotels or flowering plants but will never become the wild area that may be wished for. Similarly, the wildlife area on the Clara Road is very pleasant and lovely to look at and relax in but is relatively species-poor and will never be of high diversity. You are advised to concentrate on existing species and habitats than to try and create new areas with very limited potential.

Sustainable Waste and Resource Management / Bainistiú Acmhainní agus Dramhaíola Inbhuanaithe:

The school book scheme is laudable but is not really breaking news – being a widespread initiative and besides, you listed this last year. The same for school battery recycling. The adjudicator echoes the sentiments of last year’s adjudicator who advised you on how to proceed here. Contact the Environmental Awareness Officer as advised you should also look at the information provided last year by the Tidy Towns Unit on this category for ideas and inspiration. It can be found at www.tidytowns.ie/publications.php. Go as well to the website of the local authority prevention network (LAPN) at http://toolkit.localprevention.ie/ for community-based tips and information. An extra point is awarded here for the schools’ various projects.

Tidiness and Litter Control / Slachtmhaireacht agus Rialú Bruscair:

Your organised and efficient anti-litter actions are deserved much praise. The amount of work this takes is acknowledged. A little litter was seen on adjudication day but nothing too significant. The resurfacing project is well underway at this stage.
There are a number of tidiness issues for you to address. In the centre of the town a yield sign is faded. Another at the Alps facility is in need of painting. A railing in the car-park opposite the church is bent. There is also an empty sign pole here. Some road signage is dirty. There is informal signage on telegraph poles. Signage such as that of the petrol station / dealership should not be tied to other signs. Make sure that signage is readable – e.g. for the Arena / Park on the Drishane Road.

Residential Streets & Housing Areas / Sráideanna Cónaithe & Ceantair Tithíochta:

The initiatives and actions you describe in this category are very relevant and suitable. Let us know how the proposals for the Dulux scheme on the Macroom Road are received. The work with the residential associations is well-advised and will continue to pay dividends. Advise these that herbicide use on edges and around trees is not recommended. Make sure that all of your estates have name signs or name stones. You could expand the
frontage competition to include other aspects of residential areas such as window-boxes which would then include all types of houses.

Approach Roads, Streets & Lanes / Bóithre Isteach, Sráideanna & Lánaí:

This is a strong category for you. The Rathmore Road sees a blend of the ‘wild’ hedgerows into gentle
management and then to the hanging baskets at the bridge. The Drishane Road is also a very, very nice approach.
The number and quality of the landscaped areas here is very admirable. The looped walk signage was noted. The scenery and landscape here certainly lend themselves to the thoughts outdoor pursuits. The adjudicator wondered whether these might be better highlighted.
It was noted that laneways and side areas in the town have been tended to lately and look very well. Little stone buildings and parts of walls hint at older dwellings long gone. Some efforts at painting up an older building on a sideroad need to be renewed.

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The above adjudicators report is from: http://www.tidytowns.ie/u_reports/2014/2014%20County%20Cork_North%20Millstreet%20480.pdf

Millstreet Tidy Town’s website is: millstreettidytowns.weebly.com

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Cork North – Category D Marks
Millstreet 297
Fermoy 280
Mitchelstown 270
Newmarket 269
Charleville 253

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Points for other local towns: