The abolition of the old Town Council in Tuam has been detrimental for the area – as it now eliminates any contact the local public have with their elected representatives.
The stinging attack has come from the last ever Mayor of Tuam Imelda Kelly who said that the new Municipal Council had “no teeth” and did not interact with members of the public in Tuam.
It was the source of much controversy when the Town Councils were abolished. It was felt that, while they had little power, they provided a direct access to the local community.
The Town Council in Tuam had a discretionary fund which they allocated to voluntary groups in the town on an annual basis. The current Municipal Council has no such fund available to it.]
In the past the old Town Council would receive deputations from voluntary groups in Tuam who had cases to mask on various issues. These were regularly highlighted by the local media.
Deputations currently received by the new Municipal Councils are met ‘in camera’ and out of the gaze of the local media.
Former Mayor Imelda Kelly said that the establishment of the Municipal Councils was a retrograde step as it removed elected representatives from the public. “They have now no access to these highly paid public representatives”, she said.
Imelda Kelly had the distinction of being the last ever Mayor of Tuam while her father, the late Miko Kelly, happened to be the first ever Mayor of the town.
“We had nine members of Tuam Town Council and each and every one of them were accessible to the people of Tuam. But in the new set up there is actually only two members of the nine-strong new Municipal Council actually living in the town which has a population of more than 7,000 people.
“The biggest town in the county is now being represented by elected representatives from the likes of Glenamaddy, Glinsk, Abbey- knockmoy, Headford and Belclare. This is simply not right and I think there is a case for the re-establishment of the4 town councils if only as a lobby group for the main Municipal Council. At least we would again become the eyes and ears of the town of Tuam,” she added.
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