Tidy Towns volunteers seek changes in how competition is adjudicated

Major changes in the way the annual Tidy Towns competition is run are being sought by

volunteers in several towns.

Volunteers from as far apart as Louth and Kerry attended a meeting in Athlone to call for changes in the adjudication process. They wanted greater consistency, more judges and greater clarity.

The meeting before Christmas was attended on an informal basis by officials from the Department of Environment and a competition judge.

Larry Magnier from Louth Tidy Towns said one of the concerns aired at the meeting was the allocation of points under the recently expanded waste management category. This incorporated sustainable living initiatives such as water and energy conservation and even sustainable transport. He said greater clarity was needed by many committees.

Civic pride

Kathleen Shanagher from Roscommon Tidy Towns said issues raised by some judges were never referred to again. The competition engendered great civic pride and much effort throughout the year but judging was confined to early June, which didn’t seem representative of the effort involved.

Christina Kennelly from Ballybunion, Co Kerry, said her committee was also concerned with the early judging.

There are more than 800 Tidy Towns groups throughout the country involving an estimated 20,000-plus volunteers. Many of them contribute to the cost of tools and facilities as well as giving their labour.

Some Tidy Towns activists have been urging the development of an education and awareness process so that adjudicators can meet local committees and explain any changes face to face.

They have proposed a phased adjudication with phase one beginning in mid to late June and phase two in early August. They want Minister for the Environment Alan Kelly to allocate more resources to it in light of the amount of voluntary work done.