A permit has been granted for Tidy Towns to hold a “church gate collection” on Saturday 9th and Sunday 10th July. The amount of work that has already been carried out by the group around the village is clear to see and everyone is being asked to give as much as they can to see that this important work is continued.

Westmeath County Council’s Environmental Section was contacted regarding the dog fouling that is blighting the main street and the number of unsupervised animals roaming the village. It is hoped that signs will be provided and that the Dog Warden will increase patrols. In the meantime, dog owners are reminded of their legal responsibilities.

The owner of the former post office (next to Ulster Bank) has advised that work will shortly be carried out to repair and paint the property. This is being monitored.

The Tidy Towns group would like to thank members of the Community Employment Scheme who have now completed work on painting the wall around the Health Centre.

The derelict buildings at the northern end of the Main Street will be painted as soon as the weather allows. Windows have been boarded up and are ready for the work to begin.

The group has contacted the owner of Delvin Cattle Mart and asked him to address the litter problem inside the wall of his premises. In addition, the group has contacted the owners of three waste skips (placed there for advertising purposes) to remove them. This is the third time they have been approached and concern is mounting over misuse of these skips.

Delvin Tidy Towns has been approached by Westmeath Community Development Limited. WCD has funding available for community projects. Work will now be carried out by the group to prepare a plan for the village and (subject to approval) WCD will provide up to 90% of the funds required for the work to be carried out. This is an excellent opportunity for local people to have a say in the development of their village! A representative of WCD will attend the meeting on July 5th to share more information about what can be done.

A representative from Cois Caslean pointed out that there is an unsightly and dangerous pot hole at the entrance to the estate and that appeals to the builder to resolve have not been acted on. The group will take this on board. In addition, due to a shortage of parking for residents on the Athboy Road, grass verges have been destroyed and there is a problem with mud. Again, the group will seek solutions to this problem.

Volunteers are being sought to help with the cleanup of St Mary’s Church. Please contact the group via the website.

Next Meeting: Tuesday 5th July at 8pm in the back room at Carmel Gaffney’s