This article is from page 16 of the 2011-06-14 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 16 JPG
GREATER transparency in the allocation of private and local authority housing would help to prevent antisocial behaviour in estates in Ennis, a meeting has heard.
Ennis Town Council has adopted a draft allocation scheme, which incorporates new clauses relating to estate management.
However members have expressed concern over the level of information available regarding the allocation of housing in Ennis.
Cllr Johnny Flynn (FG) told the Council’s June meeting that tenants in some estates in Ennis “are doing a lot of damage in the communities they move into”.
“I’m hearing stories that people are thrashing houses and moving on,” he added.
Cllr Frankie Neylon (Ind) said elected representatives are “handcuffed” when it comes to housing policy. He said it would be helpful if councillors had access to information regarding the number of houses on the waiting list and who they are available for.
Cllr Peter Considine (FF) stressed that councillors have “no hand, act or say” in the allocation of local author- ity housing.
However, he said that there should be some means by which councillors can convey information about potential tenants to the housing section. Cllr Michael Guilfoyle (Ind) said it should be an aim of the Council to ensure that tenants that “arrive into an area are best for the area”.
Town Clerk Eddie Power explained that when the Health Services Executive (HSE) are involved, tenants select the house and then receive financial support from the HSE. He explained that the Council advises that all standard letting agreements include provisions for anti-social be- haviour.
Mayor of Ennis Cllr Tommy Brennan (Ind) said that when tenants in HSE supported housing create antisocial behaviour, neighbours often did not know who to complain to. Describing it as a “big issue” in some private estates around Ennis, Cllr Brennan said, “No one can make a complaint to because there is no one to make a complaint to.” Cllr Brennan added that there “was no way the HSE should have anything to do with housing”. Town Manager Ger Dollard said that local authority tenancy agreements are structured in a way to deal with anti-social behaviour.
Niall O’Keefe, of the Council’s housing’s section, told the meeting that approaches to state agencies and developers for houses “hasn’t been successful”, resulting in just four units being made available.
Cllr Paul O’Shea (Lab) said the Council should allocate more staff to estate management. Cllr Guilfoyle said anti-social problems are mainly occurring in private estates and the Council’s estate manager only deals with local authority housing.
Mr Dollard said that while there is case for more staff, 47 positions had been lost in the Council in the past two years.