Tidy Towns Competition 2017
Adjudication Report
Centre: Ballinadee Ref: 275
County: Cork(South) Mark: 297
Category: A Date(s): 21/06/2017
Maximum Mark Mark Mark Awarded 2016 Awarded 2017
Community Involvement & Planning 60 37 37 Built Environment and Streetscape 50 38 39 Landscaping and Open Spaces 50 40 42 Wildlife, Habitats and Natural Amenities 50 26 27 Sustainable Waste and Resource Management 50 15 15 Tidiness and Litter Control 90 67 68 Residential Streets & Housing Areas 50 34 35 Approach Roads, Streets & Lanes 50 34 34 TOTAL MARK 450 291 297
Community Involvement & Planning / Rannpháirtíocht an Phobail & Pleanáil: Ballinadee is very welcome to the 2017 tidy towns competition. We were amazed to see that the level of community engagement in your village is so high – with 22 members on your committee and a further 20 volunteers who help out. It is also pleasing to see that other voluntary groups such as the local Foroige and Courceys rural development all help out and this illustrates that your work has a broad support of your community. Well done on forming strong links with Cork County Council, Kinsale, Bandon and the Community Employment scheme. The combination of these links and the hard work of the committee and volunteers helps to explain your continued progress in the competition. It is noted that the local businesses also lend their support and this demonstrates that they appreciate your efforts. Your communication strategy is clearly effective and you are commended on embracing both social media and instant messaging as this results in less printed material and less paper waste. Well done on appointing the liaison officer to the local school and we would like to hear more about the projects that you undertake with the school children and Foroige. Could you provide further details in 2018? You are congratulated on your 18 years participation in the competition and we would like to thank you for your kind words on the positive effect that it is having at a local level. Your application form, printed map and attachments were useful during adjudication. However, it is recommended that you consider preparing a tidy towns action plan as this would help you to identify suitable projects under each of the tidy towns categories and hopefully earn you extra marks in the competition.
Built Environment and Streetscape / An Timpeallacht Thógtha agus Sráid-dreacha: Ballinadee is an attractive little village that has a pictueque setting on the Pound River. There are a number of significant buildings, all of which are presented to a good standard. They include the Catholic church which looked smart with its fresh coat of paint and well maintained grounds. The natural stone Church of Ireland Building is similarly impressive with its attractive stone walls. We loved the terrace of traditional style 2 storey buildings that can be found in the centre of the village and it is great to see that the original historical core of Ballinadee appears largely intact. Credit is also due to the owners of O’Driscolls and Corcorans Bar as both looked very well during adjudication. A traditional style single storey cottage (which appeared vacant) was observed beside Corcorans and we wondered if this is maintained by your committee? We enjoyed seeing the monument to Patsy O’Flynn and reading this remarkable story. It is noted from your application form that you have presented a number of projects for assessment this year. Congratulations on the redevelopment of the local community pitch in partnership with the Ballinadee Development Association. However, please note that the location of this pitch was not included on the map so we would appreciate if directions could be provided in your application in 2018. It is also noted that the redevelopment of the local Hall is ongoing with fundraising currently taking place and that it is proposed to redevelop an existing planted area which by including a plough and some new shrubs and bedding plants.
Landscaping and Open Spaces / Tírdhreachú agus Spásanna Oscailte: A number of eye-catching landscaping schemes could be seen in Ballinadee on adjudication day, we enjoyed seeing the luxuriant rose bed at the natural stone bridge as it provided an explosion of colour with the roses in full bloom. The hanging baskets on the bridge and along the riverbank were most attractive and they helped to enhance the very pleasant seating area which offers nice views of the river. The treatment of the riverside is particularly impressive with its painted railings, concrete bollards and its semi mature trees. We also liked the colourful seasonal landscaping in the circular bed in the church grounds while the planting at the grotto also looked well. The colourful landscaped planter at the seating area opposite the Grotto (beside Corcorans) was admired. We note from your application form that you instructed a tree surgeon to remove some large trees from the riverbank and that they were replaced with some lower growing trees and shrubs. While cutting down trees is not recommended, it is understood that this needs take place on occasions that particular trees are diseased or in danger of falling down. We are pleased to report that the River looked stunning on adjudication day so well done on carrying out this work. It is also noted that you plan to redevelop an existing planted bed with shrubs at the Bandon \ Cork junction and we were delighted to read that you have formed a partnership with Cork County Council in developing an amenity area outside the village.
Wildlife, Habitats and Natural Amenities / Fiadhúlra, Gnáthóga agus Taitneamhachtaí Nádúrtha: We are pleased to read that the talk in 2016 on summer bedding, shrubs and maintenance were well received and that you plan to repeat this event later this year. This is a great idea as it will help raise awareness of plants and their environment. Consider also contacting Birdwatch Ireland in order to ascertain if a volunteer would be available to travel to your village to give a talk on the diversity of local birdlife. Perhaps an event like this could be scheduled to take place on a weekend so that the schoolchildren could also tend? We were delighted to read that you intend to collaborate with the school in order to complete a study on the local wildlife and habitat on the Pound River. This is an excellent idea as it is likely that this area is rich in biodiversity. Be sure to record the results of the study and consider using this information as a basis for interpretive panels which can be placed in the riverside amenity areas. Wildlife information boards are a very effective way of raising awareness of local biodiversity and they often prove to be a useful addition to amenity areas. We note that the adjudicator in 2016 recommended that some trees and shrubs in the graveyard should be cut back to protect the native yew trees and we wondered if this project has been undertaken? Please let us know in 2018.
Sustainable Waste and Resource Management / Bainistiú Acmhainní agus Dramhaíola Inbhuanaithe: As noted by the adjudicator in 2016, this category has grown in importance in the competition with a total of 50 marks now allocated to it. We are pleased to see that you are making progress in this (as you have a higher than average mark of 15) by engaging in composting and rainwater harvesting. Well done also on registering with the green home programme and it is noted that the village is serviced by rural bus transport. However, it is considered that more could be done. Like the adjudicator in 2016, we wondered if there had been any discussions with the local school about collaborations in waste minimisation and sustainable resource use projects? It should be noted that the schools are an excellent source of new ideas on this theme and some of the most innovative projects in your county (and across the country) in this competition have come from the schools – so please let us know about what they're doing in 2018. We were pleased to see that you attended the stop food waste workshop run by Cork County Council and we wondered if this had led to a reduction in the amount of food disposed of at a local level. Perhaps it is time to organise a follow-up event to see if the original workshop has had its intended impact?
Tidiness and Litter Control / Slachtmhaireacht agus Rialú Bruscair: The standard of litter control was high in the village on adjudication day and it is clear that your daily litter patrols are working very well with virtually all areas appearing litter free. One small exception was the picnic area at the riverside where some empty drinks cans and water bottles could be seen. This however was an isolated incident and all other areas were spotless. It is noted that you participate in the county council litter league and we wish you every success in this. The standard of tidiness was generally high and the committee is commended on its good work in this regard. We are pleased to see that all roadsides and kerbs were free of weed, footpaths were neatly swept and the majority of verges were trimmed. As always, improvements are possible. While most signs appear to be well maintained, a small number need to be improved. The black-and-white sign poles on the slow through village sign on the Ballinspittle approach road are in need of attention while the black-and-white sign pole at the junction of the Ballinspittle / Kilbrittain Roads is also a little untidy looking. There is a very untidy and rusty children about yellow road traffic sign opposite Corcorans Bar while the road sign indicating sharp bend at the grotto should be either cleaned or replaced. The wire and post fence around the area that accommodates the Patsy O’Flynn monument is a little untidy looking and we wondered if this could be screened with a native hedgerow?
Residential Streets & Housing Areas / Sráideanna Cónaithe & Ceantair Tithíochta: We are pleased to report that the standard of presentation of individual houses and gardens in Ballinadee was exceptionally high and it is clear that home owners and occupiers take great pride in both their properties and the village and that they are determined to support the work of their tidy towns committee! While a small housing scheme (and which appeared to be for sale) was spotted beside Ryans Shop, this was not considered during adjudication as it is outside the 50 kmph zone.
Approach Roads, Streets & Lanes / Bóithre Isteach, Sráideanna & Lánaí: The standard of presentation of approach roads to the village was generally good on adjudication but it was somewhat variable as it differed between approach roads. The approach road from Ballinspittle was generally good with its attractive name stone and impressively diverse landscaping at its base. The colourful barrel planters at the base of the natural stone bridge also helped to draw attention to this nice feature. However, the grass in the verges on the Ballinspittle approach did not appear to have been recently trimmed as it was beginning to obscure the ‘slow through village sign’. It was noted that village name signs / welcome stones do not seem to be included on all approach roads (they were spotted on the Ballinspittle approach and the approach road that leads past the school) and we wondered if it is planned to provide them on all approach roads in the future? The approach road from Cork was reasonable but it could be improved by washing the 50 kmph signage. Unlike the adjudicator in 2016, we did not consider the road surfacing to be good with a number of areas appearing in poor condition. Has this matter been raised with the Council? The Committee is commended on its stone walls maintenance programme as they looked very well during adjudication. with its attractive name stone and impressively diverse landscaping at its base. The colourful barrel planters at the base of the natural stone bridge also helped to draw attention to this nice feature. However, the grass in the verges on the Ballinspittle approach did not appear to have been recently trimmed as it was beginning to obscure the ‘slow through village sign’. It was noted that village name signs / welcome stones do not seem to be included on all approach roads (they were spotted on the Ballinspittle approach and the approach road that leads past the school) and we wondered if it is planned to provide them on all approach roads in the future? The approach road from Cork was reasonable but it could be improved by washing the 50 kmph signage. Unlike the adjudicator in 2016, we did not consider the road surfacing to be good with a number of areas appearing in poor condition. Has this matter been raised with the Council? The Committee is commended on its stone walls maintenance programme as they looked very well during adjudication.
Concluding Remarks: Well done Ballinadee on another good performance in the competition and we look forward to returning again in 2018. Keep up the good work!