A joined-up vision for the County
Issued : Monday 1 June, 2009
José Ospina believes that the current crisis in an opportunity for a joined-up vision for the County
The County and Town Councils at present:
Do not reflect interest of the entire local community
Are detached from the specific and diverse needs of the community
Do not refresh their direction - same representatives elected every election
Consultation is generally limited to County Development Plan issues, excluding key employment, enterprise and development issues.
The current Crisis is different because:
The "developmental" approach has failed the community
It shows that the private sector cannot be the only/main delivery mechanism for essential needs & services
Strategies have not delivered sustainable, affordable homes, not delivering quality jobs and not delivering essential services
Community organisations and enterprises are marginalised, but should have a central role
Community should control the Local Authority - not the other way around.
West Cork has many natural advantages:
Geographic advantages, the land, the rivers, the coast
Human advantages, the people, communitry spirit, local and immigrant population with creativity, skills and ideas
Histoiric heritage of houses, sites, industrial units, farms
Local industries, farming, fishing, tourism, services, food, construction, renewable energy
Use of these resources needs to be co-ordinated by Local Authorities that:
Have a vision for the entire County, in all its aspects
Able to mediate between the interests of different interest groups
Can ensure that everyone is included and everyone gets and equal deal
Create synergy and get the different interests working together
Facilitate the securing of additional funds and skills to develop the County.
EXAMPLES:
A sustainable housing strategy
Housing for all income levels is in crisis
There are over 15,000 households on the County housing list
Social housing development is at a standstill but need increasing
Hundreds of unsold houses and developers facing bankruptcy,
Many homeowners are in danger of repossession and homelessness
Farmers cannot build homes on their land for their children
We must redefine sustainability and enable all forms of housing if sustainability conditions can be met
Social and sustainable rented housing in rural areas also needs to be unblocked
Sustainable local food strategy
Farmers should be encouraged to be diversify into local food production and energy crops and other environmental activities (including Biobanking)
Restrictive fishing quotas need to be renegotiated, and the fishing industry expanded to processing
Supermarkets should be obliged to label origin of food and support local produce
Free Farmers Market to be encouraged and supported in every Town
Sustainable local energy strategy
Councils must promote energy awareness, efficiency and renewable energy
Local investment to be directed to retrofit of existing houses and development of renewable energy
Job creation programmes to be expanded to retrofit existing homes affordably and mcirogeneration
Funding for a local microgeneration programme of small scale wind, photovoltaic and geothermal energy.
Sustainable local transport strategy
Practical support Cork-Swansea Ferry Co-op
Rural Transport scheme to be expanded using small buses to cover all rural areas
Develop cycle paths and walks
Promote local development and marketing of biofuels
Sustainable local services
Fight the downgrading, support the upgrading of Bantry Hospital
Promote imporved hospitals and medical centres in all areas of the region
Support the Youth Café and other youth employment projects
Support the development of local Family Resource Centres
Develop innovative community facilities - e.g. sustainable housing, cybercafes
Support immigrant-led integration projects
Support initiatives for persons with mental and physical disabilities
Support initiatives for elderly persons housing and day care projects
Sustainable local arts & crafts
Develop and implement a regional strategy for development of Arts and Craft
Support the West Cork Arts Centre expansion proposals
Support the West Cork Craft Guild retail & exhibition centre proposals
Expand vocational training in Arts and Crafts and the for the setting up of craft enterprises
Sustainable enterprise innovation
Promote effective local SME enterprise start-up arrangements
Promote effective local social economy enterprise (SEE) start-up arrangements
Promote local development of environmental technologies and renewable energy
Promote local construction enterprises in sustainable building and retrofit of existing houses
Pressure on Eircom and promote local projects for the deployment of Broadband to the entire region
Green Jobs development
Promote and develop Green Jobs - in energy efficiency, renewable energy, environmental improvements
More funding for the Back To Work allowance (for persons who are unemployed or made redundant)
More funding for the Community Enterprise Scheme (for enterprises in the community)
More funding for the Rural Social Scheme (for community jobs for underemployed farmers and fishermen)
(Use funds currently offered to the Banks...!)
Education & Training
More funding to the Back to Education Initiative and VTOS,
Develop vocational training around sustainable building, energy efficiency and retrofit
Develop vocational training around arts and crafts
Develop distance learning local Degree level courses in relevant areas.
Networking
Participation in EU networks around energy efficiency and environment
Make full use of EU and international partnership and funding opportunities, working with like minded regions
Investigate and develop European Investment Bank funding and other ethical investment opportunities
Support less developed countries through local support for programmes like Mellon Initiative and Fair Trade
County and Town Councils should have the role of co-ordinating centres for the different initiatives in the economic, environmental and social areas, gaining the best possible synergy and ensuring resources are available to meet demands of this new and critical period.
I would welcome your views...
