'Forgotten area’ comes together to fight for services

Businesses in the Kilmessan and Bective areas have formed an action group to lobby for better service and infrastructure from local authority and State bodies, following the neglect of the area in the recent snowy weather, during which the area was left impassable for a month. The Skane Valley Action Group has been established, bringing businesses from Bective, Kilmessan and Dunsany together under one umbrella. The group has been formed for several reasons including acting as a focal point for leadership in the community, a platform for future projects, an outlet for the highlighting of local issues and the raising of the profile of the local area as an entity in its own right in County Meath. Those behind the organisation of the group believe that the community has lacked a central group to drive initiatives, deal with issues and to present a united organised platform to engage with local and public bodies for the betterment of the community for some years. One of the major problems in the area is that it falls between electoral areas of the county council, and thus experiences a great deal of 'buck-passing' from various council offices. The month of snow before Christmas highlighted this. A spokesperson said: “The area came to a standstill and nobody knew who to turn to. Individuals contacted local county council offices only to be told that they were living in other county council areas. Many people had no idea how the army came to be in the village and the haphazard nature of the response did us no favours. “It was certainly a wake-up call to the fact that we have to start with ourselves instead of expecting those at area level to bail us out.†At an initial meeting of the group, it was decided to make a request to meet with representatives of Meath County Council in the Navan, Trim and Dunshaughlin areas. The possibility of re-establishing the Pride of Place initiative in Kilmessan (Dunsany already competes and has won prizes in this event); aiming to get proper signage to Dunsany and Kilmessan from major routes and increase the broadband speed and mobile phone coverage for the area; creation of a directory of businesses in the area for all in the locality to have in their homes; and seeking a daily bus through Bective, Kilmessan and Dunsany to Dublin. It is intended to hold meetings for all the community in March to outline proposals and get feedback and local opinions on these areas. If any others in the locality want to become involved, they can contact any of the committee: Gary Costello (Centra), John Thorne (Thorne's Public House), Peter Gorman (Donnelly's Butchers), Joan Doyle (Fergie Maguire's public house), Mohammad (Monto's Cafe), Carol Clynch (Aqua Beauty Clinic), Eilish Smyth (Bective public house), Thelma Slattery (Station House Hotel), Theresa Brennan (Brennan's B&B), Margaret Walsh (Kilmessan Hair Studio) or Rosemary Swan, Ringlestown.