Collins is new chairman of Kells Council

Labour's Cllr Brian Collins was elected cathaoirleach of Kells Town Council at the annual meeting on Monday night, while Cllr Sean Drew was elected vice-chairman. Cllr Collins pledged to strengthen the council's partnership with the People's Resource Centre, Kells Chamber of Commerce, sporting clubs and voluntary organisations in the town and said he wanted to see the town looking better, selling itself as a heritage and a 'green' town, and looking for innovative ways of encouraging business. Cllr Collins was proposed by his Labour colleague, Cllr Tommy Grimes, seconded by Cllr Ollie Sweeney of Fine Gael and was elected unopposed. Cllr Drew was proposed and seconded by his Fianna Fail colleagues, Cllr Bryan Reilly and Cllr Frankie Lynch, and was also elected unopposed. Outgoing chairman, Cllr Conor Ferguson, thanked his colleagues and officials for their assistance during the year. He said he had tried to push tourism in Kells over the past year. "There are a million people on our doorstep and we have to try and get them to come here," he said. Tributes were paid to Cllr Ferguson on his year in office. Cllr Tommy Grimes said he had always been fair and had always put Kells first. Cllr Brian Curran said Cllr Ferguson had made himself available to young people and the parents of Kells were indebted to him. Following his election, Cllr Collins said that although his party was now in government, he would not hesitate to give criticism if it does disservice to Kells. He said he wanted to stengthen the council's partnerships with bodies within the town and establish residents' associations throughout Kells. He hoped to bring together the Tidy Town Committee, the Pride of Place organisations and residents' associations who have all worked so tirelessly to improve Kells. He said the council will have to work with those who have demonstrated ambition, innovation and creativity to overcome planning and other difficulties to encourage business and find new and imaginative ways to overcome the town's problems. He said Kells had the capacity to sell itself as a green town as well as a heritage town. He wants to see the priority aspects of the traffic management plan implemented and is demanding an urgent meeting with Bus Eireann to address the new bus timetable difficulties. "Eventually, this country will emerge from our economic nightmare, so let us plan for that future and ensure that Kells will be in poll position on that day. At the end of the day, it will not be the IMF or the EU or even the government who will ensure Kells is open for business, but the council and the people of the town," he said.