Roscommon to lose eight councillors, Athlone to grow in importance

 

Roscommon County Council will lose a whopping eight councillors, following recommendations by a special Boundary Committee today.

Details of the changes were released as part of a report published by Minister for the Environment and Local Government Phil Hogan.

The Minister said he has accepted the report in full and will be making the necessary orders to give effect to the changes in due course. The new system will come into effect for the 2014 local elections.

As part of the changes, the number of county councillors in Roscommon will be reduced from 26 to 18.

The existing five electoral areas will be changed to three municipal districts.
The Boundary Committee report has recommended that Roscommon County Council operate three municipal districts: Athlone, Roscommon and Boyle, each with six councillors.

At present, there are five electoral areas, Athlone, Roscommon, Strokestown, Boyle and Castlerea.

The Roscommon municipal district would include the town of Castlerea.
The municipal district to the north of the county would include the town of Boyle, which is currently served by a town council. All town councils in the country are to be axed.

This area would also include the towns of Ballaghaderreen and Strokestown.
In the south of the county, the Committee is recommending that the hinterland of Athlone town in County Roscommon should form the basis of a municipal district.

The new Athlone municipal district will take in part of what is the current Roscommon electoral area.

The townlands to be covered are Athleague East, Athleague West, Athlone West Rural, Ballydangan, Ballynamona, Caltragh, Carnagh, Carrowreagh, Castlesampson, Cloonburren, Cloonown, Crannagh, Creagh Culliagh, Drumlosh, Dunamon, Dysart, Fuerty, Kilcar, Kiltoom, Lackan, Lecarrow, Lismaha, Moore, Rockhill, Rosmoylan, Scregg, Taghboy, Taghmaconnell, Thomastown and Turrock.

A bid by Westmeath County Council to take control of the Monksland area of Athlone which lies within the control of Roscommon County Council failed.
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