New partnership to remove insurance costs for Tidy Towns groups in Midlands

A new partnership between local authorities and their mutual insurance company, Irish Public Bodies (IPB) Insurance, will remove the cost of insurance for local authority-backed Tidy Towns groups in the Midlands region.

The cost of insurance for local Tidy Towns groups represents a material and significant drain on their limited financial resources. This initiative will result in substantial savings for such groups and enable them to focus their energy and resources on community activities.

Welcoming the initiative, Robert Troy, Minister of State at the Department of Finance with special responsibility for Financial Services, Credit Unions and Insurance, said: “volunteer and local groups like Tidy Towns help keep towns clean and attractive, while offering ways for people to support their communities and address local needs.

“This partnership between Irish Public Bodies (IPB) Insurance and the 31 local authorities will mean Tidy Towns groups will have insurance cover, at no cost to them. This will enable local authority-backed Tidy Towns groups to continue their vital work bringing benefits to the community, and indeed the country, as a whole. IPB and the local government sector are to be commended for this efficient and highly innovative solution.

“The scheme also exemplifies the success of the Government's insurance reform agenda. The implementation of the Action Plan for Insurance Reform has yielded substantial benefits for consumers. Notably, insurance capacity is now accessible in previously challenging sectors, including hospitality, leisure activities, and community groups.”

Anna Marie Delaney, chair of the County and City Management Association (CCMA) and Chief Executive of Offaly County Council, said: “the Tidy Towns competition is a hugely valuable initiative in encouraging communities to work together to make their neighbourhood more attractive, and in helping to instil a sense of pride in those areas.

“Local authorities already support voluntary and community groups through the provision of grant funding to assist them in this endeavour. We are delighted to now be in a position to work with IPB Insurance to extend a master Tidy Towns insurance policy to cover groups carrying out local authority-supported Tidy Towns activities. This will eliminate the administrative burden on groups to provide evidence of insurance before grants are awarded.”

The initiative delivers tangible benefits through the pooling of risk associated with Tidy Towns activities under a master policy undertaken by local authorities enabling Tidy Town voluntary groups to focus on their core mission of improving the local amenity in their communities. The cost savings associated with the scheme should assist groups by ensuring they have more resources available to support their activities.