Festival are a GO, GO!

Believe it or not, Waterford City and County is one of the busiest festival regions in Ireland – FACT!

The annual Waterford Council Festival Budget distribution, took place at the first Plenary Council meeting of the year. Much of what was brought into the public gallery was of course discussed, agreed and preordained, behind closed doors, in “secret” Committee Meetings. With circa €1,400,000 to be allocated across the whole City and County, this is one of the key functions of our 32 sitting Councillors.

With all things budgetary, there are of course metaphorical swings and roundabouts. Some festivals/events in 2016 were one-offs and obviously some applications did not make the grade. The process involves the Council Executive assessing the organiser’s application for funding and this is then brought to our Councillors for ratification.  Accompanied by an associated increase or reduction in grant funding. The process is lengthy, involved and forensic. But it has to be, as these are after all public funds and transparency is paramount to the whole procedure.

The four big ticket items for 2017 are Winterval, with €430,000 being allocated and a potential income of around €250,000 from sponsorship, stall income etc. The Winterval committee will, I am sure, be re-jigged this year and I have no doubt that such is the size of the grant allocation, this will have to go out to national tender. Our two excellent food festivals, Harvest (September) and WWFF (April), receive around €150,000, which like Winterval, will be counterbalanced by some additional income. The Sean Kelly Tour (August) is supported by €180,000, which is, I assume, front loaded to offset later income sources and is therefore, in reality, cost neutral for the Council.

Finally, Spraoi (August), is supported by a grant of €67,000, which of all the festival allocations is probably not enough. Considering this was the event that started our love affair with festivals and events. Spraoi will shortly be celebrating their 25^th Birthday and perhaps we could ask our Councillors to be mindful of this and save up a few Euro, in the build-up to what will be a worthy celebration, in the coming year/s ahead?

 

The breadth and variety of festivals and events right across Waterford, is something to behold. From Lismore to Tramore, Dunmore to Ardmore, Comeraghs to Dungarvan.....there are so many to choose from, that in reality we do not need to venture outside of our county boundary to find something that tickles our fancy.

There are, within these processes, losers. Some events have had to have a funding cut, due to the very tight financial constraints which our Council must work with, because of continued reductions in Central Government funding. This in turn puts pressure on Councils to increase Commercial Rates, Local Property Tax and that wonderful “Cash cow”, that is car parking charges. In future years, to keep our festivals and events going, we will without doubt, need to spread less money further. This will be a challenge and in time may be easier to get blood out of a stone, than more Government support, allowing us to experience the wide variety of festivals we host.

The biggest cut was to the Summerval Festival. You will recall that back in August, I asked the question in this very column, “Are we getting Summerval(u)?”. For 2017 this will revert back to a “Summer in the City” type festival. This has excellent foundations, to build a first rate brand and with the support of ArtBeat, we should see a Summer long programme of events. Starting the June bank holiday and ending early September.

Circa 70 festivals/events were granted some form of Council assistance. Ranging from a few hundred Euro, to hundreds of thousands of Euro. I suppose that the tricky part will be encouraging all these festivals and events cross promote. Working together for the betterment of the whole County and across the wider South East region. If we are to put our stamp on the festivals and events map then we need to shout collectively!

Just look at what Galway espouses! According to their blurb, they are Ireland’s only festival City – a hum!

Happy Burns Night as well!

Imagine ALL the people!

“No need for greed or hunger, a brotherhood of man.”

On Saturday last, we all marched, once again, for the very basic of welfare state rights. Better cardiac care, serviced by University Hospital Waterford.

I would estimate that around circa 6,000 took part in the march and I noted, perhaps for the first time on such an occasion, that there were significant numbers of “Older people” taking part. This was the silver generation getting out and voting with their feet. Something that Government should be very wary of, as this generation has real teeth (well some do)!

The social media pages have been awash with TDs’, posting pictures to let their adoring hordes know that they marched for us. With perhaps the exception of one, who has made it very clear that he will stand by his man. The youthful Minister Harris and that now infamous Herity report? A report that was given such precise “Terms of reference”, it would have been impossible to have had a different outcome.

Whilst, three quarters of the Waterford brigade were out in force, there appeared to be very little political support from our other sister counties. This is the root of our poor showing on this issue.

The national media and Government, see this as Waterford’s problem and NOT the South Easts’ problem. It suits the trolls working the corridors of power, to go out of their way to ignore so called one horse town issues. “LOOK! We are running a country.” Is that Waterford we hear moaning once again?

A Government so full of really quite clever, bright people, greedily working the system to massage their parish pump egos. We are very poor at this type of politics. It would suit our neighbours to have muted colleagues sharing a county boundary.

Unfortunately, we witnessed on Saturday little or no support from our nearest neighbours. Our fellow citizens, who are without doubt far worse off in terms of the Blues and Twos travel time, to Cork or Dublin. Swathes of Wexford are significantly over the “You’ve got 90 minutes or you might be dead”, life saving window. Yet, there seems to be absolutely little or no concern shown whatsoever?

The local newspapers across Wexford, Tipp and Kilkenny, will probably carry very very few column inches on the march. Some are just too concerned and preoccupied, with portraying Waterford Council, as acting like Adolf ‘H’ whilst attempting a 1939 style “Land grab”, than the health of a substantial proportion of their readership. They don’t see this as a regional issue. It’s as if the message is just not getting out to the people in these affected areas.

The people across the South East have for years and years, not been treated equally. There is no brotherhood of man. We pay the same taxes and yet we are constantly left short changed. Institutionalised discrimination towards Waterford appears to be a tsunami that cannot be stopped unless we have the support of those around us. Yet, getting that support will prove harder than finding a set of hen’s teeth. In fact, I fear it might be easier for us to seek out and discover, the whereabouts of the Holy Grail!

Our part-time catheterisation laboratory is of course welcome good news. Yet we have to accept the absence of no concrete plans as to when this life saving unit might arrive. Even more importantly, start operating. No one knows what those hours of operation might be? We don’t know how long it will be in situ? Will we even have sufficient extra staff to allow it to be operated efficiently? These open ended questions are just De Rigueur for Waterford. I can assure you this wouldn’t happen in Cork, Dublin or Limerick!

 

So, how do we move forward on this prickly issue? The campaign needs the urgent and fast mobilisation from the people across the region. For sure we all know that!

But here is the hard part. Is there truthfully the appetite for those people to get involved? Where are the voices asking, “We’ve got 90 minutes or we might be dead!!!!” 

Time to support our own!

One Swallow doesn’t make a summer! It is not one good quality that makes a man!

These are certainly two sayings that could well be used to paraphrase the Festive shopping period in Waterford City. Some, quite wrongly assumed, that as there appeared to have been large numbers of people visiting Waterford in December, taking in the wonders of Winterval, exploring the architecture of Ireland’s oldest city, visiting our retailers, that businesses have, figuratively speaking, made a “killing!”

This of course could not be further from the truth.

Many businesses have done well over the festive period, with the hotels, restaurants and entertainment establishments being particularly buoyant. There can be no doubt, that general retail had at best flat sales when compared to 2016 and some sales were even slightly down on last year. Many will ask just how this could be, when guesstimated numbers for Winterval could be in excess of half a million, going on the 2015 figures (we are still awaiting the official bean counter announcement)!

All the data released so far, will back up the fact that Christmas sales were, for many retailers, very disappointing. As these could account for up to 30% of a businesses’ annual turnover, the real cost of a poor Christmas, in terms of sales, hits home during the months of January, February and early March.

There are many contributing factors to these poor sales and there can be no doubt that countless shoppers, are simply holding on to more of their hard earned cash due to continued uncertainty in the economy. In addition, Waterford and across the wider southeast, we continue to be a low wage economy with higher unemployment, when compared to national averages. This in turn means that we have less disposable income to spend in our local shops. After all, if you only have €50 of disposable income in Waterford, compared to €150 in another city, then who will have a stronger, better economy – it really is that simple. WE have far less to go around.

 

For years we have suffered, as regional strategy, after regional strategy, has left Waterford City and the southeast’s economy trying to play catch-up.  We have been running the 100m, against the likes of Mr Bolt. But we have been wearing wellies that are two sizes too big, filled with custard and our lane has been coated in treacle! It is proving impossible to get on even terms, let alone be in with a chance of winning the race.

To throw even more fuel on the fire, we have very low third level attainment and we are the only region not to have a University. This in turn means that we have limited higher education capacity for our children. The lack of IDA visits is a constant thorn in our side and for the period 2011-2015 the southeast accounted for only 4% of new IDA jobs created. There are many other metrics that clearly show we have much to do to get back on an even keel. But then you the readers already know this! Don’t you?

But here is the crux of the issue. Getting people to talk openly and honestly about where our economy is, proves very, very difficult, time and time again. There are very few people willing to speak up, because they somehow fear that speaking the truth, will sound negative! Yet, our very own excellent academics, in WIT, have been saying the above for many years. So why can’t we be more honest and say it like it is?

If our businesses do not start speaking loudly enough to be heard, then many of those in power (locally and nationally) will, wrongly assume, that Waterford’s economy is “booming”. Come the Council budget next year, scores of our Councillors will vote for commercial rates increases. Maybe increased car parking charges, increased property taxes and who knows what else.

We need to stop being the “Quiet people of Waterford” and start to shout just a wee bit louder. In the meantime get out and support your local businesses – because once they are gone they are gone!

A New Year revolution – I mean resolution!

As we move into 2017, I wonder just what is in store for Waterford and its people.

2016, as many have pointed out on social media, has been another year, which could only be described as an “Annus Horribilis!” The year started off with so much promise. A very early general election was announced and there was much talk about “New Politics” for 2016. But alas, there was absolutely no movement away from the traditional parish pump political delivery of old. Something unfortunately, we in Waterford seem to be particularly bad at.

One of our nearest neighbours has this down to a fine art and perhaps we should take a lesson or two from him. People vote in their thousands, for the Teflon Mr Lowry, because he is like a tin of Ronseal and does exactly what it says on the label. Apparently, he does a good job for all his constituents, runs a very efficient constituency office, unequalled in the whole of Ireland, gets involved with public bodies, service providers and tackles the inefficiencies of officialdom, all for the good of his beloved County.

In fact, whilst our newly elected TD’s were enjoying themselves in Dublin, arguing amongst themselves or waving various pieces of paper, a certain Mr Lowry was working the corridors of power. He was achieving as much as he could, for the people who allowed him to return to Dublin. The fragile Government, that he found himself a part of, could be manipulated to his sole benefit and that is exactly what he did. In under a year he has delivered in spades for his constituency. All it seems even more impressive, having managed somehow, to do this with no significant negative media coverage. He also appears to have been able to get blood from a stone and all without having to “Be bought and sold for foreign gold”.

This is one politician, who has quite clearly has put his people first. First above all other matters and that is why he has been so successful at the ballot box.

In addition to a world with yet more blatant “Parish pump shenanigans”, that other sin of Irish politics, namely cronyism now seems to be de rigueur. There have been people appointed, on a seemingly “willy-nilly” basis, to boards, committees, quangos, high profile roles, senior civil servants posts and so on. Now, in theory, there should be no real issue with this, but when friends, family members and people with little or no experience are shoe-horned into roles, we have to ask “WHY?”

It is against this backdrop, we need to look more closely, at just what 2017 might or might not bring to Waterford and the wider south east region. Clearly, we have some very serious, continuing issues. There are NO political heavyweights, punching for us, in Dublin. In truth, we have no one fighting on the undercard.

Regionally we are suckered. There are just too many Mr Lowrys surrounding Waterford, all looking after and protecting their own patch to worry, or be concerned with Ireland’s oldest City. We appear to have found ourselves in one of Mr Boyle’s vacuums and getting out of it will unquestionably take more than a few New Year resolutions. I fear we’ll need a whole political revolution, to get this City back to its rightful place as the fourth City of the Republic.

But just how do we go about making that revolution happen?

The non-stick Mr Lowry knows, from the many thousands that interact with him, whether he is or isn’t delivering for Tipp. The people of his constituency are, quite rightly, involved with their very local political affairs. They want to know what is being delivered, locally and nationally, for their taxes. Making sure that Tipp gets not only a look at, but is allowed to choose from the A La Carte menu.

My hope for the year ahead, is that we the people of Waterford, simply get involved to make sure that those elected on our behalf, deliver for us and not for themselves.

Here’s to 2017 and some new politics. Happy New Year.

Whoopee, my 100th Blog! Who would have guessed I could have lasted so long?

It’s Christmas time!

Nollaig Shona, Nadolig Llawen, Joyeux Noël, Fröhliche Weihnachten and as we say in Scotland Merry Christmas!

Yes, yes, yes, there are only a few days left, until the Big Man dressed in red, creeps down your chimney in the middle of the night, wanders around your house, whilst you are asleep, eats your food, deposits a few presents and then leaves! Now if you think about that, logically, that’s weird and unsettling. But, “Hey Ho!” it is Christmas time and this is the only time of the year when our houses are open season for a stranger to simply waltz in.

I hope that all your letters have been sent and posted on time, by snail mail. Reaching those wee elves, who work tirelessly, 24-hours-a-day, making millions of toys, in time for a delivery deadline date of 25th December.

It is by all accounts, an impossible task, but so was The Donald winning the US Presidential elections and we all know what happened there!

2016 was a great year for news and stories. It has also been a sad year, with so many wonderful people, stars and friends passing away.

Politically, the year I think, can be defined by the death of opinion polls. The pollsters getting it unbelievably wrong in the Irish, UK and US elections and as for the Brexit predictions – well I imagine that those guys will be working in Santa’s sweatshop next year. Just what were they doing when they were “canvassing the opinion of the people?” Either everyone was being two-faced or they were making it all up!

In Waterford, we had our very own Neville Chamberlain moment, of September 1938 and the euphoria of waving an A4 letter, when returning from that Munich meeting. Our newly appointed Minister was also saying there would be “peace of our time”, as we were told that, “I will deliver, with bells and whistles, 24-hour cardio care for UHW, despite the need for a specialist report!” Then along came Herity and in July, delivered something completely different. Now where in the annals of history have we read that before?

Keeping the WWII theme, the escalating boundary dispute, between the Councils of Waterford and Kilkenny, has seen thousands of column inches written, particularly in the last week. The pens for hire have had a field day liking the “land grab” to Mr A. Hilter invading Poland! Now, I am no

history expert, but Germany invading Poland and Waterford Council taking over the administration of, a wee bit of Kilkenny are poles (excuse the pun) apart. It does make good reading though and I suppose, those headlines, also sell newspapers – the ultimate aim of the hacks!

I still believe that we have missed a huge opportunity, to build our own wall, by using the rubble from the flour mills, as in “The Great Escape”. Using the people of Waterford to carry the rubble, across the bridge, in their trousers and dump, strategically, along the proposed new border frontier line. Alas, we have missed the chance and now await on yet another report on the future of Waterford, again, completely out of our hands.

My quote of the year has to be from Mr Des O’Keeffe, partner of the sadly departed and yet never to be forgotten Billy McCarthy. During Billy’s funeral eulogy, Des stated, “I even whispered in his (Billy’s) ear that Donald Trump had won the US election, in the hope that the fright would wake him up!!!” With all the pressure associated in delivering a tribute to the one you love, we were all amazed, that in addition to the fortitude and strength Des showed, he could also share such a humorous and intimate moment. All in attendance knew that Billy would have appreciated the sentiment.

On a personal note, I do hope that over the past year you have enjoyed my wee column, as much as I have enjoyed writing for you.

So, as we move ever nearer to the morning of 25th December and that mad one hour of tearing open presents, I wish you ALL a very Merry Christmas and of course a Happy Hogmanay.

Wonderfully Odd Waterford!

Last Sunday was a strange one for me.

It started early on Sunday morning, with me furiously trying to sew a rather old and tired Santa hat, on to the top of my helmet (cycling!). Now, I would never confess to be a dab hand at sewing and judging by the many, many Heath Robinson repairs to socks, cycling bibs, even an old Scotland patch on my winter tights. I would never make the televised stages of the BBC’s Sew Bee programme! Being the thrifty Scot I am, it is in my DNA to try and save something, prior to eventually having to toss it into the correctly coloured plastic receptacle.

Having somehow secured Santa’s hat, I then had to in some way attach a pair of Dame Edna Everage’s, Christmas themed, glasses to my actual cycling glasses. All manner of tools were arranged on the breakfast table – snippers, cable ties, scissors, rubber bands, string and so on. In the end I gave up. I simply laid Dame Edna’s glasses over my existing pair. This of course reduced my visibility by 50% causing excruciating neck pain, as I strained many a muscle, to twist my head to silly angles to simply see where I was going.

 

Next was a scarf of tinsel. Simple in design and yet visually stunning. Well, so I thought until it was pointed out to me that the sliver shiny stuff was getting tangled up in my back wheel and could, in all likelihood, toss me off the bike whilst traversing the Tramore Road.

The reason for all the dressing up was of course, you’ve guessed it, the annual Biscuit Club Santa Cycle – Waterford to Tramore and back to Waterford, via the Christmas Carousel in John Robert’s Square.

Every variety of Christmas onesie was on display on Saturday morning. There was many a Santa, a few Reindeers, some elves and of course lots of twinkly lights, flashing hats and enough tinsel to wrap several trees.

The Santa Run, sounding like an old WWII codename for a secret bombing mission, was great fun and light-hearted. It was also amazing to see so many motorists beeping their horns, waving and acknowledging our dressing up efforts. Maybe this is the way to answer that age old car versus cycling rivalry – sharing the road and being happy in our own space!

Onto the carousel, then breakfast, a wee raffle, a prize-giving, lots of laughs, then off home to shower and onto part two of my second last Sunday, before the Big Man dressed in red arrives.

Into The Book Centre to meet our three judges, Mary O’Neill, Phil Brennan and Hazel Farrell, for the annual Waterford Business Group’s Winter Wonderbands.

You may well have seen and heard, three wonderful bands playing across the City, in performance areas that included; outside The Book Centre, George’s Street and Cathedral Square. The three bands taking part this year were the De La Salle Scout Pipe Band, City of Waterford Brass and Brass Band New Ross.

To hear such wonderful music popping up around our City Centre, at this festive time of year, added so much to our visitors’ experience of Winter in Waterford City. I heard so many people saying that the bands were “brilliant”, “stunning” and “why don’t we have this in our town?” There were people taking photographs and videos to capture the moment in time. Waterford has come up with this concept and we need to drive on with this winning formula, to bring it to the next level.

There can be no doubt that we have a City, County and region that are blessed with talented musicians. The task of separating the three bands proved extremely difficult for the judges. In the end the 2016 winners were announced as the City of Waterford Brass. We do hope that the 2017 event will expand and attract between 6 and 9 bands to the City next year.

So, my second last shopping Sunday before Christmas started off on a road bike, wearing festive themed Lycra and ending with sweet music.

Only in Waterford, could such an odd combination work so well!

Time to find out who has the “Biggest Cojones!”

At the time of writing this wee column, Monday 5^th December, our Councillors had rejected the CEO’s proposed 2017 budget for Waterford Council. A budget which was presented to our 32 Councillors, at a plenary session, on Tuesday 29^th November. The basis of this overwhelming rejection, was due to the proposed Commercial Rates increase, to fill the now perennial black hole in the budget of around €1.3 million.

The meeting last week was watched by a “Packed” public gallery and press core. In reality, there were 5 members of the public in attendance. Only two stayed the course, for the three hour marathon meeting. In the end the members of the local press outnumbered the public by one!

Not really a great turnout for such an important meeting and the most essential function of our 32 Councillors.

The Pact, made up of our Fianna Fail, Fianna Gael and Labour Councillors, to a man and one woman, rejected unequivocally, the proposed budget. Based on the fact, that it was not the right time to be seen to be increasing Commercial Rates across Waterford City and County.

We even had Councillors Cummins (FG) and Quinlan (FF), who were both across the start line before any gun was fired! Reaffirming their position on the local airwaves, immediately after the budget meeting. Stating the position of their respective parties that a budget cannot be passed if it contains any Commercial Rates increases for 2017.

Now, I have no doubt that in the last seven days since the budget meeting, there has been an awful lot of shuttle diplomacy, Council Executive pressure cooker meetings with various Councillors, threats, counter threats and probably even the odd personal text message. Each side has been jockeying for position to try to see how a balanced budget can be passed.

The Pact laid down a very sizeable marker last week, when they rejected the CEO’s budget proposal. This was history in the making and a first for Waterford. Whilst, they did not show their hand there and then, or come up with an alternative budget, they did ask for two adjournments and another seven days of grace, in order to align their ducks. Seeking alternatives for the proposed budgetary increases in insurance, payroll and Irish Waterford fallout, to name but a few.

Now, the question must be, “Do the Pact have the Big Cajones to stick to their promise of a no rates increase?”

Seven days is a long time in politics and pressure influences people in many different ways. Many see pressure as a challenge and some just simply fold under it. With previous battle hardened cries simply turning into whispered whimpers, by those who don’t have big enough testes, to follow through with their promises.

So, if your are reading today’s newspaper and the headline news is a Commercial Rates increase for 2017, then we have Councillors who are frightened and are scared to carry out their one of their primary functions. Their spin after last week’s initial budget meeting was all for nothing and the dirty face of local politics has once again blighted Waterford’s progression.

However, ‘tis the season to be jolly and I for one, as a Scottish rugby fan and therefore an eternal optimist, hope that the Pact stand by their promise, to deliver an alternative budget with NO Commercial rates increase for 2017.

Waterford has yet to see significant green shoots and we need to get the message out that we are open for business. What we don’t need is yet another political charade. Bear in mind our competitors are slowly but surely sneaking ahead of us on many fronts. A wee trip to Wexford for example and you will see a significant amount of building, construction, cheaper car parking, heavy footfall....all done on the Q.T. They are not the only ones forging ahead of Waterford!

In many ways, having now aged several years, by being in attendance at last week’s landmark budget meeting, my appetite has only been whetted, as I await to see which of our Pact members delivers on their promise.