Notice of Clare PPN Environmental elections x 2

Notice of Clare PPN Environmental elections x 2

by | Apr 20, 2021 | Clare Rural Development Forum, Members News, PPN News | 0 comments

Clare PPN would like to give notice of election for the following positions:

  1. Environmental representative on the Clare Rural Development Forum

The Rural Development Forum, which meets three times per year, is comprised of more than 40 representatives from organisations throughout County Clare. One of its key achievements so far has been the Clare County Council’s Rural Development Strategy 2026 (currently at mid-stage review): http://www.clarecoco.ie/services/community/publications/clare-rural-development-strategy-2026-26009.pdf

Clare PPN’s environmental representative on the Rural Development Forum will have the chance to discuss and influence policy decisions, projects and strategies for the development of County Clare and to network with the other 40 members of the forum. We are seeking an energetic person with a deep understanding of environmental issues who is willing to play an active role in both the Rural Development Forum and in consulting and feeding back to Clare PPN’s member groups.

  1. Environmental representative on the Clare PPN Secretariat

Clare PPN is managed by a board known as the Secretariat. This secretariat is responsible for running the Public Participation Network in Clare between plenary meetings.

Clare PPN has three part time staff and an annual budget of €110,700 per year which is provided by the Department of Rural and Community Development and Clare County Council. The secretariat which is a flat structure meets four to six times per year with those meetings usually taking place in Ennis County Clare (currently online due to Covid-19 restrictions). The successful candidate will also be required to attend events and meetings organised by the PPN itself for the purposes of consulting with our member groups.  Secretariat members will be asked to become trustees of Clare PPN CLG although this is not a mandatory requirement.

The ideal candidate will be a person who is well connected with environmental groups in the area and someone who has a genuine interest in increasing participation and policy development by local groups in Local Government Structures

Election Rules and Process:

  • Only groups who were members of Clare PPN on Tuesday, 20th April 2021 are eligible to participate in these elections,
  • Only groups who are members of the Environmental Pillar can participate in these elections,
  • No person can represent Clare PPN on more than one external committee or body,
  • Each member group may nominate one candidate and may cast one vote. (It is each group’s named contact person’s responsibility to consult with their own members regarding this).

How to nominate a candidate:

Groups wishing to nominate a candidate must seek their consent first and then must send an email to admin@clareppn.ie with the following information on or before Tuesday, 4th May 2021 at 5pm:

  • Name of Community Group.
  • Position number for which they are nominating a candidate.
  • Name of proposed nominee.
  • Contact details of proposed nominee.
  • A short paragraph (up to 200 words) detailing the nominees’ suitability and experience for the role- this will be shared on social media and on our website in advance of voting.
  • A photo of your nominee which we may share with our members and social media followers.

Clare PPN will confirm receipt of nominations by email. Following the close of nominations Clare PPN will circulate details of candidates to our members and online and voting will be open until Tuesday, 11th May at 1pm.  No votes will be accepted after this time.  The names of the successful candidates will be announced for ratification at Clare PPN’s plenary meeting which will take place that evening at 7pm.

NB: Even if you have nominated a candidate you will still need to cast your vote to support their election.

Report from Neil O’Brien – Clare Rural Development Forum

by | Jan 29, 2019 | Clare Rural Development Forum, PPN News | 0 comments

Report from Neil O’Brien – Clare Rural Development Forum

Clare County Council has being selected to pilot a scheme to attract urban dwellers and families to some of our rural Communities. The schemes aims are for these people to live, work and educate there families in co Clare. communities should identify possible properties in there respective towns and villages for inclusion in this pilot scheme, which could have huge benefits to there local services , schools and sports clubs etc.

Local Enterprise Office – Padraig McElee

Commercial businesses can contact their local office for a range of different supports measures for there businesses.  New or existing businesses are welcome to apply for support with marketing, Capital costs, Innovation. Also provides for website development grants. This should be circulated to people within our communities, start up or existing. Small businesses are constantly struggling and in need of support and expertise and this would be great assistance to them.

Find Your Local Enterprise Office

Clare Age Friendly – Karen Fennessy

In light of current declining services in rural communities, Clare Age friendly is promoting ideas of communities working in co operative shops and provide services within these communities. Local hall  or community centers would be possible venues with greenways installed as starting point, cafe or florists opened and engage with local farmers to sell there produce, maybe even post offices recently closed could be located within the building, a clinic to meet your  local garda a day a week.  With many classes or creches within these buildings already this could be idea to provide much needed service back for the community and get greater engagement of all the community. Transport will be  issue but Clare Bus has the vehicles and with additional help from the communities maybe more links connecting villages could be worked on.

Western Development Commission – Clodagh Barry

Is group that collects and stores data and has funding for counties in the North West of Ireland which included is Co Clare, this is essential for community groups for access to this data for funding projects in which funding is being seeked. Communities needs to know what for etc, is population of area , age profiles for services.