Naas Town Council are now offering free parking on Saturdays which will commence from 5th October. I welcome this move. As many of you are already aware, it is as initiative I have called for on numerous occasions.
As far back as 2009 I proposed the need for a plan to revitalise Naas town centre. In the 4 years since, we’ve seen a spate of shop and business closures with no real plan of action from the authorities. Naas town has been sailing aimlessly through turbulent waters.
Following from the spate of business closures in Naas town over the past few months, I have lent my support to a call by Naas Traders for free parking times in Naas town. The purpose of this initiative is to encourage customers back in to the town centre.
It is obvious that something has to be done, and urgently, to bring business back into the town and I fully support the Naas traders in their efforts to lobby for change. Having being speaking to many of the retailers there is an urgency about the situation which I hope is shared by the Town Council when they meet to discuss this petition. I’m not a member of the Town Council myself but I will be seeking election to the new Municipal Council which will replace it next year and I think this is such an important issue.
John O’Brien from EMS Copiers with myself at Osprey Hotel recently.
A country wide group of small businesses, including Kildare managed copier supplier EMS Copiers, have successfully taken legal action against the government for effectively changing the basic terms and conditions of a public tender after it had been agreed.
The group instructed James Wall Solicitors based in Clane to challenge the position adopted by the State. He stated that the case was fully defended at great expense but the High Court agreed with the applicant companies’ position which was that the Minister had no entitlement to interfere with the procedure after it had concluded and as a result rule out the possibility of local businesses doing business with other local businesses. The Court held that any interference was unlawful and therefore ineffective.
That ruling is binding on the government but the State has not yet taken any positive action to implement the decision.
The recent Marks and Spencer closure confirms the need for drastic action on Naas town centre. This is the last remaining grocery store within the town centre to close and also comes at a time when many other kinds of stores in the town are closing down too. It’s time for some fresh thinking.
In the past decade we’ve seen new supermarkets develop and do good business outside the town. There is plenty of population there to support local business but they need to be brought back into the town centre to ensure the heart of the town retains its vibrancy.
Rates competition between in-town and out-of-town developments needs to be stopped, plentiful and clamp-free parking needs to be provided inside the town and start-ups and struggling businesses must get rates concessions.
Naas Credit Union
The concern over the situation at Newbridge credit union has now spread to Naas as news emerges of a possible merger between the two organisations being touted by the Central Bank.
Fianna Fáil’s Naas Area Representative, James Lawless said serious questions have to be asked about Newbridge credit union and the latest development has now caused new concerns amongst the Naas credit union membership.