Street aesthetics and the local elections

This is my first local election living in a particular area of Dublin, and I cant help but notice the amount of effort that the council makes in terms of maintaining the local area.

I have attached some pictures to this post. What surprises me most is that in this area (a relatively affluent area that is well-represented), all the main streets (and some side streets) are impeccably decorated & maintained. In the local parks, the grass is frequently cut, the shrubs are pruned, and the whole place looks pretty great.

On the other hand, I work in a fairly poor area of the city, where none of these features arise. I have never seen a council-funded window box around my workplace. Not only are the parks fairly dingy, some of them don't even have benches.

Locals here will say "Oh, that's because we don't have anti social behaviour". But we do. The alleys around here absolutely stink of urination on most weekend nights; discarded alcohol cans and other waste are commonplace.

I would like to converse with my local reps about this distinction, but maybe you can tell me why it exists. Here are some of the pictures I took recently, which show how well my area is kept, despite the adjacent anti-social behaviour

So what are the criteria here? Who decides which parks are maintained, which streets look pretty, and which don't?

Edit: those pictures won't load. I'll try again later.

Basically, is the Council ignoring less-well-off areas in favour of areas where people tend to vote? Even if this is an executive decision?

LionelNashe

A Tyrant Named Miltiades! wrote: »

This is my first local election living in a particular area of Dublin, and I cant help but notice the amount of effort that the council makes in terms of maintaining the local area.

I have attached some pictures to this post. What surprises me most is that in this area (a relatively affluent area that is well-represented), all the main streets (and some side streets) are impeccably decorated & maintained. In the local parks, the grass is frequently cut, the shrubs are pruned, and the whole place looks pretty great.

On the other hand, I work in a fairly poor area of the city, where none of these features arise. I have never seen a council-funded window box around my workplace. Not only are the parks fairly dingy, some of them don't even have benches.

Locals here will say "Oh, that's because we don't have anti social behaviour". But we do. The alleys around here absolutely stink of urination on most weekend nights; discarded alcohol cans and other waste are commonplace.

I would like to converse with my local reps about this distinction, but maybe you can tell me why it exists. Here are some of the pictures I took recently, which show how well my area is kept, despite the adjacent anti-social behaviour

So what are the criteria here? Who decides which parks are maintained, which streets look pretty, and which don't?

Edit: those pictures won't load. I'll try again later.

Basically, is the Council ignoring less-well-off areas in favour of areas where people tend to vote? Even if this is an executive decision?

Are both areas in the same council area? There are 4 council areas in Dublin.

LionelNashe

LionelNashe wrote: »

Are both areas in the same council area? There are 4 council areas in Dublin.

Yeah, Dublin South East

Ush1

What do you mean by executive decision?

The councillors meet with the executive to carry out their requests so the squeakiest wheel gets the grease.

Look at Tallaght and Foxrock, both SDCC, which area gets more social housing dumped on it?

CrankyHaus

The better area may have, actually almost certainly does have, very active tidy towns and other community group efforts to improve visual amenity.

The worse area may have, in fact probably does have, worse vandalism of whatever improvements the Council adds. This discourages non essential works as they won't last long.

The worse area certainly has a far more active claims culture where any positively commissioned acts of the Council give rise to potential public liability for trip and fall accidents, real or staged, that do not arise if the Council simply does nothing (nonfeasance). Even planting trees gives rise to such a liability as they may disturb footpaths. In say Ailesbury Road this is not a problem but in say West Tallaght it's a magnet for trip and fall claims.

These are just some examples of the self perpetuating virtuous and negative cycles that cause the difference you've noticed.

Ush1

Ush1 wrote: »

What do you mean by executive decision?

The councillors meet with the executive to carry out their requests so the squeakiest wheel gets the grease.

honestly? I don't know. I was under the impression that in executive matters, the councillors are akin to a chairperson - offering general guidance, but not responsible for operational details, like which streets are well furnished, and which are ignored.

I'm an avid follower of political news, but the most fundamental workings of local government are often lost on me. But that's why I'm asking the question, I want to understand how these differences arise within specific areas of the City.

Does anyone know how decisions like this get made? I'll try this afternoon to upload some pictures I took yesterday evening (I might as well state the area -- Dunville Avenue and Ranelagh), where you can hardly turn around without walking into a flower-box along the pavement. Some DCC street-furniture is even being used to decorate individual premises, such as at Mortons (Dunville) and Cinnamon (Ranelagh)...

In the part of the city I work in, none of this exists. Or if it does, I haven't seen it.

Who decides this, and how?

PS I'm not grumbling about the street flowers, they're wonderful. I just think they should be shared out a bit. The are of the city I work in could do with some cheering-up, badly.

Ush1

A Tyrant Named Miltiades! wrote: »

honestly? I don't know. I was under the impression that in executive matters, the councillors are akin to a chairperson - offering general guidance, but not responsible for operational details, like which streets are well furnished, and which are ignored.

I'm an avid follower of political news, but the most fundamental workings of local government are often lost on me. But that's why I'm asking the question, I want to understand how these differences arise within specific areas of the City.

Does anyone know how decisions like this get made? I'll try this afternoon to upload some pictures I took yesterday evening (I might as well state the area -- Dunville Avenue and Ranelagh), where you can hardly turn around without walking into a flower-box along the pavement. Some DCC street-furniture is even being used to decorate individual premises, such as at Mortons (Dunville) and Cinnamon (Ranelagh)...

In the part of the city I work in, none of this exists. Or if it does, I haven't seen it.

Who decides this, and how?

For DCC, the councillors meet with the executive every month in city hall and have a moan on behalf of their constituents. That can concern roads and traffic, housing, planning, parks, etc...

Streets being "well furnished" isn't an operational detail really. The council has a lot to cover so that's why well organised residents associations are good at pressuring local councillors to get what they want. They shout the loudest in terms of local amenities.

Jacinta in Ballyer is great at ringing the council to change a light bulb in her gaff, she's not as interested when it comes to res. ass. meetings and trying to get nice flowers around the place. Not to mention they would be wrecked shortly after anyway.

Victor

Ush1 wrote: »

Look at Tallaght and Foxrock, both SDCC, which area gets more social housing dumped on it?

Foxrock is DLRCC.

Marcusm

A Tyrant Named Miltiades! wrote: »

honestly? I don't know. I was under the impression that in executive matters, the councillors are akin to a chairperson - offering general guidance, but not responsible for operational details, like which streets are well furnished, and which are ignored.

I'm an avid follower of political news, but the most fundamental workings of local government are often lost on me. But that's why I'm asking the question, I want to understand how these differences arise within specific areas of the City.

Does anyone know how decisions like this get made? I'll try this afternoon to upload some pictures I took yesterday evening (I might as well state the area -- Dunville Avenue and Ranelagh), where you can hardly turn around without walking into a flower-box along the pavement. Some DCC street-furniture is even being used to decorate individual premises, such as at Mortons (Dunville) and Cinnamon (Ranelagh)...

In the part of the city I work in, none of this exists. Or if it does, I haven't seen it.

Who decides this, and how?

They are quite good at putting all these features, it’s part of signposting the “urban villages”. I also live in this area and can positively assert that neither the footpaths nor the street kerbs have been swept by the council in a year. Generally only street maintenance is by residents. Equally, they would be better served doing some surgery on the nice leafy trees than putting in new flower boxes. Installation seems possible just not maintenance.

For the past number of months they have been digging up and relaying footpaths around trees. Probably as a result of trip/fall claims. Actual tree maintenance might have limited the damage.

fly_agaric

IMO owner-occupiers in an area vs tenants/a transient population is another thing that can make a difference (as regards pressure on a council to maintain public space).

Renters in Ireland don't have great security of tenure so won't invest time in hounding politicians/the council about stuff (why bother if you don't know where you will be living next year). Their landlords don't care either once they receive all cash on time & the tenant does not destroy the property.

Ush1

Victor wrote: »

Foxrock is DLRCC.

Cheers, didn't realise actually how far DLRCC covers westward.