Adjudication Report

Marks Awarded (of 400 available) 279 (276 in 2010)

Competition Section	Maximum Marks	Marks 2006	Marks 2007	Marks 2008	Marks 2009	Marks 2010	Marks 2011
Overall Development Approach	50	44	44	46	46	46	46
The Built Environment	50	32	35	36	37	37	37
Landscaping	50	37	37	37	37	38	39
Wildlife and Natural Amenities	50	26	30	30	31	33	35
Litter Control	50	21	25	26	27	25	24
Waste Minimisation	20	14	14	14	14	14	14
Tidiness	30	15	15	15	15	15	14
Residential Areas	40	26	28	29	29	29	30
Roads, Streets and Back Areas	50	31	33	29	30	31	32
General Impression	10	7	7	8	8	8	8
Total Marks	400	253	268	270	274	276	279

Overall Development Approach:
Your adjudicator would like to welcome Newbridge to the 2011 Tidy Towns Competition and your participation is important to the competition. Thank you for the really detailed entry document. Your committee by national standards is quite large though you have an extremely large entry to handle. Your document gave extensive history of previous projects which is always of interest to an adjudicator. However it is suggested that this be presented in summary form in future years. The map provided was of too small a scale to be really useful and street and estate names could not be read. Perhaps there is a visitor map of Newbridge that could be used instead. It was encouraging to read that you frequently make submissions to development documents and this is an important role of a Tidy Towns Committee. Your links to other agencies and groups are excellent as is you close work with the Schools in the town. Your adjudicator was really pleased to read that you have a Safety Statement which is another indication of your strong organisational approach to the competition. The Tidy Towns Plan 2009 – 2012 was studied with interest. It is a clear straight forward document that sets realistic future goals. Thank you also for the extensive volume of press cuttings that illustrated clearly the success of your extensive media strategy.

The Built Environment:
Your strategy of meeting with developers is welcomed as is your Local Authority contacts in respect of derelict site issues such as that on Cutler Road. Well done on the progress on the Heritage and Arts Trail and the signs that are now in place. Do you intend to produce a Trail leaflet or booklet? Many footpaths need remedial work or replacement and hopefully your contact with the Local Authority will bring the desired results in this respect. The Newbridge Business Park was visited and the attractive entrance area creates a good first impression. Your contact with businesses in respect of presentational issues is commended. The Railway Station was quite tidy but the many poles at the car park entrance area looked quite untidy. At the Post Office the facade needed to be power washed. Recent work around the Town Hall makes a marked improvement – painting and signage etc. The presentation of the old Garrison Church on Main Street was a great disappointment. Much litter was noted inside the steps at the railing and the area behind the building was quite untidy. This is a poor reflection on an important aspect of the town’s history. The general area around the White Water Shopping Centre was quite well presented. Work on the extension to the Patrician Secondary School was visited and it was great to read that the Department of Defence HQ is also making progress. The use of the Irish language on signage is required under present legislation and this should be encouraged where appropriate. On signage the Irish language must have the primary role.

Landscaping:
Your structured approach to landscaping is excellent and your understanding of the needs of wildlife in planting terms is appreciated by your adjudicator. Excellent works have been carried out in the Town Park in the past year and the tree planting here is recognised. Your strategy to plant for year round effect is really welcomed as is your work on the wildflower area in the Park. The 180 planters along the Main Street were a delight on adjudication day and they provided a mass of colour. This helped to lead the eye along the street from container to container. For next year do include a copy of the Study on the Town Park and riverside area. On approach roads good landscaping contributed much to a positive first impression of Newbridge. Your adjudicator reminds all Tidy Towns Committees that the cutting of roadside banks and ditches in the period 1st March to 30th August is not permitted under Section 40 of the Wildlife Act 1976, incorporating section 46 of the Wildlife (Amendment) Act 2000.

Wildlife and Natural Amenities:
The new sculpture at the entrance to the Town Park was examined and this is a fine piece of artwork and other sculptures were also appreciated around Newbridge. The new gates were also seen. The development of another smaller amenity area within the Park was noted. Can you try and monitor if the thirty new nesting boxes along by the river are being used and do let us have the results for next year. The newly fenced wildlife area within the Park is a good public statement that wildlife has needs that must be respected. The new boardwalk at the Park is really well designed and adds much to a visit to this beautiful area.

Litter Control:
The litter bin replacement programme is most positive as is your promotion of the local Litter Abetment Plan. Your adjudicator was stunned to read that litter bins in Newbridge produce sixteen tonnes of litter weekly. Well done on the regular litter patrols. In overall terms the litter control situation in Newbridge on adjudication was a great source of disappointment to your adjudicator. The situation was really quite bad. Dumping at the Lidl Bring Centre was seen and at the Tesco located Bring Centre a total of eleven dumped boxes was counted. Some litter was evident at the entrance to Moore Avenue and along Langton Road b y the road boundary wall to The Oaks. Very bad littering was seen at the entrance to Watercress Manor and at the nearby Railway Bridge. There was a litter issue at the entrance to Barrettstown lawns and much aged litter was evident at the Garrison Church. The Main Street area was also quite littered. Much litter was evident at the roundabout at Pfizer’s and at the landscaped area at their site entrance. Other instances of littering were also noted. The overall situation in respect of litter is one that needs much greater community support and understanding. It has been necessary therefore to reduce your mark in this category for 2011.

Waste Minimisation:
The promotion of waste minimisation on your website is an excellent approach. It was noted that most of your projects detailed for the past year under this category were in respect of recycling which is of course most important. However the kernel of this category is about the reduction of the waste generated in Newbridge, Have you considered carrying out a waste audit and then approach waste generates to seek ways of reduction?

Tidiness:
The many advertising signs and signage clutter detracts in a really serious way form the overall enjoyment of a visit to Newbridge. If Newbridge has a strategic aim for higher glory in the Tidy Towns Competition then these two issues must be addressed with vigour by the Local Authority and others as a matter of absolute priority. If advertisings signs do not have Planning Permission, Licence or other official right to be in place then why are they not removed by the Local Authority. Likewise signage clutter is a major issue and rationalisation is long overdue. It is because of these two keys issues that your mark in this category has had to be reduced this year. Your work on graffiti was noted and very little was seen around the town. An Enhanced Traffic Management Plan is indeed needed in Newbridge and hopefully the year ahead will see some progress.

Residential Areas:
A representative selection of estate in Newbridge was visited and the overall impression was really positive. Many estates have excellently manicured grass areas that are complimented by well maintained mature trees. Kerb weed was an issue in a few estates. Your support to residents Associations is important and is commended as is your lobbying for improvements in estate approach signage. Connell Drive is a good example of the points made above. At Wellesley Manor what appeared to be an over use of weed killer was evident. Sloping grassy banks were admired at The Elms.

Roads, Streets and Back Areas:
The ‘Safe Route to School’ project is an imaginative one and works on the Green Road and the Curragh approach were visited. In general the main approach roads were impressive and especially the outer sections of the Curragh roundabout approach road. The roundabout itself is excellent.

General Impression:
Key issues for future enhanced attention by all parties are litter control and the advertising and signage problems. If these can be overcome further progress should be possible in Tidy Towns. This is not to take away from the excellent work carried out by your really well organised Tidy Towns Committee, but you alone can only do so much for Newbridge. Good luck in your plans for next year.

Second Round Adjudication
Newbridge did not qualify for any further adjudicator visits.

08092011