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Wednesday 20 December 2017

News From Cork County PPN

Cork County PPN Logo

The Winter 2017 edition of the PPN newsletter is now available to view on our website corkcountyppn.com under News& Events.

You can access it by clicking on this link:


New Public Library Strategy 2018-2022 Public Consultation

The Minister for Rural and Community Development, Mr. Michael Ring T.D., is seeking submissions in respect of the Government’s new Public Library Strategy 2018-2022.
The new Strategy will underpin the continued development of the public library system over the next five years and position the public library at the centre of the community, meeting the information, learning and cultural needs of individuals and communities.

The new Strategy is being developed by the Department of Rural and Community Development, the Local Government Management Agency and Local Authorities.

An overview of the Strategy and relevant consultation documents can be accessed at www.drcd.gov.ie/librarystrategy

Copies of these documents may also be obtained by contacting the Libraries Development& Community Policy Unit, Department of Rural and Community Development  at (096) 24258 or by email to libstrategyreview@drcd.gov.ie or at your local library.

Submissions can be made to the Department online at www.drcd.gov.ie/librarystrategy by email to libstrategyreview@drcd.gov.ie or in writing to Libraries Development and Community Policy, Department of Rural and Community Development, Government Offices, Ballina, Co. Mayo, F26 E8N6.

Closing date for receipt of submissions: 1st February 2018.

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Cork County Council named Public Sector Magazine's Local Authority of the Year 2017
Cork County Council has been named Local Authority of the Year by Public Sector Magazine Award.  The Council has received recognition for a number of programmes, including services to community through the Living Space Project, services to roads through a number of road safety initiatives and the heritage services award for promoting and protecting Cork’s archaeological and heritage landscape.
In welcoming the announcement, Mayor of the County of Cork Cllr Declan Hurley spoke of the Council undertakings which prioritise people and communities, “As a council we take great pride in offering the people of Cork services that deliver on their needs.  By listening to what people want we seek to provide real responses in the most effective and impactful manner we can. As the role of local authority has evolved so have we.”
One of the Council’s most successful initiatives this year was the establishment of the Living Space Project in Mallow.  Featuring a number of free summer arts and entertainment events which brought public spaces to life, the Living Space Project culminated with the ‘Picnic in the Castle’, taking place in the newly refurbished grounds of the Council’s Mallow Castle.
Historic buildings, as well as Cork’s heritage are of enormous value to the Council’s Heritage Office.  From coordinating grant schemes and national weeks, such as Biodiversity Week, Tree week and Heritage Week, to providing regular heritage updates, the Council’s Heritage Office is driven with an ethos of ‘by valuing the past we value the future.’  Cork County Council works with a number of partners in order to achieve this level of success, from local community groups and organisations to state bodies and the Heritage Council.
Collaborative working is vital to a successful local authority.  Together with the Road Safety Authority, Cork County Council has created a number of road safety themed initiatives while the Council’s Safety Development Officer visits primary and pre-schools to drive the message of safety.  The Road Safety Short Story Competition received over 400 entries while the Council’s Cycle Safety Code booklet is distributed directly to schools with availability through Council libraries, swimming pools and  public offices and at specially organised safety events in the form of bookmarks and cycle helmet stickers. 
In accepting the award, Chief Executive of Cork County Council Tim Lucey acknowledged the contribution of staff to such success, “This is only a selection of what we are about and what we do.  Crucial to our success is our hard working and dedicated staff.  We care about what we do, what we produce and who we serve.  We will never stop working for the betterment of the citizens of Cork and will ensure every available resource is deployed to continue to make Cork a great place to live and work.  I am very proud to receive the 2017 Local Authority of the Year Award on behalf of Cork County Council.”

Heritage Castles of County CorkHeritage Castles of County Cork
Heritage Castles of County Cork, the latest publication in the nationally recognised Heritage of County Cork Publication Series, supported by the Heritage Council – has just been completed and will hit the bookshops shortly.
Castles are a very strong part of County Cork’s heritage, and not surprisingly so, when we learn that there were 346 recorded castles recorded in the County. Of these 184 remain identifiable in the field and a further 162 are known from early maps or other documentary sources, but have not survived. The publication gives an overview of the wide range of castle types that are to be found in the County, also detailing, how castles would have functioned in society, the family names synonymous with the main castles, what life was like in County Cork during medieval times and why indeed castles eventually went into decline towards the end of the 17th century.
The book is arranged in chronological order, starting with the castles of the Anglo-Normans (including a brief look at earthwork castles), then moving on to the later medieval tower houses, then the fortified houses of the late sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Typical architectural and archaeological features are also presented to give a reader a great insight into castle construction and development and some fascinating featured examples from across the County are also provided, the majority of which can be visited today, free of charge. One of the main strengths of the book, and indeed of the Heritage of County Cork Series as a whole, is the fantastic involvement of community groups, organisations and individuals, by recommending numerous castles for inclusion and providing wonderful photographs, accounts and local tales. As a result, the publication contains a wealth of information and is expertly written with thanks to Eamonn Cotter – another proud publication by Cork County Council’s Heritage Unit and hopefully another publication that will be well received by people in the County of Cork and further afield.
The book will shortly be available in bookshops throughout the County and online with thanks to the Skibbereen Heritage Centre -www.skibbheritage.com/shop





A message from Clann Credo: Clann Credo's €10m Community Sports Loan Fund

The €56 million allocation for the 2017 Sports Capital Programme will provide a much needed boost for more than 1,700 clubs and sporting groups around the country who are set to receive the grants.
Clann Credo congratulates all the named recipients of the Sports Capital Grants and can help clubs to boost the benefits of their grants with Community Loan Finance.

Clann Credo is launching a €10 M Community Sports Loan Fund which will offer clubs and sporting groups finance at affordable rates. Many sports clubs find it difficult to access loans on reasonable terms and volunteers are often asked to give personal guarantees or even asked to borrow in their own name. Clann Credo considers the impact your project will have on the community and volunteers are never asked to guarantee a club’s loan.

Clann Credo has already loaned over €10 million to more than 100 amateur sports clubs around the country, providing better facilities, better clubhouses, better training facilities and better equipment.
Some of the sports Clann Credo has funded include: GAA; Judo; Soccer; Watersports; Archery; Baseball; Gymnastics and community field sports.
To find out more about Clann Credo’s €10m Community Sports Loan Fund, click
 here
To contact Clann Credo email:
 info@clanncredo.ie

A message from CIT Crawford College of Art and Design:

Creativity & Change Nurturing Change-Makers, Imagining a Better World.
CIT Crawford College of Art and Design
Master classes  & International Youth Engagement Lab

Master Classes: March-Sept 2018:

Creativity & Change's Master classes target educators in formal or non-formal learning settings, change-makers, artists, community workers,  youth-workers, activists, volunteers or anyone who has an interest in supporting learning and initiating projects to engage people in transformative learning and active global citizenship.

For 2018 we have an exciting line up of workshops and facilitators to support you to engage others creatively with Global citizenship and justice themes. There is  a wide range of learning opportunities, including learning about visual facilitation, a Theatre workshop, a workshop about applying design thinking to learning processes and to solving real world problems, a practical street art workshop, an ‘Open Space’ meeting and an exploration about bringing creativity to the spaces we utilise as learning spaces..
Please see the full programme, profiles of the facilitators and registration links at this page

International Youth Engagement Lab:
CREATING & SHARING DIGITAL CONTENT: Supporting young people in active global citizenship
July 7th - 13th 2018

WHO IS IT FOR?
Youth workers, arts facilitators activists, tutors and anyone who engages young people in non-formal learning processes who - is passionate about nurturing young, connected and active global. citizens - want to develop more skills in the use of IT and digital media in their work.

THEMES?
Nurturing Competences of Global citizens in youth work practices -Creating and sharing Digital content to support young people in Active global Citizenship -The challenges posed by digital and social media.

WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT TO GAIN FROM PARTICIPATING
• A meaningful reflective intercultural learning environment
• To engage with themes of global citizenship.
• To gain skills and competence in the creative use of digital media and IT tools eg, creative GIFS, Stop motions, info graphics, comic strips etc
• Connection with a network of people who may be interested in future collaborations

HOW CAN I GET INVOLVED
You can find out more here.
You can apply to participate at this link.
The deadline for Irish participants Feb 28th 2018
Our 2018 Youth Engagement lab is funded by the Leargas Erasmus + programme and Irish Aid

Monday 11 December 2017

HSE Launch Age Friendly Guide for Cork City and County



A Directory of supports and services for older people in Cork City and County This publication has been produced by the HSE Community Work Department Cork to address the need for more information on services and supports for older people across Cork City and County in one easy to use booklet.

Download Directory Here 

The directory intends to: • publicise the ever-increasing services and activities for older people in our community. • increase awareness in the local community of the health services that are available to you locally and regionally. • support professionals working in Cork City and County, who may be in a position to recommend, or refer to, the services listed. • serve as a useful resource for the general public including newcomers who are relocating to Cork City and County areas. We have made every effort through a wide ranging consultation to ensure that the information is both accurate and appropriate.
Ronnie Dorney Principal Community Worker HSE

I would like to take the opportunity to thank: • The Cork Age Friendly City Alliance & Older Persons’ Forum • The Cork Age Friendly County Alliance & Cork County Older Peoples Council • The members of the sub-committee charged with overseeing this directory: - - Tríona Healy, Community Worker. - Stephen Murphy, Community Health Worker. - Tony Fitzgerald, Community Support Worker. - Brendan Scahill, Community Worker. • HSE Community Workers in Cork South and Cork North. • HSE Community Work Administration staff - Catherine Murphy, Carol O Shea and Jane Young. • Vicki O Donoghue, Business Manager, Older Persons Non-Residential Services, for her dedication in gathering and checking health information on our behalf. • Patrick Aherne of High Quality Printing. •

And above all - the many groups who participated and are represented in the booklet. We hope this resource will be of interest and support to you.

Best wishes, Ronnie Dorney / Aidan Warner (Principal Community Workers, Cork)

Key Features of a Constitution

A Group Constitution

A group's Constitution is its governing document and it is necessary to have one whether or not the group wants to seek charitable status. It is important to ensure that it takes into account not only what you intend to do in the first year, but also allows for the future development of the your groups work. It is the group's most important document which, once adopted, is binding on the members and formal procedures need to be followed to alter it.
A constitution should include the following:
(1) Name of the organisation.
(2) Objects – this clause expresses the aims (purposes) of the organisation. It is important that these are written in such a way as to cover everything you may want to do as your organisation develops.
When writing the objects of a charity, particular care is required to make sure the objects are exclusively charitable in law. If the objects include a mixture of charitable and non-charitable objects, the organisation cannot be a charity. If an organisation wants to be non-charitable, then there is more flexibility about the wording of the objects. Nevertheless, care should be taken to make sure that the objects are accurate.
(3) Powers – this clause usually follows the objects and it sets out the things a particular organisation is permitted to do in order to pursue its objects.
(4) Membership – this clause describes what type of individual or organisation will be eligible to apply for membership of the organisation. It may set out a variety of different types of membership (e.g. individual membership, full membership, associate membership, group membership). It should also make provisions for termination of membership.
(5) Management – this clause describes how the organisation will be managed, i.e. by a management committee elected by and from among the members of the association, or by representatives appointed by the member organisations. It should state how and when they may be elected, the maximum number of co-opted members, the minimum number of times the committee should meet in a year, and what a quorum for meetings will be. If it is the intention of the organisation at some stage to appoint sub-committees, reference to this should be included.
(6) General meetings – this clause states when the Annual General Meeting will be held and what business is to be transacted at it, which should always include:
  • Receiving from the committee an annual report and statement of accounts
  • Electing office-bearers and the committee, and appointing an auditor or an independent examiner for the coming year.
The second part of this clause should make provision for extraordinary or special general meetings of the entire membership of the organisation – these may be called by the members when some special business has to be considered.
(7) Rules and procedures at all meetings– this clause may or may not be included but, if it is, it should state:
  • Who chairs meetings in the absence of the Chair
  • If the Chair is to have a second or casting vote
  • That minutes of all meetings should be kept by a named office-bearer.
(8) Finance – this clause should make clear that the funds of the organisation can only be used to further the objects of the association and for no other purpose. It will state that a bank account should be opened and outline the number of signatories required to sign cheques on behalf of the organisation. The finance clause will also state if the accounts of the association are to be audited or independently examined.
(9) Trust Property – an unincorporated body cannot hold property in its own name. If such a body wishes to own buildings or land or other property, it will need to appoint trustees. Trustees are people who hold property in their name which is not their own, but has been entrusted to them. Sometimes people will act as holding trustees without any formality, but this could lead to confusion (if, say, the people holding the property lose contact with the association). It makes sense, particularly if the organisation has any valuable or important property, that it should formally appoint holding trustees with suitable documentation to make clear what property is being held, and by whom, and that it is being held on behalf of the association.
(10) Amendments to the constitution – a constitution may be altered, but only by its members, at a special general meeting or AGM of which proper notice has been given to the members. In the case of an organisation which is a charity, no changes may be made which would alter the charitable nature of the organisation. The Charity regulator must be notified of any changes to the Objects clause.
(11) Dissolution – this states what happens if the organisation decides to wind up, in particular, what will be done with any funds remaining after all liabilities have been met. A charitable association which is dissolved is required by law to pass any remaining assets onto another charitable body.
Need help with setting a group or a Community Group in County Cork?
Contact Muintir na Tire at 0214500688

Sunday 10 December 2017

Latest press release on Boundary Alteration:








Please see below joint press release from the Mayor of the County of Cork Cllr. Declan Hurley and the Lord Mayor of Cork City Cllr. Tony Fitzgerald re Cork County and City Boundary Alteration.

Winners of Schools Short Story Competition travel to County Hall

Over 100 school children from schools across Cork County travelled to the top of County Hall to receive their prizes from Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr Declan Hurley at the inaugural Primary Schools Road Safety Short Story competition. 
The competition, launched earlier in the year as part of the Children’s Book Festival Week 2017, asked entrants to feature 2 children, Sally and Jake, aged 8 and 10, who are great friends and love to get up to all sorts of fun and games together.  A requirement of the competition was that children would demonstrate within their story that they understood key road safety messages and that these messages would be relatable to other children.
Cork County Council’s Water and Road Safety Development Officer Caroline Casey, was delighted with the volume of entries, “I received over 400 entries which was fantastic.  The stories showed that by encouraging children to think for themselves and process the road safety message we teach we can really empower our children and develop independent thinking.  Children will think and protect themselves before they step onto our roads. We are also reminding adults and older siblings to be role models regarding road safety.”
Prizes included class trips to Spike Island, Tir na Si Open Farm and Crosshaven RNLI Station with book vouchers from the Council’s library as well as pool parties in Mallow, Dunmanway and Fermoy Swimming Pools.    
This is the latest in a variety of initiatives undertaken by Cork County Council to increase awareness among children of being safe on the road and around water, with the Council recently presented with the Charles Thomson Award as the Local Authority to have achieved the most to promote water safety on the island of Ireland. 
Cork County Council facilitates free school visits to educate children around water, on the farm and road safety.  The winning stories from this competition have been complied into a booklet which will be distributed by Caroline during education visits to schools. 
In congratulating the winners, Mayor Hurley spoke of the importance of such initiatives to make safety top of the list when it comes to being on the road, “Children are our most vulnerable road users and it is up to all of us to safeguard them on our roads. Road accidents account for a significant number of child fatalities in Ireland making it vital that we encourage children to be safe and smart road users in a manner that resonates with them.”
Mayor Hurley went on to say, “I would like to thank all who have made the short story competition such a success, our sponsors, our judges, Caroline on the incredible work achieved and most of all our competitors.  The quality of the stories has been phenomenal and a credit to all the schools.”
Schools across County Cork can register for a free school visit to help educate children around Water, Road and Farm Safety where a free pack of safety themed games, books for schools as well as a Safety Flag to fly proudly outside the school is provided.  There is no cost involved and the sessions are run in a manner that is fun & interactive enabling children to think for themselves around safety.  Please e- mail caroline.casey@corkcoco.ie for further information to register for a school visit.
Images from the event are available on our Facebook page
Full list of Winners
Schools Categories
Sarah Keohane St. Mary's National School, Enniskeane.
Ava Rose Ballygiblin National School.
Lisa Kaar St. Lachtan's National School , Donoughmore.
Danny Cronin St. Colmans Boys National School, Kanturk
Age 9 to 12 category
Anna Kearney Clogheen Kerrypike National School
Eadaoin Farrell Bunscoil Rinn an Chabhlaigh Cobh
Age 6 to 8 category
Kelly-May Cogan Flynn Schull National School

Message From Muintir na Tire Chief Executive on Companies Limited By Guarantee

Dear all.

We have had many queries from groups who are Companies Limited by Guarantee, or who wish to become one. There seems to be great confusion around the requirements of the Companies Act 2014 (caused not by groups themselves, but by other advisors). I thought it might be useful to clarify the actual position.

The situation is as follows. A Company Limited by Guarantee is not obliged to change its Memorandum and Articles of Association under the Companies Act 2014. If it does nothing, these documents simply continue as the governing documents. There are many people out there saying otherwise and saying that companies must have a new constitution. This is not so.

There are two main reasons why a company would adopt a new constitution:
  1. To avail of audit exemption. This is available to Companies Limited by Guarantee for the first time under the 2014 Act. This is only available if the company’s annual income is less than 100,000.
  2. To ensure its legislative references are current and that no company law conflict can arise. This is not likely to be an issue for many Community Councils, I would think.

Some companies are converting to a constitution voluntarily because they are using the opportunity to review their governing document anyway.

There is an added complication for registered charities in that any changes must be approved by them (in advance for Revenue). The sample constitution prepared by the Charities Regulator doesn’t allow for audit exemption and they did not seem to be aware of this, but are now looking into it.

We have prepared a sample Constitution taking into account the legislative changes and also incorporating the Muintir principles, and have submitted it to both Revenue and the Charities Regulator for approval. While we do not anticipate any problems, it would be best for groups to wait until approval is received, before making the change. If you are not already a Company Limited by Guarantee and need to become one urgently (ie before we have the approval) you can use the standard with the caveat that some changes may be required subsequently.

So, my advice would be to do nothing for the moment. When the sample Constitution is fully approved you can then adopt it if you wish, without endangering your charitable status.

If you require any further information or clarification please do not hesitate to contact me.

Regards
Niall

Niall Garvey
CEO
Muintir na Tire

Saturday 9 December 2017

2018 EU-China Tourism Year- EU China Light Bridge:



The EU-China Tourism Year (ECTY) has been agreed by the President of the European Commission and the Chinese Premier.
It’s specific objectives are to:
Promote lesser known destinations
Improve travel and tourism experiences
Provide opportunities to increase cooperation

The European commission proposes a simple but powerful idea to bring about many local, festive and cultural initiatives: creating  a bridge of light between the EU and China by illuminating landmarks with the colours of their respective flags on symbolic nights.  

Registration is open until Friday 15th December

Friday 8 December 2017

Developing the Potential of Social Enterprise in Ireland: Online Consultation:

Mr. Michael Ring, T.D., Minister for Rural and Community Development, has announced a research partnership between his Department and the Social Finance Foundation with a view to producing research outputs which will support the development of an Irish social enterprise policy and implementation roadmap in early 2018.

As part of this research the Department of Rural and Community Development are looking for social enterprises and those with an interest in the sector to contribute ideas and issues.  Your views can be submitted through an online consultation which can be found at: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/IrelandSEP

This consultation is open until Friday December 15th at 5pm.

GIY Weekly Column Eat Together

Eat Together is our programme for getting school kids to sit together and enjoy a healthy meal..

There’s a great scene from Michael Moore’s 2015 documentary Where to Invade Next that focuses on school dinners.  He visits a small rural town in France and goes to the ‘best place to eat in town’ – the local school’s cafeteria.  In France, they consider school lunch to be part of the teaching day.  The children spend a full hour where they learn how to eat in a civilized, relaxed manner and enjoy healthy food. In the film, the children dine on scallops to start, chicken or lamb skewers on cous cous for mains, a dessert and even a cheese course (bien sûr!).  With such a grounding in social eating, it’s little wonder that the French have such a healthy attitude to and knowledge about food.
Earlier this year, the Chairperson at Tramore Educate Together came across Moore’s documentary.  Corinne is French, so it resonated with her, particularly since she now lives in a culture where school lunches are about wolfing down a sandwich in ten minutes before running out to play. She sent it on to my wife, who is principal at the school, and it got us all thinking.  Could we hatch a plan to achieve something similar? 
The result was a social eating programme called Eat Together, which we’ve now delivered at four schools in Waterford.  Since very few primary schools in Ireland have canteen facilities, we had the idea to send the lunches from GIY’s restaurant (GROW HQ) instead.  Once a week for a 6 or 8 week period, we deliver to the school a delicious, 2-course hot lunch from a menu plan prepared by our Head Chef JB Dubois.  The school agree to schedule it in as a lesson (before the lunch break), and we provide the teacher with a lesson plan to weave it in to the curriculum.  The children eat together at long tables to encourage them to talk to each other and, as in the French school, they eat from proper plates/bowls and use real cutlery. We talk about the food they are eating, where it has come from, and how it was produced or grown. They talk about texture and flavour, what veg they can identify in the meal, what they like and what they don’t. 
The menu changes every week, but it’s always proper hearty, in-season food.  We could have a little veg quiche or tartlet to start, followed by shepherd’s pie or chicken casserole for mains.  If dessert is on the menu we generally sneak some veg in there too.  A beetroot brownie, or carrot cake.  The children bring the menus home so they can cook it at home with their families if they so wish. Feedback from children, parents and teachers has been overwhelmingly positive – over 90% of parents would like the programme to continue and are willing to pay for it themselves.  They tell us it helps to make their children more interested, curious and knowledgeable about food.  We’ve seen even the pickiest eaters become more willing to try things, when they are surrounded by their peers who are getting stuck in.  Above all though, it’s a chance for children to view food as a sociable, enjoyable occasion – rather than a quick re-fueling.
This term, three local schools – Tramore Educate Together, Scoil Lorcáin and Gaelscoil Phort Láirge - are taking part.  In a week where a Safefood Ireland study found that the total lifetime cost of childhood obesity in Ireland is estimated at €7.2billion (that’s not a typo), it’s clear that radical thinking on food education is needed.  A programme like Eat Together could be part of the solution, and it’s worth noting that the government is already funding lunch deliveries to DEIS schools. In the meantime, we’re actively looking for partners to help us roll Eat Together out further around the country – other schools, parent’s associations, restaurants, cafes, cookery schools, sponsors and so on.  Get in touch if you want to get involved. 
The Rearing To Go episode about Healthy Eating and Grow Your Own is up on RTÉ now at https://www.rte.ie/player/show/rearing-to-go-30004615/10794284/
The Article: How can we make eating healthy easier for families to achieve? is available here: https://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/living/2017/1025/915088-how-can-we-make-eating-healthy-easier-to-achieve/

The Basics – Tunnel Ventilation
As the cold weather and lower light conditions draw in, it's important to close up the doors of your greenhouse or polytunnel to keep the heat in there as much as possible. However, try and give the polytunnel/greenhouse a good airing on fine dry days - open up the doors and let air circulate - this will help to stop disease developing, particularly downy mildew which can be a big issue in the winter months.  On days where you do open up the doors make sure to close them again at night to retain whatever heat is in there.

Tuesday 5 December 2017

Carols by Candlelight


Come and enjoy a beautiful musical evening at St. Patrick's Church, Rochestown at 7.00 on Sunday 10th December.
Six choirs including The SHEP Singers! and other musicians will be performing and singing their hearts out. Admission is free, but donations are invited to support Sahakarmi Samaj, SHEP's partner organisation in Nepal, and ARC House in Cork.
It will be a lovely way to start the Christmas season, full of joy and goodwill. Put it in your diary now!
Huge thanks to Pat Sheehan Corbett, SHEP tutor and musical magician who has put the programme together, to the SHEP Sahakarmi Samaj fundraising committee, to all the singers and musicians, and to the parish of St. Patrick's for hosting the event.

Friday 1 December 2017

Muintir na Tire Supports 'Shopping in your Home Town for Christmas'





Click  here  for full details

 

Shopping in your Home Town for Christmas: Cork County Council’s ‘Think Cork County’ Campaign Returns,Encouraging the Public to Support Local this Festive Season

Following the success of last year’s ‘Think Cork County’ campaign, which was brought to life by Cork County Council, the initiative is once again returning ahead of the festive season to encourage the residents of Cork’s many towns and villages to support their local businesses in the lead up to Christmas.
The 2017 campaign was officially launched today (Tuesday 28th November) by Cork County Council Chief Executive Tim Lucey and Cork County Mayor Cllr Declan Hurley, just in time for the county to enter into one of the busiest month of the year. ‘Think Cork County’ recognises the abundance of eclectic businesses and services located all across Cork, something we often forget when it comes to purchasing Christmas gifts, stocking up on seasonal goodies or even deciding where to bring our car for its winter service. This initiative reminds Cork county residents that they do not always have to travel to the bustling cities or shop online in search of the items or services they require and encourages them to avail of what’s on offer a little closer to home.  It also supports local jobs, community, community, festive spirit, and the vibrancy and prosperity of our towns.

One way in which Think Cork County incentivises the public to support local, is by offering free parking for the duration of December in all Cork County Council car parks located in a wide selection of towns around the county. There will also be designated free on-street parking zones available to commuters in selected areas, making it easier than ever for people to enjoy a Christmas spent in their local town or village.

Speaking at the launch, Tim Lucey explained why Think Cork County is a hugely important incentive for Cork as a whole.
“Corkonians are known for being fervently proud of their county. The Think Cork County campaign calls upon Cork’s residents to demonstrate this pride by supporting the local businesses and services that are so important to the continuous growth and development of Cork. Christmas is a time of loving and giving and we believe that this can be extended to your local community. If you love where you live, it is so important to ensure the prosperous future of your area by investing into its businesses and supporting the local economy.”

County Mayor Cllr Declan Hurley echoed this sentiment, commenting:
”We are delighted to once again launch this campaign and we hope that people will continue to think local when they are considering Christmas this year. It is such a joy to see local communities thriving thanks to the continuous support they receive from their residents and Cork County Council are honoured to be a part of this success story by offering incentives for people to shop and invest in their home town this Christmas.”

Whether it’s choosing your local post office to send those all-important season’s greetings cards, creating a festive feast from the amazing local produce available at your village’s many food stores and eateries or simply being a part of the wonder that is created by the lighting up of your town’s twinkling lights, think your county, your town this Christmas.

Follow @ThinkCorkCounty and @CorkCoCo on Facebook and Twitter for updates.

HOLDING AN ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING


      A General Meeting of the members  shall be held once in every calendar year at such date, not being more than fifteen months after the holding of the last preceding general meeting and at such place and time as the Management/ Executive Committee may decide.

The above mentioned General Meeting shall be called an Annual General Meeting (AGM) and all other General Meetings shall be called Extraordinary General Meetings.


 The AGM shall include consideration of the accounts, balance sheets and the reports of the Management/ Executive Committee and the Auditors with regard to these accounts and the appointment and fixing of the remuneration of the Auditors. 

It shall also include reports from officers of the Management / Executive Committee and its sub-committees on the work of the Council in the preceding year and shall provide for discussion on those reports. 

The Management / Executive Committee shall consider any discussions that takes place at the AGM and what actions, if any, should be taken by it in the light of those discussions

Sample Sub-Committees Terms of Reference

The template below is for guidance only and may be amended to suit a group's needs and should comply with your group's constitution.

XXXXXX SUB-COMMITTEE    TERMS OF REFERENCE

The XXXXXX Sub-Committee is a sub-committee of XXXXXX Community Council
Functions of the Sub-Committee
To support the implementation of the work programmes of XXXXXX Community Council in the XXXXXX area.
To organise specific events such as xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Membership
The Sub-Committee shall consist of a minimum of x members of the Community Council and others as appointed by the Community Council.
Appointment of Sub-Committee
The Community Council shall at their first meeting following the Annual General Meeting (AGM) in each year, determine the members of the Sub-Committee until the next following AGM.
Officers
The sub committee shall elect a Chairperson, and minute secretary (who both must be members of the Community Council ). The chairperson shall be responsible for directing a work-plan approved by the Community Council and for reporting to the Executive Committee.
Co- options
The Sub –Committee shall have the power to co-opt extra members with the approval of the Community Council , provided always that the numbers of those co-opted under this rule shall not equal or exceed those appointed by the executive committee.
Frequency of Meetings
The Sub-Committee shall meet not less than x times in each year. A quorum at each meeting shall be one third plus one of the members.
Record of Meetings
The Sub-Committee shall ensure that an agreed written record of each of their meetings is forwarded to the Community Council within one month of the meeting.
Staff Attendance
Community Council staff may sometimes be required to attend meetings of the Sub-Committee, as directed by the Community Council.

Finance
All money and funds shall be held in a Bank Account which shall be known as eg. XXXXXX Community Council Number 2 account.
All money and funds held  shall be used as directed by the sub-committee.
All cheques and other withdrawal of funds money or cash on behalf of the sub Committee shall be signed by the Chairperson or Treasurer of the Community Council and a person nominated by the sub committee.

The accounts shall be audited annually as part of the XXXXXX Community Council  accounts.