Tidy Towns Competition An Overview

1. Tidy Towns Competition An Overview • Billy Flynn • Tidy Towns Adjudicator

2. What is Tidy Towns? • Longest running environmental competition in Ireland • Organised by DECLG • Main sponsor - Supervalu • Has evolved with time & changing env legislation/policies

3. Why Tidy Towns? • Improve local environment • Increase no. tourists • More attractive place to live • Better sense of community spirit/pride • Improve local enterprise

4. Dates for your Diary… • Entry Packs now available • Entry form has been revised • Closing date for applications – 23rd May • Round 1 judging - 1st June to mid July • Round 2 judging - late July/early Aug • National Awards - September • Regional Awards - Oct to Dec

5. Spread of 450 Marks (+ 50)

6. Tidy Towns Competition Categories

7. Community Involvement & Planning • Overall Development Approach • Increasing from 50 to 60 marks • Quality of Entry Form • Map/TT Plan • Appropriate backup material • Local community links/social inclusion • Local agency links/support • How do you communicate?

8. Built Environment & Streetscape • (was Built Environment) • Stays at 50 marks • Buildings: • Conservation/presentation • Preserving char/style • Good design shopfronts/civic buildings • Derelict/unoccupied sites • Access for all

9. Built Environment /Streetscape (cont’d) • Public Spaces • Squares, parks, streetscapes, paving, landscaping, street furniture, street, name plates, • Access points to amenities • use Irish language

10. Landscaping & Open Spaces • was Landscaping • Stays at 50 marks • Appropriate planning & mgt open spaces • Selection & siting native trees/shrubs/flowers for year round effect,

11. Landscaping & Open Spaces (cont’d) • Maintenance of planted areas • Presentation of roundabouts & all grass strips

12. Wildlife, Habitat & Natural Amenities • was Wildlife & Natural Amenities • Stays at 50 marks • Raising awareness/ understanding of natural amenities • Any important areas for conservation (e.g. waterway, • What do you have? (survey)

13. Wildlife, Habitat & Natural Amenities (cont’d) • Appreciation of how species & habitats should be best protected & managed • Maintaining/ enhancing biodiversity • Show engagement with expert groups/relevant authorities • Access to natural areas • Interpretation of key aspects (info boards)

14. Tidiness & Litter Control • Merging categories • Increase to 90 marks (plus 10) • Litter control (rotas) • Litter management plan • Recycling litter • Litter Awareness • Community links

15. What is Tidiness? • Not about litter! • Clutter (e.g. blocked footpath) • Unsightly wires/electric cables • Obsolete signage • Weed control • Redundant poles • Grafitti • Shopfront signage

16. Sustainable Waste & Resource Management • Increase by 30 to 50 marks • New guidelines 2013 • Moving towards efficient use of all resources • Prevention or reuse better than recycling • Promote best practice • Link in with green school/local shop /business • Lots of help/handbook • Local Authority projects

17. Approach Roads, Streets, Back Areas • was Roads, Streets & Back Areas • stays at 50 marks • 1st impression • Lanes/back areas • Street names • Road verges/paths • Bridges/cycle lanes • Inclusive access/peds

18. Residential Streets & Housing Areas • was Residential Areas • Increase to 50 marks • Res. Assocs • Boundaries/gardens • Communal (play) areas • Landscaping/litter • Name stones

19. General Impression • Category deleted in 2014 (was ten marks)

20. Special Award Categories

21. General • All info in your Entry Pack - read! • Must enter separately to general entry form • Relevant to current environmental issues • Sponsored by relevant org. • Enter if doing it anyway • Change from year to year – tbc 2014 • Prize money available

22. Climate Change Award • DEHLG sponsor • www.change.ie • Carbon footprint • Raise awareness local level, bring positive change • 5 Q’s • Prize €1,000

23. Best Bring Bank Award • Repak sponsor • www.repak.ie • Community input • Litter/landscaping/signage/tidiness/access etc • Send photo, ans 1 Q • Prize - €1,000 to each region, €1,000 overall

24. Tourism Towns Award • Fáilte Ireland , 3rd year • Open to top 100 TT groups (‘13) • Strong tourism contributes to sustainability of towns/villages & to local economy • Best large town - €5,000 • Best small town - €5,000 • www.failteireland.ie

25. Notice Nature Biodiversity Award • NPWS sponsor • www.noticenature.ie • protect/enhance area • new area • public awareness • ans q’s, send photos • Prize - 7 regions €1,000 each, overall €1,000

26. ‘Can It’ Award • Sponsor - Alupro • Creative way to reuse alum. Packaging • www.aluproireland.ie • Simple form • Send photo • Can enter online

27. Gum Litter Taskforce Award • gumlittertaskforce.ie • raise awareness - gum litter • Community action • Cat A €2,000 • Cat B € 2,000 • Add €1,000 overall prize

28. EPA Waste Prevention Award • Recognise communities making efforts to prevent waste & use resources wisely • Reducing waste/ energy/water/ • materials • Raising awareness • Community/schools/business • Overall national prize €1,000 • 2 national runner up prizes €500 ea

29. Tree Project Award • Sponsor - Tree Council of Ireland • Right trees in the right place • Importance of trees to community • Maintenance/planning • Prize - €1,000

30. Heritage Award • Sponsor - Heritage Co. • Raise awareness of local heritage value & impact of actions • Conservation • Community input • Exclusions - check! • www.heritagecouncil.ie

31. Sustainable Development Award • Sponsor - Comhar • Recognise communities putting sust. dev. into practice • Env/Social/Economic balance • Benefits to wider community • Wide-ranging

32. Urban & Rural Village Award • Sponsor - Irish Planning Institute (IPI) • Preservation, maintenance & dynamic reuse of trad. & historical core for community use • Creation of attractive village centres with strong emphasis on community • Published planning scheme/study managed & prepared by community or where community lead partner