Moves at last to replace Mayo joint policing forum

MAYO County Council has nominated seven members to sit on the new Community Safety Partnership, which is replacing the Joint Policing Committee.

Other groups from sectors including education, business, residents and social inclusion will now also be asked to nominate representatives to the partnership.

The local authority councillors ratified at their monthly meeting are Al McDonnell, Michael Loftus (Fianna Fáil), Donna Sheridan, Alma Gallagher, Michael Burke (Fine Gael), Patsy O'Brien and Michael Kilcoyne (Independent).

One of them is likely to chair the new forum.

JPCs have been abolished since March 2024 - a gap of 18 months, which Councillor Loftus said wasn't good enough. The fault lay with the Department of Justice for not having the regulations ready for councils, he said.

He also noted how the chief superintendent and council chief executive sat on the JPC, whereas now it would be a superintendent and director of services.

The member wasn't happy with the whole process, which the department have delayed, with people from new groups not even approached yet.

(Funded under the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme)