Update from Bray Municipal District Meeting

This was a busy meeting with many important items for decision and discussion. However, what might not have been evident during the meeting was the significant work that went on behind the scenes to reach consensus on key issues.

Between the February and March Bray MD meetings, Councillors remained in regular contact via phone and email and also met independently of Council officials to collaborate on decisions ahead of the meeting. Every Councillor embraced a spirit of compromise and partnership, and I want to thank each of them for their commitment to working together.

Discretionary Funding

Discretionary funding is only available through the Local Property Tax (LPT) paid by residents of the district. Each year, the demand for project funding far exceeds the available resources, and this year was no exception.

A small funding boost was generated by increasing seafront parking charges (from 20c/hour to 50c/hour), which has added approximately €70,000–€90,000 over the past few years. However, there is always a need for additional funds.

Understanding LPT Decisions

At the annual LPT meeting in November, there is always debate over whether the LPT should be increased or decreased. The system is confusing, as each year the rate resets to a base level, requiring Councillors to vote again.

For example:

If LPT is €100 and we increase it by 10%, it becomes €110.
The following year, it resets to €100, and we must vote again to apply an increase.

There is often political posturing around these decisions—some call for radical decreases (which would cut funding for essential services), while others refuse any increase, limiting what can be funded.

However, once the vote is taken, the focus shifts to how the money is spent. In Bray, all projects are treated equally, regardless of who proposed them or how they voted on LPT. This is the right approach, but it isn’t always easy.

I hope people take a moment to look at the amazing projects funded this year and remember that tough decisions are sometimes necessary for the long-term good of the community.

At Tuesday’s meeting, following prior discussions among Bray Councillors, the following projects were approved, with a total of €314,000 allocated:

Project	Amount	Purpose
Boardwalk Repair & Replacement	€25,000	Ensures safe access to the beach, replacing unsafe plastic boards.
Albert Avenue Traffic Calming	€20,000	Reduces speed, improving safety for pedestrians and cyclists.
Grass Cutting Maintenance	€70,000	Supports regular upkeep of green spaces.
Bandstand Roof Repair & Painting	€5,000	Prevents further structural deterioration.
Master Plans & Feasibility Studies	€5,400	Supports development at The Cove and People’s Park.
Family Resource Centre Maintenance	€6,000	Addresses heating issues to ensure continued services.
People’s Park Railings – Painting & Repair	€50,000	Enhances park aesthetics and safety.
Killarney Heights/Park Basketball Court	€10,000	Encourages physical activity—an initiative led by local children.
Ballywaltrim Pavilion Upgrades	€44,000	Improves community sports facilities.
Bench for Ballywaltrim Recreation Park	€1,800	Adds seating for visitors.
Victorian Seat Backs Painting	€70,000	Preserves historic urban furniture.
1798 Monument Replacement	€5,000	Maintains a key historical landmark.
Paddy Harris Remembrance Plaque	€2,000	Recognises local contributions (pending Memorial Policy approval).

Bray Municipal District Traffic & Transport Sub-Committee

Following a presentation from the Bray Residents Alliance, a Traffic & Transport Sub-Committee has been established.

Bray is growing—new housing developments bring additional cars, and our road infrastructure is struggling to cope. The community is calling for action, and up to now, efforts have been well-intentioned but often disjointed, with improvements in one area negatively impacting another.

Committee Membership:

The sub-committee will include:

✔ 4 Councillors (2 from Bray MD East, 2 from Bray MD West)

✔ Bray Municipal District Engineer

✔ Bray Municipal District Administrator

✔ Active Travel Section Representative

✔ Wicklow County Council Roads Representative

✔ An Garda Síochána Representative

✔ Iarnród Éireann Representative

✔ Dublin Bus Representative

Several groups requested seats on the committee, but it wasn’t feasible to include some and not others. Instead, the committee will be tasked with ensuring community voices are included in a meaningful way.

The Terms of Reference were agreed upon, and work will now begin to set targets and hold the first meeting.

Public Lighting Issues

The ongoing issue of public lighting outages was raised under ‘suspension of standing orders’—an urgent motion by Fine Gael Councillors in Wicklow.

Members received a detailed report on Bray’s lighting outages, highlighting some improvements but also a need for better tracking of long-term outages.

🔹 A new dedicated Electrical Engineer has now been appointed to oversee the public lighting contract—a welcome development.

Until all lights are repaired in a timely manner, I expect this issue to remain firmly on the agenda.

Housing Report

A summary of key housing updates for Bray:

🏡 18 new Part V units in Bray South (Adelaide Villas) pushed back to Q2 2025 due to development delays

.🏗 Parnell Road (Central Garage site) – 17 apartments at Stage 4 review, expected Q3 2026.

🏡 Kilbride Lodge & Sutton Villas – Legal issues delaying development until 2025.

🏘 Rehills Lands – Feasibility and design stage ongoing; funding for new bridge under exploration.

🏠 Fassaroe – 13 units under the SHIP programme, contractor appointed, work begins Q1 2025.

🏡 FCA Land (Rockbrae) – 53-unit development, Stage 1 completed January 2025.

🏠 Lauderdale Estate – 6-unit development delayed due to legal issues.

🏘 Ballywaltrim Cottages – 3-4 age-friendly units, Part 8 expected Q3 2025.

📢 I raised concerns that local residents should be informed about nearby developments. Many are not against housing, but they deserve better communication rather than learning about projects from news reports.

Little Bray Survey

📌 I again raised concerns over the delayed Little Bray Report. Over 80 submissions were made by residents of Fassaroe, Palermo, and the wider Little Bray area, yet no update has been provided.

The report has been in draft since the end of last year. Given that Discretionary Funding was discussed at this meeting, any recommendations from this report have not been factored in.

🚨 I have now called for the report to be published and added to the April agenda. The community has waited long enough for answers.

Final Thoughts

As always, this is a brief overview of key discussions. All views are my own, but I hope it gives you an insight into what’s happening in the Chamber above McDonald’s!

If you have any questions, get in touch—it’s your Council and your Community.