Tidy Towns Competition
An Overview
Billy Flynn
Tidy Towns Adjudicator
What is Tidy Towns?
Longest running
environmental competition in
Ireland
 Organised by DECLG
 Main sponsor - Supervalu
 Has evolved with time &
changing env
legislation/policies

Why Tidy Towns?
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•
•
•
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Improve local environment
Increase no. tourists
More attractive place to live
Better sense of community
spirit/pride
Improve local enterprise
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
Spread of 450 Marks (+ 50)
Tidy Towns
Competition
Categories
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?
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
Built Environment /Streetscape
(cont’d)

Public Spaces



Squares, parks, streetscapes,
paving, landscaping, street
furniture, street, name
plates,
Access points to amenities
use Irish language
Landscaping & Open Spaces
 was
Landscaping
 Stays at 50 marks
 Appropriate planning
& mgt open spaces
 Selection & siting
native
trees/shrubs/flowers for
year round effect,
Landscaping & Open Spaces
(cont’d)
Maintenance of
planted areas
 Presentation of
roundabouts & all grass
strips

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)
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)

Tidiness & Litter Control
 Merging
categories
 Increase to 90 marks
(plus 10)
 Litter control (rotas)
 Litter management
plan
 Recycling litter
 Litter Awareness
 Community links
What is Tidiness?








Not about litter!
Clutter (e.g. blocked
footpath)
Unsightly wires/electric
cables
Obsolete signage
Weed control
Redundant poles
Grafitti
Shopfront signage
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
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

Residential Streets & Housing Areas
 was
Residential Areas
 Increase to 50 marks
 Res. Assocs
 Boundaries/gardens
 Communal (play)
areas
 Landscaping/litter
 Name stones
General Impression

Category deleted in 2014 (was ten marks)
Special Award
Categories
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

Climate Change Award
 DEHLG
sponsor
 www.change.ie
 Carbon footprint
 Raise awareness
local level, bring
positive change
 5 Q’s
 Prize €1,000
Best Bring Bank Award
 Repak
sponsor
 www.repak.ie
 Community input
 Litter/landscaping/sign
age/tidiness/access
etc
 Send photo, ans 1 Q
 Prize - €1,000 to each
region, €1,000 overall
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
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
‘Can It’ Award
 Sponsor
- Alupro
 Creative way to
reuse alum.
Packaging
 www.aluproireland.i
e
 Simple form
 Send photo
 Can enter online
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
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

Tree Project Award
 Sponsor
- Tree
Council of Ireland
 Right trees in the
right place
 Importance of trees
to community
 Maintenance/planni
ng
 Prize - €1,000
Heritage Award
 Sponsor
- Heritage Co.
 Raise awareness of local
heritage value & impact
of actions
 Conservation
 Community input
 Exclusions - check!
 www.heritagecouncil.ie
Sustainable Development
Award
 Sponsor
- Comhar
 Recognise communities
putting sust. dev. into
practice
 Env/Social/Economic
balance
 Benefits to wider community
 Wide-ranging
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