Council’s new management team is warmly welcomed at first meeting in Westport

The new members of the council management team in charge of Westport-Belmullet Municipal District were warmly welcomed by councillors as they met for the first time last week, writes Joan Geraghty. 

Recently-apointed Director of Services Joanne Grehan and Head of the District Seamus O'Mongain were welcomed by cathaoirleach Cllr Sean Carey, who said he looked forward to working with them.

Fine Gael Cllr Peter Flynn also welcomed the new management, saying: “I think it is a really positive move for this MD, both Westport and Belmullet. I know you bring a wealth of experience and knowledge and have a real interest in Mayo and making it a better county.

“It should be about what the whole county want and working as a team and it is really important we start off on that note. We are also really lucky with Heather (Gibbons) and Jim (Power) and all who feed into the administrative and service side of this MD. We’re starting off on a new five-year journey and I am really looking forward to it and working with you.

Describing himself as a "newbie into the job also", recently elected Independent Chris Maxwell said he hoped that over the next five years the district would achive all it "needed to do".

Fianna Fáil Cllr Paul McNamara welcomed the new personnel, adding that there had been some challenging times over the previous term but that Westport-Belmullet MD was "a very progressive one marked by some very healthy debates between members" and he pledged his cooperation to the new management team for the next five years.