Councillor and official clash over Imperial Hotel ‘plans’

Anton McNulty

A COUNCILLOR was told by a senior official of Mayo County Council that he was ‘confused’ on the difference between drawings and plans in relation to the future of the Imperial Hotel.
The historic Imperial Hotel, located on The Mall in Castlebar, was purchased by Mayo County Council in 2011 and was identified as a preferred location for the offices of the Castlebar Municipal District.
The issue was raised by Independent councillor Frank Durcan, who complained that senior council officials had told him there was no special plan for the former hotel. However, he claimed he was in possession of plans outlining the different offices which will be in the building.
He claimed the plans show that a tourist information office, a sports partnership office and an enterprise and investment unit were amongst the offices to be located in the building. He complained that councillors were given no input into the future of the building.
“I have produced plans, there they are, what offices are to be used for. We are the elected representatives, you [council officials] are the employees, yet we have lost control of everything.
“Have we a future here at all? It is my experience we haven’t. We should be asked [about the] proposals for the Imperial. I don’t see why we need so many offices for officials. We want services in the county,” he said.
However, Mr John Condon, the Director of Services in the Castlebar Municipal District, claimed Cllr Durcan was confused and no planning was in place for the building.
“To dispel the confusion, the councillor appears to be confused between drawings and plans. We have various drawings but we don’t have any plans until the permission is sought and drawings go before the Council for Part 8 approval. That is a plan. At this stage there is no plan,” he told Cllr Durcan, while adding that they would like suggestions for the former hotel.
Cllr Durcan later responded that the Imperial Hotel was not a good location for offices, as there was no parking. He advised the Council to ‘sell it on’.