Fine Gael Councillor John Fitzgerald, Clonmel Borough, raised the issue of auctioneers being issued litter fines for erecting notices of houses for sale on roadsides at today’s meeting of Tipperary County Council.
The councillor, who is also an auctioneer, says he is very annoyed that the sector is being targeted in this manner.
Mr Fitzgerald asked the CEO of Tipperary County Council to respond to the issue during Any Other Business at the end of the meeting.
Cllr Fitzgerald expressed frustration that rate payers and employers were being targeted for litter fines and says any fines may ultimately be passed on to home buyers which was counterproductive in a housing crisis.
According to the Councillor fines were issued for signs providing directions to houses for sale and the council policy is that “sale agreed signs” should not be posted – the Councillor says this displays a lack of understanding of how house purchases are finalised. The irate councillor also pointed out that the Council runs services and programmes to collect what might be considered litter from other sectors of the economy. The meeting heard that the Council issued notice to the Institute of Professional Auctioneers and Valuers that was subsequently circulated to members in the county. The Councillor says the signs are “commerce” and not litter and expressed anger at the local authority intervening in the operation of the sector.
Joe MacGrath Tipperary CEO moved to end the discussion and offered to have the Head of Environment in the council respond directly to the councillor as the matter was not on today’s agenda.
