Steps are being taken to ensure that Sligo's poor performance in the Tidy Towns competition is not repeated. Sligo town did not enter this year's competition as the local committee is defunct, and scores obtained by Sligo's tidiest villages were low compared to other county winners.
Sligo Chamber of Commerce is to start a campaign aimed at reducing litter and improving the appearance of business premises in the town. This will include a voluntary code of conduct on litter control, and the chamber is also setting up a scheme for next summer to supply and maintain window boxes for shops and businesses at a reduced cost.
Litter is seen as the major problem, but the chamber's president, Mr Jim Lawlor, said efforts would also be made to ensure that traditional shop fronts were maintained.
At Sligo Corporation, part of the brief of a newly-appointed parks superintendent will be to form a Tidy Towns committee. In recent years the corporation has carried out improvements to town-centre areas adjacent to the river.
The borough engineer, Mr Seamus Concannon, said further works were planned, including more street furniture, improved signage and public areas with paving, trees and flowers. The policy of "sparingly" granting planning permission to fast-food outlets would also be continued.