Posted online: Jun 24th, 2009

By Sinéad Flanagan
Editor

NEWLY elected Mayor of Kildare, Leixlip’s Colm Purcell is looking forward to the challenges ahead in his new role.
The councillor was voted into the position at a meeting of councillors on Friday, where he received 15 out of the 25 votes and Independent Cllr Catherine Murphy received 10. Clane’s Cllr Brendan Weld was voted Deputy Mayor.
Cllr Purcell says his nomination was a surprise and he only found out on Monday afternoon that he was to be the nominee for the Labour party. “I was almost floored by it.
“I’m absolutely delighted to receive the accolade. It’s great for my family, myself and for the Labour party. I’m following in the footsteps of people who have done the job very well.”
Having had a packed weekend of appointments, Cllr Purcell says “I haven’t had time to think about it. The recession is going to play a big part – it’s causing a huge problem. The creation of employment is going to be huge. I will lead the change- I will be talking to Intel and Wyeth and other big employers and I also want to speak to smaller employers to find out how we can assist them.”
Cllr Purcell says there are other factors hindering consumer spending in some places. “In Leixlip and Celbridge, one of the major problems is paid parking.” Cllr Purcell remarks that parking fines should really be manned by Kildare County Council employees rather than outsourced companies, some of whom he says, are more concerned with getting high figures rather than abiding by the principle of paid parking- which is to alleviate parking problem in towns, not drive people away from shopping in them.