Longford TidyTowns groups to reap significant savings on insurance costs

A new partnership between local authorities and their mutual insurance company, Irish Public Bodies (IPB) Insurance, will remove the cost of insurance for local authority-backed Tidy Towns groups across Ireland.  

There are over 1,000 active Tidy Towns groups in Ireland and the cost of insurance for those groups represents a material and significant drain on their limited financial resources. This initiative will result in substantial savings for Tidy Towns across the country and it will enable Tidy Town groups to focus their energy and resources on community activities.

Welcoming the initiative, Robert Troy, Minister of State at the Department of Finance with special responsibility for Financial Services, Credit Unions and Insurance, said: “Volunteer and local groups like Tidy Towns help keep towns clean and attractive, while offering ways for people to support their communities and address local needs.

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“This partnership between Irish Public Bodies (IPB) Insurance and the 31 local authorities will mean Tidy Towns groups will have insurance cover, at no cost to them. This will enable local authority-backed Tidy Towns groups to continue their vital work bringing benefits to the community, and indeed the country, as a whole. IPB and the local government sector are to be commended for this efficient and highly innovative solution.

“The scheme also exemplifies the success of the Government's insurance reform agenda. The implementation of the Action Plan for Insurance Reform has yielded substantial benefits for consumers. Notably, insurance capacity is now accessible in previously challenging sectors, including hospitality, leisure activities, and community groups.”

Anna Marie Delaney, Chair of the County and City Management Association (CCMA) and Chief Executive of Offaly County Council, said: “The Tidy Towns competition is a hugely valuable initiative in encouraging communities to work together to make their neighbourhood more attractive, and in helping to instil a sense of pride in those areas. 

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“Local authorities already support voluntary and community groups through the provision of grant funding to assist them in this endeavour. We are delighted to now be in a position to work with IPB Insurance to extend a master Tidy Towns insurance policy to cover groups carrying out local authority-supported Tidy Towns activities. This will eliminate the administrative burden on groups to provide evidence of insurance before grants are awarded.”

Commenting, Chair of IPB Insurance, John Hogan said: “As a mutual insurer, we believe in the strength of the collective and working together. This initiative demonstrates the benefits of collaboration to address insurance challenges that make a meaningful difference for our members and their communities. We are delighted to partner with our local authority members to deliver a community insurance scheme that protects those who do so much for their communities on a voluntary basis.”

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The initiative delivers tangible benefits through the pooling of risk associated with Tidy Towns activities under a master policy undertaken by local authorities enabling Tidy Town voluntary groups to focus on their core mission of improving the local amenity in their communities. The cost savings associated with the scheme should assist groups by ensuring they have more resources available to support their activities. 

The national roll-out has now commenced and to date almost 700 eligible Tidy Town groups have been catered for through the scheme