Introduction
In seeking to produce a comprehensive, clear 5 Year Work Programme the Tidy Town's Committee appointed a Planning Committee who set about analysing all the material and information available to them.

The overall ambition of this programme is to enable the Tidy Town's Committee to concentrate their efforts over the forthcoming years in order to ensure a significant improvement in Longford Town

The Mission Statement
To generate awareness, co-operation and enthusiasm amongst the people of Longford in a concerted effort to enhance the natural and built environment of the town.

General Strategies
A 3-Legged Stool.
In Longford three main focus groups can be identified.

• The businesses within the town.
• The residents in the suburbs and housing estates
• The manufacturers and factories in the industrial areas.

We see the need to develop a tri-partite approach over the next five years in order to effectively achieve our aims.

Working from the Inside Out
The Tidy Towns Committee intends to identify and bring on board key people from the three sectors outlined. With their input we will develop programmes specifically tailored to these sectors.

Harnessing and Developing Skills
The Tidy Town's Committee will support these key people in the implementation of these programmes. We will also be actively involved in implementing an education programme to develop the skills and foster the commitment of our members.

Networking
We will develop a network of communication and co-operation between the various bodies active in the development of the town.

We will liase closely with the local authorities and examine their programmes and the implementation of same. We will build on the efforts of our local authorities and engage their support and assistance with ours whenever appropriate.

We will create partnerships with businesses and industries in the town, with schools and financial institutions, in order to maximise the potential impact of our efforts.

Awareness
We will seek to gain as much publicity and exposure for all our programmes and efforts through use of the local media.

We will develop a greater public awareness of the need to care for both the natural and built environment of the town.

We will continue to foster a respect and pride in the town and its environment amongst the young people.

Background of the 3-5 Year Work Programme
Over the past number of months the Planning Committee has analysed and prepared reports on the following;

1. The Draft Tidy Towns 5 Year Plan
2. The National Tidy Town's Adjudication Reports from 1998 to 2001
3. The Tidy Town's Handbook
4. The Local Authorities' Operations relevant to the efforts of the Tidy Town's Committee.
5. The Longford Town Enhancement Plan - produced by Longford Community Resources in 1998.
6. An Taisce's Assessment of Longford Town.

The following plan is based on the results of this analysis. It aspires to build on the success of the programmes currently being organised and run by the Tidy Town's Committee. These are as follows

1. The Shop Front Competition
2. The Area/ Estate Litter League
3. The Schools Programme
4. The Annual Spring Clean
5. The Front Garden Competition

In addition to these annual programmes the Tidy Town's Committee has identified the need for

An Anti-Litter Campaign.
The first stage of this campaign focuses on Fast-Food Outlets and the rubbish these create in the town. The second stage is to liase with the providers of the refuse collection service to agree on more appropriate collection times.

A Black Spots Campaign
This aims to eliminate the derelict, unattractive areas within the town. A photo report has been prepared identifying the most offensive areas within the town. Letters have been drafted and are being sent to the proprietors.

Landscaping and Wildlife Campaign
Liaison with UDC on tree-planting within the town environs. Identification of possible new green areas within the town. Encourage the use of planters and flower basket within the town. Maintain and protect all existing planted areas.

The 5-Year plan also includes activities of the Local Authorities, which are relevant to the overall enhancement of Longford. It makes reference to the powers of the Local authorities under various Acts which the Tidy Town's Committee lobby and campaign to have implemented.

In order to make this Programme as useful as possible to the Tidy Town's Committee it has been presented in a format relating to the categories as adjudicated in the national competition.