THE transition to 11 new Super Councils next April is moving ever closer to fruition.

But a lot of uncertainties still remain over how local government will work on the ground for the people it serves.

Fivemiletown in particular is a village set apart.

In many ways the area and its people are on the periphery.

Bordering Tyrone and Fermanagh, it has stronger links with Enniskillen and the current Fermanagh District Council than it has ever had with Dungannon and South Tyrone Borough Council.

But already part of the current Dungannon council arangement, the Clogher Valley village will fall under the new Mid Ulster Super Council next year.

It’s too late to change now, of course, but what do people in Fivemiletown think about their imminent marriage with the Mid Ulster Council?

Ivan Smyton “I think we would be better off with Fermanagh and Omagh. We have more links with Enniskillen. I would be in Fermanagh more than I would be in Dungannon. I’m from Fivemiletown myself. It is more affiliated with Enniskillen rather than Dungannon. “Because of the geography of the area, people here don’t really even know what newspaper to buy! That’s just the way it is here. I would buy the Impartial Reporter. I have never bought the Dungannon papers even though Fivemiletown is part of Dungannon and South Tyrone Council.” Paul Beavers “It has far more links with Enniskillen and Fermanagh. With Dungannon, no matter what you do, there is always a while handlin! When you ring through to the Council you don’t know anyone there.

“At least if it was Fermamagh, there would be someone you would know and hopefully they would try and help. But with Dungannon you are talking to a bunch of strangers.

“They don’t know anything about Fivemiletown or what it’s about.

“When you say you’re from Fivemiletown it almost as if they are thinking ‘where’s that?’!” Norman Lyons “It possibly would be better, particularly because of this new postal address system. They made a complete horlicks of it.

“It means while our postal address says we live in Fermanagh, our council is based in Dungannon. We are on the periphery of Dungannon Council and on the periphery with Fermanagh too. In a way we are forgotten about.

“We know the councillors in Fermamagh. People in Clogher would tell you the same, and so would Augher. We will have to go with the times just I suppose.” Ella Cochrane “I think ‘fors and againsts’ in this.

“The Southern Education Board runs right from Kilkeel to here but yet we use Enniskillen hospital rather than Craigavon. It seems strange.

“I’m originally from Armagh so I tend to veer more in that direction anyway.” Gary Coote “I don’t think either of the Councils do too much for any of us anyway, so I don’t think there would be any difference if Fivemiletown was to merge with Fermanagh and Omagh.

“I don’t go looking them to many times and I dont want to go looking them either because I’m sure they would be no help.”