Ballymote-Tubbercurry Minutes 2019

Minutes of Budget Meeting of The Municipal District of Ballymote-Tubbercurry held on Monday 21st October 2019 at 3.00 p.m. in Meeting Room No. 1, Teach Laighne, Tubbercurry, Co. Sligo


COUNCILLORS PRESENT:

  • Councillor Martin Baker
  • Councillor Michael Clarke
  • Councillor Martin Connolly
  • Councillor Gerard Mullaney
  • Councillor Dara Mulvey
  • Councillor Joseph Queenan
  • Councillor Paul Taylor (Cathaoirleach)

APOLOGIES/ABSENT:

  • Ciarán Hayes, Chief Executive
  • Dorothy Clarke, Director of Services

OFFICIALS IN ATTENDANCE:

  • Tom Kilfeather, Director of Services
  • Marie Whelan, Head of Finance
  • Margaret McConnell, Senior Executive Officer
  • Joseph Devaney, Area Engineer
  • David Golden, Area Engineer
  • Clodagh Quinn, Staff Officer

CATHAOIRLEACH:

The Cathaoirleach, Councillor Paul Taylor, presided and welcomed those present to the meeting before handing proceedings over to the Head of Finance, Ms. Marie Whelan.

 

 

1.  TO CONSIDER THE DRAFT 2020 BUDGETARY PLAN:

 

Ms. Whelan outlined the statutory nature of the meeting which was introduced in 2014 to give Municipal Districts an opportunity to prioritise funding for particular areas ahead of the Council’s main budget meeting.

The Plan contains items of discretionary expenditure that are shown in the ‘County-wide’ column and apply to all Districts along with items that are specific to each District.

Ms. Whelan informed Members that the main difference in the 2020 budget is the inclusion of the funding generated from the additional LPT which sees €80,000 going to Housing Grants as matched funding for Department grants (bringing an increase to this Service Area of €400,000), €100,000 to a Footpath Improvement Scheme and the balance of €610,691 going to Recreational Capital Projects. There is also a slight increase in the figure for public conveniences as upgrading of the facilities is required.

Ms. Whelan concluded by advising that the budget figure for Tourism Development and Promotion (Service D05) and Service F05 Operation of Arts Programme remains the same as last year. 

 

Division B – Roads Transport & Safety

Mr. Tom Kilfeather, Director of Services, began by explaining to Members that the figures shown in this Division refer to the Council’s own resources and will be supplemented by allocations from Transport Infrastructure Ireland and the Dept. of Transport, Tourism and Sport when finalised.

He highlighted a significant change for 2020 which comes in the form of a Footpath Improvement Scheme for the County which will comprise €100,000 generated from the additional LPT plus development levies which when added together will accumulate a total fund of approximately €300,000.

As next year will be the first year for the Footpath Improvement Scheme, Mr. Kilfeather suggested dividing the total fund evenly between the 3 no. Municipal Districts reminding Members that the Ballymote-Tubbercurry Municipal District will still continue to benefit from CLÁR funding.

 

Division F – Recreation and Amenity

Ms. Margaret McConnell, Senior Executive Officer, informed Members that €10,000 has been included from the 2019 Budget for Christmas lights in rural satellite towns and villages. The scheme has been advertised with a closing date of 25th October 2019. Groups are encouraged to register with the PPN but this is not compulsory in order to receive funding. 

A discussion followed on how the allocation would be spent, the criteria that may be used in deciding what towns/villages would benefit etc. At the end of which it was agreed that relevant decisions be made when it is established how many applications are received by the 25th October deadline.

Members welcomed the news of the Footpath Improvement Scheme and the additional funding for Housing Grants and were keen to ensure that the funding would be used to increase the number of housing grants available as opposed to getting tied up in administrative costs.

It was then:

Proposed by Councillor M. Clarke
Seconded by Councillor J. Queenan

AND AGREED

“To note the Draft 2020 Budgetary Plan for the Ballymote-Tubbercurry Municipal District”.

 


Meeting Date 21/10/2019