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Minutes of Adjourned Budget Meeting of Sligo Borough Council held in the Council Chamber, City Hall, Sligo on Monday 19th January 2009 at 7.00 p.m.


IN ATTENDANCE:

  • Councillor V. Cawley, Mayor of Sligo (in the chair)
  • Councillor D. Bree
  • Councillor D. Cawley
  • Councillor V. Cawley
  • Councillor J. Devins
  • Councillor A. Gibbons
  • Councillor J. McGarry
  • Councillor McGoldrick
  • Councillor T. McLoughlin
  • Councillor C. MacManus
  • Councillor S. MacManus
  • Councillor Tom MacSharry

OFFICIALS PRESENT:

  • Mr Hubert Kearns, County Manager
  • Mr. D. Breen, Director of Service
  • Mr. M. Leydon, Head of Finance
  • Mr. J. McNabola, Town Clerk
  • Mr. M. Condren, Senior Executive Parks Superintendent
  • Mr. A. Skeffington, Senior Executive Engineer


1. ADJOURNMENT

The meeting convened at 8.08 pm.  A report of 19/01/2009 from the Head of Finance was circulated to the Council.  This report indicated a surplus available to the Borough Council of €268,000 due to a reduction in the County Demand arising from increased resources from the Department of Environment Heritage and Local Government towards the cost of waste water treatment.  On the proposal of Councillor V. Cawley seconded by Councillor D. Bree it was unanimously agreed to adjourn for a period to enable members consider this development.

2. BUDGET 2009

The Council resumed at 8.45 pm and considered Division B.  Queries were raised regarding development levy collection, establishing a market in Stephen Street Car Park, state of roadway at Stephen Street and its junction with Markievicz Road.  Many members condemned vandalism of lifebuoys.  The Director of Services answered the queries.

The Council then considered Division E.  Queries were raised concerning street cleaning, derelict site possible levies, sweeping in housing estates and gully maintenance.  The Senior Executive Engineer Roads responded to the queries.

Then Council then moved to consider Division F.  Queries raised related to the Fairgreen development, lack of funding, reduced amenity scheme in Cleveragh, Forthill Recreational Park, possible recreational scheme in Ballinode, sponsorship of roads and roundabouts, cleaning of Lady Erin monument and provision of a play park at Balltivnan.  Queries were answered by the Senior Executive Parks Superintendent.  Many members commended the work of the Parks Superintendent and his staff.

Finally the Council considered Division G and H.  On the proposal of Councillor V. Cawley seconded by Councillor Devins it was unanimously resolved “That having considered the additional resources available to the Council from the revised County Demand being €268,000 we hereby make the following additional allocations :

Div AO101   €50,000
Div AO104   €5,000
Div AO403   €9,500
Div  FO301   €2,000

The Balance of €201,500 to match the Block Grant funding equally to the 3 Wards being €67,000 approx. each Div BO206” 

Councillor C. MacManus proposed Councillor S. MacManus seconded “That this Borough Council requests the County Manager and his staff to ensure that any household rent increase in 2009 – where a household is reliant on similar income(s) as last year – is at most equivalent to the average rate of inflation since the last Differential Rent Scheme was implemented”  The motion was agreed unanimously.

Councillor D. Cawley proposed and Councillor Bree seconded and it was unanimously resolved “That a meeting of the sub-committee established to make recommendations in respect of allocations under Programme 4.5.8 and now under the new Budget Heading FO5 and DO6 be convened within 8 weeks of the Budget meeting concluding”

Councillor Bree proposed and Councillor C. MacManus seconded and it was unanimously resolved “That the Council be provided with an up to date report on the level of outstanding Levies owed to the Council and a report on what action the Council is taking to collect the levies”

Councillor S. MacManus proposed and Councillor Gibbons seconded and it was unanimously resolved “That Sligo Borough Council commences the process of examining how to progress the provision of a craft and regional produce market in Stephen Street Car Park with a view to setting up such a market as soon as possible.  That this Council receive a report on same inside 3 months”

Councillor Bree proposed and Councillor O’Grady seconded and it was unanimously resolved “That the draft plans for the development of the Fairgreen which have gone through local consultation be presented to the Council so as to allow the Part VIII process to commence and further that the project be costed for grant aid purposes and in the event of the Parks Department requiring an allocation of funds (matching or otherwise) from the Development Contribution Scheme, a report be provided to the Council by the Parks Superintendent seeking approval for the required amount”

Councillor Gibbons proposed and Councillor V. Cawley seconded and it was unanimously resolved “That this Borough Council investigate every avenue of funding from all the relevant Statutory Bodies for the provision of a children’s play-park within the Green area that fronts the Woodlands housing estate for all the children of the Ballytivnan area”

3. ADOPTION OF BUDGET 2009

Councillor Devins proposed and Councillor O’Grady seconded “That the Draft Local Authority Budget for Sligo Borough Council as amended for the local financial year ending on the 31st December 2009 be and is hereby adopted”

A poll was taken which resulted as follows:

For :  Councillor D. Bree, Councillor D. Cawley, Councillor V. Cawley, Councillor J. Devins, Councillor J. McGarry, Councillor J. McGoldrick, Councillor T. McLoughlin and Councillor R. O’Grady  (8)

Against: Councillor A. Gibbons, Councillor C. MacManus, Councillor S. MacManus     (3)

The motion was declared carried.

4. DETERMINATION OF ANNUAL RATE ON VALUATION

Councillor Devins proposed and Councillor O’Grady seconded  “That Sligo Borough Council hereby determines in accordance with the Local Authority Budget for the local financial year ending 31st December 2009 as adopted at this meeting the Annual Rate on valuation to be levied for the several purposes specified in such Budget being  €71.24”

5. BLOCK GRANT 2009

The following motions were agreed unanimously:

Councillor Bree proposed and Councillor Mac Sharry seconded “That the necessary funding for traffic calming measures on Cemetery Road be included for consideration in the 2009 Block Grant Allocations”

Councillor Bree proposed and Councillor Mac Sharry seconded  “That funding for traffic calming measures located at Cleveragh Drive, adjacent to the Regional Sports Centre, be included for consideration in the 2009 Block Grant Allocations”

Councillor Gibbons proposed and Councillor Devins seconded “That this Borough Council allocate the necessary funding from the 2009 Block Grant for the restoration of the footpaths and road within Cartron Heights”

Councillor Gibbons proposed and Councillor V. Calwey seconded  “That this Borough Council allocate the necessary funding from the 2009 Block Grant to install a pedestrian – crossing within Cartron Point to insure the safety of all the Children crossing the road to attend St. Brendan’s national school”

Councillor Gibbons proposed and Councillor Mc Goldrick seconded “That this Borough Council allocates the necessary finding within the Block Grant 2009 for the provision of a safety barrier or fence to run from houses Number 13 to 34 St. John’s Terrace”

This concluded the business of the meeting which ended at 9.45 pm.


Meeting Date 19/01/2009