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Minutes of Budget Meeting of Sligo Borough Council held in the Council Chamber, City Hall, Sligo on Monday 11th January 2010 at 8.00 p.m.


IN ATTENDANCE:

  • Councillor J. McGarry, Mayor of Sligo (in the chair)
  • Councillor D. Bree,
  • Councillor D. Cawley,
  • Councillor V. Cawley, 
  • Councillor J. Devins,
  • Councillor A. Gibbons,
  • Councillor M. Lyons,
  • Councillor T. McLoughlin,
  • Councillor C. MacManus,
  • Councillor S. MacManus,
  • Councillor R. O’Grady

OFFICIALS PRESENT:

  • Ms. Paula R. Gallagher, Acting Director of Service
  • Ms. Marie Leydon, Head of Finance
  • Ms Patricia Hamilton, Financial Accountant
  • Ms Aine Quinn Hyland, Health and Safety Officer.
  • Ms Mary Blowick, Meetings Administrator

ABSENT:

  • Councillor M. McGarry

1.  BUDGET 2009

Councillor Declan Bree and Councillor Sean MacManus both expressed their disappointment at the proposed expenditure cuts and said that that the draft budget for 2010 made for dismal reading.

The Acting Director of Services Paula R. Gallagher introduced the draft budget for 2010 by stating that the financial year ahead would be a difficult one, as the Government has been forced to reduce public expenditure in both revenue and capital areas which would impact negatively on the Council’s finances.  She pointed out that the General Purpose Grant from the Local Government Fund was down on last year by €319,314.  Some local income streams including planning fees was also down. The County Demand figure for 2010 has increased by €750,000 on 2009.  This increase is due to the cost of water and waste water operations provided for Sligo at the County Council’s facility at Finisklin and the soon to be completed Drinking Water Treatment Plant at Kilsellagh.  As a result of the increased expenditure and reductions to income it has been necessary to reduce operation budgets in some areas by up to 10%.

The Council then moved to consider Division A Housing and Building

Concerns raised by members  included the increasing number of applicants on the Borough Council’s housing list, the future for the proposed housing schemes at Strandhill, Maugheraboy and Fr. Flanagan Terrace, the number of boarded up Borough houses, the review of anti-social behaviour policy and housing adaptation grants.  Members also sought clarifications of items of expenditure included in the draft budget.  Paula R Gallagher, Acting Director of Services, Michael Ryan Senior Executive Engineer and Marie Leydon Head of Finance replied to the queries raised.

On the proposal of Councillor Chris MacManus seconded by Councillor Sean MacManus it was unanimously agreed “That this Borough Council requests the County Manager and his staff to ensure that any household rent increase in 2010 – 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”

On the proposal of Councillor Sean MacManus seconded by Councillor Chris MacManus it was unanimously agreed “This Council recognises that there are almost 700 housing applicants on the waiting list for accommodation of Sligo Borough Council, and that this council have made detailed proposals to the Department of Environment for the development of a 52 unit scheme at Maugheraboy and a 22 unit scheme at Strandhill Road.

Given that the Department of Environment has failed to construct any new local authority housing in 2009 and that they have also failed to sanction the scheme on our sites at Maugheraboy and Strandhill Road, Sligo Borough Council now calls on the Department of Environment to immediately give approval for both of these housing schemes”

On the proposal of Councillor Declan Bree seconded by Councillor Veronica Cawley it was unanimously agreed “Concerned that the accumulated deficit on the Revenue Account of the Council has increased in 2009 due to inadequate funding and further recognizing that the Government has spent €11 billion bailing out the banks in 2009, this Council calls on the Government and the Minister for the Environment to provide the necessary funding for this Borough Council to carry out its statutory duties”

On the proposal of Councillor Declan Bree seconded by Councillor Jim McGarry it was unanimously agreed “That this Council calls on the Government and Minister Finneran to sanction the proposed Borough Council housing schemes for the Strandhill Road and Maugheraboy areas, details of which have been submitted to the Department”

On the proposal of Councillor Jude Devins seconded by Councillor Rosaleen O’Grady it was unanimously agreed “That Sligo Borough Council writes to the Minister for Housing to review “long term leasing scheme” to allow tenants to purchase housing within the term of their tenancy”

On the proposal of Councillor Jude Devins seconded by Councillor Rosaleen O’Grady it was unanimously agreed “That Sligo Borough Council ensure that there are no increases in rents to local authority tenants where household income has not increased”

On the proposal of Councillor Jude Devins seconded by Councillor Rosaleen O’Grady it was unanimously agreed “That Sligo Borough Council prioritise the renovation of “boarded up houses”.  Sligo Borough Council also provide a register of all boarded up houses and expected date of completion of renovation”

On the proposal of Councillor Veronica Cawley seconded by Councillor Declan Bree it was unanimously agreed “That this Council requests the Department of Local Government to make a increased allocation of €1 million at the beginning of the year in order that the application and approval process can continue through the year in light of the fact that there is a back log of applications and that applications acceptance had to stop for a number of months during the year”

On the proposal of Councillor Jude Devins seconded by Councillor Rosaleen O’Grady it was unanimously agreed “That Sligo Borough Council welcomes the additional allocation of nearly €4 m from Central Government for the Housing Capital Programme”


2.  ADJOURNMENT OF MONTHLY MEETING

It was unanimously agreed to adjourn the January Monthly Meeting to Monday the 25th January 2010 at 8.00 pm.

3.  VOTES OF SYMPATHY

The Sympathy of the Council was extended to the following

  • Mrs Margaret Ryan and the Ryan Family on the death of John Ryan
  • Mrs Mary Cosgrove on the death of her husband Kevin Cosgrove
  • Mr Niall Delaney on the death of his father Christy Delaney
  • Mr Harry Kennedy and the Kennedy Family on the death of Maye Kennedy
  • Mr Dermot Burns on the death of his wife Bernie Burns
  • The Moore Family on the death of Fr. Eddie Moore.

4.  EXPRESSION OF THANKS

All of the Members of the Borough Council paid tribute to all the staff of the Engineering Section, Sligo Borough Council, for their swift response in dealing with the problems caused  by the extremely cold weather over the Christmas period.

The Members also congratulated all front line staff including the Gardai, Fire Services, HSE and taxi drivers for the exceptional level of service delivered to the public during the coldest weather experienced in decades.
 

This concluded the business of the meeting which ended at 10.30 pm and was adjourned to Monday 18th January 2010 at 8.00pm


Meeting Date 11/01/2010