Fine Gael councillor, Alan Shaw, has proposed the commencement of a new financial incentive scheme to encourage new enterprise and entrepreneurship and support businesses seeking to grow and expand.
The incentives for a qualifying business would yield significant savings in commercial rates in the first three years and according to Cllr Shaw would give rise to a reduction in the number of vacant premises in the town. If adopted by the town council, this proposal, based around reduced rates, will help create direct and indirect employment and improve the visual impact of the town in general.
Critically, Cllr Shaw stated that he believes that the proposal is cost neutral from the council’s perspective and requires no change to national legislation. In addition, it can be fully implemented by Athlone Town Council.
There are a number of qualifying criteria for both the commercial property itself and the new tenant which would have to be met before the incentive would be available; however this is an example of the kind of innovative measures that the business community have been seeking from the local authority.
Cllr Shaw concluded, “I welcome the fact that the town clerk has agreed to look into this proposal and I trust that we will see the proposal being formally adopted by the council as part of the 2011 budget.”
