A radical re-examination of everything that takes place in Mayo County Council is currently underway in a bid to turn the authority into a lean, mean, cost-effective operating machine.
According to Director of Services Joe Loftus, crunch time has now arrived and the inward-looking examinations will be geared towards “seeing where we can make savings” and will entail some tough measures. However, management is confident such a process will ensure the future viability of the authority.
Mr Loftus was speaking at the Cultural, Education, Heritage and Corporate Affairs SPC meeting which was held in the County Library, Castlebar this week.
The issue was raised by Westport based Fine Gael Councillor Peter Flynn after he stated it would be a tough year ahead to balance the books and asked had any thought been put “into trimming things back?”.
Mr Loftus said the council executives would be meeting with the heads of the different SPCs in the near future to go over the figures and costs, but also warned that “2011 is going to be a very tough year.”
“We’re looking to make substantial savings, but we need support from everybody, the rate payer, the tax payer and the employees. We’ve just come through two of the toughest years ever and have another extremely tough one coming up, but I’m certain we will come through it.”
Chairperson of the SPC, Cllr Al McDonnell, said there would have to be some tough choices made in the coming few months as the budget is formed. “The time is right for all councillors to make suggestions where they can see some savings to be made, I’m sure there will be some good ones from both the councillors and the executive, but now is the time for us to act both thoughtfully and courageously.”
Castlebar based Fine Gael Cllr Cyril Burke stated that things were coming to a crunch. “Everybody realises there are very difficult times ahead, it may have taken some people the last 12 to 18 months to realise it, but we have to keep going and be as positive as we can.”
Cllr Flynn added: “Businesses are finding it tough and rates and water charges are at the heart of the issue. We need to do some dramatic things to curb our costs. Everybody needs to look at how we can cut costs and we will have to take the abuse and criticism that will come with it.”
In regard to specific funding agreements, members resolved to give as much support as possible within budgetary constraints to the Addergoole Titanic Society’s centenary remembrance of the eleven people from the area who died on the Titanic in 1912 and also expressed a wish to support the Linenhall Arts Centre when budget time comes up again.
