Castlebar Town Council approved its budget for 2012, which included no increase in rates, on Tuesday. The members approved the €7 million budget, which will see a rateable income of €4,033,383 needing to be raised by the council during the year. The council aims to have an income for €2, 346,322 from its other revenue sources over the next 12 months, with other payments from the local government fund and from pension related deductions contributing some €775,000 to the council’s coffers.
The budget which was adopted was more or less as presented in its draft format. However the councillors made a number of changes to the funding, with increased funding for the promotion of Castlebar, something that all the members agreed was needed. The councillors agreed to contribute €20,000 to Gnó Mhaigheo this year again after the positive working relationship that had been developed in 2011 between the two groups in a number of events promoting Castlebar. They also committed €10,000 to the help support the Castlebar Tourist Office for the year. The promotion of Castlebar as a historic heritage town also received a boost with €10,000 being allocated to this type of promotion. The members also agreed to increase the amenity grants that it hands out to various organisations by €10,000, raising that total pot to €35,000 for the year. It was also agreed that any group which wishes to be considered for one of these grants needs to have its application lodged with the town council by the close of business today, Friday, January 13.
To balance the books for this increase in funding of €50,000 it was agreed that the council would take €20,000 from the winter maintenance budget for the year, increase the expected income from planning fees by €7,000, and increase the expected revenue from parking charges by €23,000 for the year.
Durcan walks
During the meeting all of the nine elected members made submissions and gave their thoughts on the budget and raised a number of questions in relation to it. Town manager Seamus Granahan answered the various questions and issues raised that related to the budget before the members, after all the elected members had spoken. However, Independent councillor Frank Durcan walked out of the meeting in protest near the end, he claimed that the manager had not answered any of the questions raised by him. The manager responded that he had answered any questions and issues that had come up that related solely to the budget. However Cllr Durcan refuted the manager’s assertion and walked out of the meeting.
