Martin Lydon informed the members as follows:

The Local Government Act 2001 Section 102, as amended by the Local Government Reform Act 2014, provides the legislative basis for the revised budget process.  It states that “In the case of a county or city council, the Chief Executive shall consult the Municipal District Members for each Municipal District in the Local Authority’s functional area in the preparation of a Draft Local Authority Budget and, for that purpose, a Draft Budgetary Plan for the Municipal District shall be prepared under the direction of the Chief Executive and submitted for consideration by the Municipal District Members for each Municipal District in the manner and in the format that may be prescribed by regulations made by the Minister.”

The purpose of a Draft Budgetary Plan is to provide each Municipal District an opportunity to allocate its proportion of the General Municipal Allocation according to its priorities.

Schedule of Municipal District Works and Service Delivery Plans

Section 103(A) (1) provides that, following the adoption of the Local Authority Budget, a schedule of proposed works of maintenance and repairs to be carried out during 2019 in each Municipal District shall be prepared under the direction of the Chief Executive, having regard to the availability of resources.

The Schedule of Municipal District Works shall be considered by the Municipal District Members concerned and be adopted by resolution, with or without amendment. In making an amendment, the Municipal District Members shall have due regard to the Local Authority Budget adopted in accordance with section 103(9).

The Draft Budgetary Plan refers to discretionary funding only.

In producing the Draft Budgetary Plan, the following was considered:

1.       The needs and resources available or likely to be made available to the Local Authority

2.       The resource needs of each Municipal District, including where appropriate km of roads, population, location of facilities, etc.

The Corporate Policy Group considered the basis for apportionment for Roads expenditure and as a result there are two main changes proposed in the 2019 budget as follows

·         The calculation for the distribution of the funding for roads based on the road condition

·         The suspension of the Roscommon Municipal District Fund for 2019

The terrible condition of the roads in the Athlone MD was discussed by the Corporate Policy Group and six proposals were put before the CPG to address some of the issues.  Option number four was decided on by the CPG which proportions the funding for roads based on the road condition.  This resulted in a reduction of the Local Roads General Maintenance fund in both the Roscommon MD and the Boyle MD with a corresponding increase in the Athlone MD allocation.  This would mean a proposed reduction for the Roscommon MD of €62,200 for 2019.

The suspension of the Municipal District Grant for 2019 resulted from the demand for match funding to be made available to allow Roscommon County Council to bid for funds allocated by Central Government.  The budgets of the last few years  ...  view the full minutes text for item 40.18

On the PROPOSAL of Councillor Leyden

                SECONDED by Councillor Creaton

It was AGREED to hold a Civic Reception to honour Patsy Hanly the renowned Kilrooskey born Flute player.  Patsy Hanly received the TG4 Lifetime Achievement Gradam Saoil Award this year”.

It was also agreed to invite him to perform on the evening of the civic reception.