Martin Lydon, Head of Finance opened the meeting to discuss the Athlone MD Draft Budget for 2019.

Documentation was already circulated. 

He advised that the Draft Budgetary Plan does feed into process.  Estimates what goes into each area.  We are governed to provide a Plan.

Biggest issue for a number of years is allocation of road funding.

The Corporate Policy Group reviewed 6 different models based on

1.       75% km/25% population

2.       Population

3.       KM of Road

4.       Road Condition

5.       50% KM of Road 50% Road Condition

6.       33.3% Population, 33.3% KM Road, 33.3% Condition

It was Agreed to distribute funding based on Condition of Road.

The benefit for Athlone is an increase of funding in comparison to other years, €453,700 in 2019 increased from €315,600 in previous year (overall €138,000 increase)

Removal of General Municipal Allowance (GMA), €85,000 for each area.  However, there is other Funding available.  Should review options for Urban & Rural Regeneration which is not just for main towns, it is also for all villages.

To try to do match funding we need a loan.  The only way to do this is to take away GMA, without changing property tax or increase tax. 

Athlone Municipal District will be given €629,100 in 2019 compared to €576,000 in 2018.

Eugene Dwyer advised that we cannot allow roads to deteriorate to an unsafe standard.  The additional money proposed for local roads will be of benefit especially in the area of corporate risk involved in allowing more deterioration of our roads. 

Reasons why Athlone is worse than other areas:-

-       Huge amount of bog

-       Subject to flooding

-       South Roscommon bore the brunt of heavy snow

-       Hot spell in the summer caused shrinkage in the bog, even though we did works on some of these roads.

Councillor Fallon welcomed the additional money and thanked the CPG for the needs basis.  However the loss of GMA is a severe blow, in particular to weakest areas.  Matching funding to Leader funding has been a huge benefit.

It was    PROPOSED by Councillor Fallon

SECONDED by Councillor Naughten

It was AGREED to suspend GMA temporarily and at a stage in the future when more funding becomes available that GMA should be reinstated as a priority.

Councillor Fallon also suggested that there is a gaping gap in drainage monies and that we should review €96,000 funding for cemeteries (€22,000 for South Roscommon) as there are no staff there.  

Councillor Kilduff welcomed the Budget and said it was great to see an increase in allocation, but disappointing that there is nothing in it for small villages.  He confirmed that if there was no increase in allocation he would not be supporting the budget. 

Councillor Naughten also welcomed the Budget.  He acknowledged there was an issue in South Roscommon from a safety point of view particularly since last winter.  We need significant additional money from National level for South Roscommon and the county.  We have outlined our case to the Minister and hopefully we will  ...  view the full minutes text for item 53.18