Sean Mullarkey introduced the draft budget and 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 draft budgetary plans for municipal districts refer only to discretionary funding available to eachmunicipal district, as discussions on strategic and non-discretionary expenditure of the Council formpart of the plenary draft budget process. The plenary budget meeting for 2025 is scheduled to beheld on 28November 2024.

The total General Municipal Allocation (GMA) for 2025 is €2,996,010 with Roscommon MD receiving €1,100,340

LocalProperty Tax(LPT) Variation

The decision takenat thelast plenarymeeting onthe 23’^dSeptember 2024to varythe LPT basicrate upwardsby 15%allowed forthe followingitems tobe includedin the GMAfor 2025

o   €300,000 of Community& Enterprise funding for distribution by members.

o   €191,200 forstreet cleaning.

o   €22,500 offunding hasbeen allocatedto theemergency graveyardbudget.

o   €75,000 of funding hasbeen allocated tograveyard grants.

o   €75,000 infunding has beengranted toassist TidyTown programmes.

o   Town Teamfunding of€12,500 foreach ofthe sixtown teamstotalling €75,000.

Rationalefor AllocatingFunds

Inconsideringthe draftbudgetaryplansforthemunicipaldistrictsasattached,thefollowingwas considered:

1.       The needs andthe resourcesavailable orlikely tobe madeavailable tothe Council.

2.       The resource needsof eachMunicipal District,including whereappropriate, condition, survey,population, location of facilities,etc.

The model used in 2024for apportioning roads expenditure(33.3% Population,33.3% Km Road,33.3% Condition) hasonce againbeen appliedin 2025.

Thereisabudgetallocationin 2025 of€80,000 relatingtotheRiverSucktoimprovedrainage and   amenities.This allocationis splitbetween Athloneand Roscommon MunicipalDistricts.

The purpose of the draft budgetary plan meeting is to provide each municipal district an opportunityto allocateits proportionof theGeneral MunicipalAllocation accordingto itspriorities.

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 ofproposed works of maintenance and repairs to be carried out during 2025, in each municipal district,shall be prepared under the direction of the Chief Executive, having regard to the availability ofresources.

The schedule of municipal district works shall be considered by the municipal district membersconcerned and be adoptedby resolution, with or withoutamendment. In making an amendment, the municipal district members shall have due regard to the Local Authority Budget to be adopted inaccordance withsection 103(9).

GeneralMunicipalAllocation (GMA)and Municipal DistrictDraft BudgetaryPlans

Local Authorities have limited capacity in relation to discretionary type expenditure with themajority of costs being non-discretionary in nature and being reflected in the Plenary Council Budgetas opposedto themunicipal districts’draft budgetplans.

When the Plenary Council budget has been finalised and formally adopted a schedule of municipaldistrict workswill be preparedand submittedto eachmunicipal district.

The members welcomed the draft budget and complimented Sean Mullarkey on a well put together budget. 

The following comments were made:

·         All members agreed current Verge Trimming measures are not adequate and welcomed a new model approach.

·         Members welcomed €63400 allocation for street cleaning, but agreed more needs to be done for footpaths.

·         Enforcement of illegal dumping regulations needs to be emphasised, rather than using funding.

·         €12.5k Town Team funding was positive and welcomed for the work that they do.

·         Roscommon Town receiving funding for CCTV – members would like to see this rolled out for the MD.

·         Members commented on the importance of drainage works being maintained and welcomed allocation.

On the PROPOSAL of Councillor Nigel Dinneen

            SECONDED by Councillor Gareth Scahill

It was AGREED by all the members to adopt the Roscommon Municipal District Budget for 2025 as presented

Councillor Paschal Fitzmaurice extended sympathy to the family and friends on the passing of John Naughten.  Sentiments echoed by the members.