HANDING OVER OF BOROUGH COUNCIL FINANCES TO COUNTY WOULD BE DISASTROUS

HANDING OVER THE finances and resources of the Borough to Sligo County Council would prove disastrous for the future development of Sligo, Cllr Declan Bree told this months meeting of the Borough Council

"In the recent report on the Financial Appraisal of Sligo County Council the Consultants state that from a budgeting perspective the County Council is experiencing an increasing deficit of substantial amounts year on year. The County Council’s Capital Debt is now €73 million and the Revenue deficit is €13 million and is growing each and every day of the week.

"In contrast the Consultants state that this Borough Council is balancing its budget." said Cllr Bree.

"The elected councillors on this Borough Council have acted prudently over the years and refused point blank to accept recommendations from the County Manger to borrow millions of Euro for various projects he was promoting, including the County Managers proposal to borrow €1.3 million to give to private developers to build a bridge to their private development at Swan Point.

"In this context I found it extraordinary but not surprising, given the narrow terms of reference imposed on the Consultants by the County Manager, that they recommended that Sligo Borough Council should be merged with the County Council and that the resources of the Borough Council be handed over to the County Council

"Why would they want the funds and resources of this Borough Council to be handed over to the County Council to be squandered and wasted?" asked Cllr Bree.

"Why would any government or any Minister inflict such a penalty on the Borough Council and on the people of the borough?

"Is that the type of reward that should be bestowed on a Borough Council that has acted prudentlyand with due consideration over the years?

 "As far as I am concerned, handing over the finances and resources of the Borough to Sligo County Council would prove disastrous for the future development of Sligo." Cllr Bree said.

Cllr Bree then proposed the following motion which was unanimously adopted: “Noting the fact that the recent financial appraisal of Sligo County Council carried out by consultants Grant Thornton confirms (a) that Sligo County Council is experiencing an increased deficit of substantial amounts year on year; and (b) that Sligo Borough Council is balancing its budget; and further recognising that the elected members of Sligo Borough Council have acted prudently over the years and refused to accept recommendations to borrow millions of Euro for various projects which the County Manager was promoting; this Council declares its total opposition to a merger of the Borough Council with the County Council; and further the Council requests the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to ensure that a merger does not take place and that the finances and resources of the Borough Council remain under the control of the Borough Council.”