COUNCIL SEEKS EXPLANATION FROM COUNTY MANAGER

AT IT’S MONTHLY meeting Sligo County Council adopted a motion from Councillor Declan Bree, calling on the County Manager to provide a report outlining the authority he had to authorise County Council subsidies to Sligo Borough Council.

Addressing the meeting Cllr Bree said, “At last month’s meeting the County Manager stated that this Council had not been charging the Borough Council the full cost of services provided to the Borough each year and he indicated that the County Council has been subsidising the Borough Council to the tune of approximately €700,000 a year.

“Given that the finances of the Borough Council are in a healthy state and given that Sligo County Council is almost bankrupt I was astonished and amazed to hear the County Manager say that the County Council has been subsidising the Borough Council.

“And I have to say that members of the public found the story incredible.

“Taking into consideration that the revenue deficit of the County Council is growing by millions of Euro each year why would the County Council subsidise the Borough Council?   It doesn’t make any sense.

“If such a subsidy was provided I am anxious to know what authority the County Manager had to provide the subsidy.   

“Members of the Council will be aware that decisions of the elected Council are made by way of resolutions adopted at Council meetings; and decisions of the County Manager are made by way of written Manager’s Orders.

“I was always of the view that decisions relating to Council expenditure was a reserved function of the elected councillors.    Yet, I do not remember the elected Councillors every making a decision to subsidise the Borough Council.  I have checked back through the minutes of Council meetings and I cannot find reference to any such decision being taken by the elected Council.” said Cllr Bree.

Cllr Bree proposed then proposed  that the Council request the Manager to provide (a) a written report outlining the statutory authority he had to provide the subsidy (b) copies of the relevant Manager’s Orders relating to the decision to provide the subsidy to the Borough Council.  His motion was seconded by Cllr Sean Mac Manus and was unanimously adopted.