BOROUGH COUNCIL SEEKS ADDITIONAL FUNDING

A MOTION PROPOSED by Cllr Declan Bree seeking additional funding for Sligo Borough Council was adopted at the Annual Budget meeting of the Council.

Addressing the meeting Cllr Bree said “Given the significant changes that have come about in the funding of local government as a result of Irish Water being established and with the Department of the Environments fund general purpose grant being allocated on a county at large basis it is difficult to compare particular elements of our draft budget with previous budgets.

“However what is abundantly clear is that the Minister for the Environment blatantly discriminated against this Borough Council when he allocated funding for local authorities for 2014.  

“We are all now aware that following his announcement of the general purpose grant to each Council Minister Hogan provided an additional grant or “top up” of €1million to Sligo County Council to include in its draft budget. 

“This Borough Council has managed its finances properly over the years and always acted prudently.   During the same period Sligo County Council adopted fantasy budget, budgets that bore no resemblance to reality, budgets which led the County Council to the edge of bankruptcy.

“Yet, the Minister has cut funding to this Council while at the same time he gave the County Council €1million extra.   What type of message does that send out?   We are being penalised for acting prudently over the years while the County Council is being rewarded for its incredible behavior.

“Is this the type of treatment that should be bestowed on a Borough Council that has acted responsibly and with due consideration over the years?

“This Borough Council and the people of this town are again being short changed.  There can be no reasonable justification for the Ministers decision.

“As a result of the reduction in funding this Council will be forced to impose further cutbacks in numerous areas and to reduce services to the people of this community.

"I therefore propose the following motion “Alarmed that the Local Government Fund General Purpose grant for Sligo Borough Council has been reduced and aware that a top up of €1million has been allocated to Sligo County Council for its 2014 budget, this Council calls on the Government and the Minister for the Environment to provide a similar top up to Sligo Borough Council so as to assist it in carrying out its statutory duties.”   The motion was seconded by Cllr Chris MacManus and was unanimously adopted.