Minutes 2015

Minutes of Special Meeting of Sligo County Council held on Monday, 28th September, 2015 at 11am in the Council Chamber, County Hall, Riverside, Sligo


MEMBERS PRESENT:

  • Councillor Bree,
  • Councillor Casserly,
  • Councillor Clarke,
  • Councillor Gormley,
  • Councillor Healy,
  • Councillor Keaney,
  • Councillor Kilgannon,
  • Councillor Lundy,
  • Councillor MacSharry,
  • Councillor Maguire,
  • Councillor Mulvey,
  • Councillor O’Boyle,
  • Councillor O’Grady,
  • Councillor Queenan,
  • Councillor Scanlon.

 

OFFICIALS IN ATTENDANCE:

  • Ms. Dorothy Clarke, Acting Chief Executive
  • Ms. Marie Whelan, Head of Finance
  • Mr. Tom Kilfeather, Director of Services
  • Ms. Patricia Guckian, Financial Accountant
  • Ms. Margaret McConnell, Senior Executive Officer
  • Mr. John Moran, Senior Executive Officer
  • Mr. Joe Murphy, Senior Executive Officer
  • Mr. Kevin Colreavy, Meetings Administrator
  • Ms. Jo-Anne McGonigle, Assistant Staff Officer

 

CATHAOIRLEACH:

  • The Cathaoirleach, Councillor R. O’Grady, presided.

 

APOLOGIES:

  • Councillor M. Baker,
  • Councillor S. MacManus and
  • Councillor P. Taylor.

 

TO CONSIDER SETTING A LOCAL ADJUSTMENT FACTOR TO THE LOCAL PROPERTY TAX FOR THE PERIOD 1ST NOVEMBER, 2015 TO 31ST OCTOBER, 2016:

At the outset the Cathaoirleach, Councillor R. O’Grady welcomed the

Members to the Special Meeting to discuss the Local Property Tax for the period 1st November, 2015 to 31st October, 2016 and advised them that this is a statutory requirement, in accordance with the Finance (Local Property Tax Act) 2012 Act, as amended by the 2013 Act.

Documentation had been circulated to Members to inform their discussions. It was noted that the matter of an adjustment to the Local Property Tax is a reserved function.

The Cathaoirleach said the back drop to the meeting is the financial position of the Council and asked Members to consider very carefully the potential impact of their ultimate decision on the delivery of the Council’s services.

At the request of the Cathaoirleach, Ms. M. Whelan, Head of Finance, then addressed the Meeting.

Ms. Whelan outlined the options available to the Members and referred to the reports previously circulated to the Members, including the Department’s circular letter Fin 07/2015 of the 3rd September, 2015 and the effect a reduction would have on the Council’s income.  In this letter, the Department had notified Sligo County Council that the value of potential increase or decrease in the 2016 Local Property Tax allocation if maximum variation of 15% was implemented is €774,736.

Members were asked to be cognisant of current levels and types of income for Sligo County Council.  This income cannot be reduced in the short term as the Financial Plan allows for income from the current rate of Local Property Tax.  Based on statistics obtained from the Central Statistics Office, it was noted that the following Local Property Tax valuation bands would apply:

Valuation bands (€)%ValueNo. of Houses
0-100,000 43% €2,220,909.58 24,677
100,001-150,000 32% €1,652,769.92 7,346
150,001-200,000 18% €929,683.08 2,951
Over 200,000 7% €361,543.42 516

                                   

Ms. D. Clarke, Acting Chief Executive, added to the points made by Ms. Whelan in relation to a variation of the Local Property Tax. Ms. Clarke referred to the Council embarking on the budget process for 2016, the work that has been ongoing for the past 18-24 months and that gone into the Council’s Financial Plan for the next five years.  It was felt that the impact of all that on the County Council’s delivery of services over the next number of years will be a challenge.  As Ms. Whelan had outlined earlier, the content of the Financial Plan is based on the Local Property Tax remaining at the current level.  

The Cathaoirleach thanked Ms. Whelan and Ms. Clarke for their comments and, noting that she had received two resolutions, Members were invited to make their contribution if they so wished.  A further motion was submitted to the Cathaoirleach at this point.

Following a debate by Members on the situation and the effect the reduction would have, particularly in relation to the Financial Plan awaiting Departmental approval, the Cathaoirleach advised the Meeting that there were three motions before her for the Members’ approval.

With the permission of the meeting, it was agreed that the first two motions submitted to the Cathaoirleach would be taken together.  The Cathaoirleach read the motions as follows:

Proposed by Councillor D. Bree
Seconded by Councillor G. O’Boyle

“Recognising the financial burden that the property tax is imposing on families and households that are struggling to cope with the governments austerity measures; and conscious of the fact that the majority of citizens rejected the candidates and policies of the government parties in last years local elections; this meeting of Sligo County Council declares its opposition to the governments austerity policies and resolves to reduce the Property Tax by 15%”.

Proposed by Councillor T. Healy
Seconded by Councillor D. Bree

“That Sligo County Council:

Noting that the Local Property Tax is an extra tax on people who own a home and that each local authority has the power to vary the Property Tax by up to 15%, this Council supports the maximum reduction of 15% in Local Property Tax as allowed under the current legislation”.

The Cathaoirleach then asked the Meetings Administrator Mr. Kevin Colreavy to call for a vote on the motion.

For:

Councillor D. Bree, Councillor T. Healy, Councillor G. O’Boyle   (3)

Against:

Councillor M. Casserly, Councillor M. Gormley, Councillor H. Keaney, Councillor S. Kilgannon, Councillor J. Lundy, Councillor S. Maguire, Councillor T. Mac Sharry, Councillor D. Mulvey, Councillor R. O’Grady, Councillor J. Queenan, Councillor E. Scanlon   (11)

Abstain:

Councillor M. Clarke   (1)

As the result was 3 For, 11 Against and 1 Abstention, the Cathaoirleach declared the motion lost.

A motion was

Proposed by Councillor S. Kilgannon
Seconded by Councillor H. Keaney

“That Sligo County Council agrees to no variation to the Local Property Tax for the period 1st November, 2015 to 31st October, 2016”.

The Cathaoirleach then asked the Meetings Administrator Mr. Kevin Colreavy to call for a vote on the motion.

For:

Councillor M. Casserly, Councillor M. Gormley, Councillor H. Keaney, Councillor S. Kilgannon, Councillor J. Lundy, Councillor S. Maguire, Councillor T. Mac Sharry,  Councillor D. Mulvey, Councillor R. O’Grady, Councillor J. Queenan, Councillor E. Scanlon   (11)

Against:

Councillor D. Bree, , Councillor T. Healy,Councillor G. O’Boyle   (3)

Abstain:

Councillor M. Clarke   (1)

As the result was 11 For, 3 Against and 1 Abstention, the Cathaoirleach declared the motion agreed.

 

The meeting ended at 11.50 a.m.

 

 

 


Meeting Date 28/09/2015