Sligo Municipal Minutes 2014

Minutes of Annual General Meeting of The Municipal District of Sligo held on Monday, 16th June 2014 at 11am in The Council Chamber, County Hall, Riverside, Sligo


COUNCILLORS PRESENT:

  • Councillor Declan Bree
  • Councillor Marie Casserly
  • Councillor Thomas Healy
  • Councillor Hubert Keaney
  • Councillor Seamus Kilgannon
  • Councillor Sinéad Maguire
  • Councillor Sean Mac Manus
  • Councillor Tom Mac Sharry
  • Councillor Seamus O’Boyle
  • Councillor Rosaleen O’Grady

 

OFFICIALS IN ATTENDANCE:

  • Mr. Ciarán Hayes, Chief Executive
  • Ms .Marie Leydon, Head of Finance
  • Ms. Dorothy Clarke, Director of Services
  • Mr. Bartley Gavin, A/Director of Services
  • Mr. Tom Brennan, A/Director of Services
  • Mr. John Moran, Senior Executive Officer
  • Mr. Seamus O’Toole, Senior Executive Engineer
  • Mr. Kevin Colreavy, Administrative Officer
  • Ms. Marian McGovern, Clerical Officer

The meeting was informed that Mr. Hayes, County Manager would service the Sligo District meetings.

 

1.  ELECT CATHAOIRLEACH:

The members indicated that an agreement had been reached to use the ‘D’Hondt System’ for the election of the Cathaoirleach and Leas-Cathaoirleach.

It was;

Proposed by Councillor R. O’Grady
Seconded by Councillor S. Kilgannon

AND AGREED

“To elect Councillor Tom Mac Sharry as Cathaoirleach of Sligo Municipal District.”

Councillor Mac Sharry thanked the members for their support and indicated his desire for all parties to work together for the people of Sligo City and North Sligo.

 

2. ELECT LEAS-CATHAOIRLEACH:

Proposed by Councillor D. Bree
Seconded by Councillor S. Mac Manus

AND AGREED

“That Councillor Seamus O’Boyle be appointed as Leas-Cathaoirleach of the Municipal District of Sligo.”

The members congratulated Councillor Mac Sharry and Councillor O’Boyle on their election.

 

3.  INDUCTION TRAINING:

Mr. C Hayes Chief Executive encouraged all members to attend the induction training on 17th June, the programme to include an overview of recent legislation and a discussion on new local authority structures and responsibilities.

 

RESERVED FUNCTIONS:

Mr C Hayes presented a report detailing the new guidelines and regulations in relation to reserved functions of the Municipal Districts as set out in Section 131 and Schedule 14 of the Local Government Act 2001, amended by the Third Schedule of the Local Government Reform Act 2014

 

STANDING ORDERS:

Two options in relation to the proposed schedule of meetings were presented for consideration of the members; The Members expressed a preference for Council meetings to be held monthly and for meetings of  Municipal District to be convened bi-monthly on an alternate basis. In response to a query from members, Mr. Hayes indicated that additional meetings of the Municipal Districst meetings could be also be considered if the need arises.

 

At this point the Cathaoirleach, Councillor Mac Sharry advised the meeting of the following motion:

Proposed by Councillor D. Bree
Seconded by Councillors S. Mac Manus, T. Healy and S. O’Boyle

“That Standing Orders be suspended to allow the following Motion: ‘Recognising the additional financial burden that the proposed new water charges will have on families and households which are struggling to cope with governments austerity measures; and conscious of the fact that the majority of citizens rejected the candidates and policies of the government parties in the recent local elections; this meeting of the Sligo Municipal District condemns the governments proposal to impose water charges on domestic dwellings and calls on the taoiseach and the Government to take immediate steps to repeal the legislation relating to the imposition of water charges on domestic dwellings’.”

The members agreed to suspend standing orders to debate the motion. Following a discussion the Cathaoirleach ordered that a vote be taken on the motion.

For: Bree, Healy, Kilgannon, Mac Manus, Mac Sharry, O’Boyle and O’Grady.

Against: Keaney and Maguire.

Abstain: Casserly.

As the vote was 7 For, 2 Against and 1 Abstention the Cathaoirleach declared the motion carried.

 

4.  PROGRAMME FOR YEAR:

Mr. Hayes advised that the new local government structures provided them with a responsibility to encourage and  facilitate economic development and promote a culture of entrepreneurship,  and noted that these objectives would be reflected in the work programme for the year.  

 

The meeting ended at 12.30pm.

 

 


Meeting Date 16/06/2014