Minutes 2022
Minutes of Budget Meeting of The Borough District of Sligo held on Monday 24th October 2022 at 12.00 pm in The Council Chamber, City Hall, Quay Street, Sligo
COUNCILLORS PRESENT:
- Councillor Declan Bree
- Councillor Arthur Gibbons (Deputy Mayor)
- Councillor Sinéad Maguire
- Councillor Gino O’Boyle
- Councillor Rosaleen O’Grady
APOLOGIES:
Councillor Tom Mac Sharry (Mayor)
OFFICIALS IN ATTENDANCE:
- Mr. Martin Lydon, Chief Executive
- Ms. Margaret Mc Connell, Senior Executive Officer
- Ms. Marie Whelan, Finance Director
- Mr. Jude Mannion, Staff Officer (Meetings Administrator)
DEPUTY MAYOR:
Deputy Mayor, Councillor Rosaleen O’Grady presided and welcomed all present to the meeting before handing proceedings over to Ms. Marie Whelan, Head of Finance.
1. TO CONSIDER THE DRAFT 2023 BUDGETARY PLAN FOR THE BOROUGH DISTRICT OF SLIGO:
Ms. Whelan informed Members that the aim is to keep the adopted 2022 levels in place. 2022. Members will be aware of the MD process where specific MD discretionary funded areas are identified. Adopted figures for example in County Wide expenditure in areas such as Community Grants will be maintained. At the main October meeting, members were advised that the percentage of houses falling into the lower LPT Valuation bracket has now increased to 67%, so in effect the 2022 ‘take’ by the Revenue Commissioners for LPT in County Sligo in down on the previous year. This will be equalised from the main fund. However, the value of the additional 15% variation agreed by the Council will now translate into a reduction of €131,189 from 2022 that is used as match funding for projects. The Budget line of F0404 (Recreational Development – Additional LPT Capital Projects is where this reduction will be felt.
Councillor Maguire requested clarification on any specific project that may be impacted.
Ms. Whelan advised that existing match funding will continue to be applied ‘kept’ to commenced projects such as the Surf Centre, Plaza etc, but as current LPT funds are used up/exhausted, decisions will be required on the matter overall going forward
Councillor Bree thanked Ms. Leydon for the report and noted that little discretion is available to the members and that as the Budget is similar to 2022, he proposed that it be adopted, and this was seconded by Councillor Gibbons.
The Chief Executive, Mr. Martin Lydon spoke about the plan in the context of the ‘bigger picture’ of an overall 69 million Euros budget for the County, that will be discussed at the November meeting
The Deputy Mayor thanked the Members and the Executive.
The business of the meeting concluded at 12:20pm.
Meeting Date 24/10/2022