Council expenditure to fall by €4,500

THE national budget dominated the headlines on Tuesday but on the same evening, Shannon Town Council’s budget for next year was announced, which will see spending lowered slightly.
In 2011, total expenditure came to €149,500, while budget estimates for next year have come to €145,000. Some of the areas of saving include office expenses and advertising (€500), travel and subsistence (€1,000), training (€1,000) and town twinning (€1,500).
In the budget document, town manager Bernadette Kinsella stated, “Overall, the budget for 2012 has represented a difficult balance in terms of maintaining services while at the same time acknowledging the financial circumstances which exist, both at public finance level and at individual enterprise level.
“I am confident the draft budget achieves the balance required and will ensure that Shannon Town Council can fully contribute to and participate in a wide range of activities in 2012. It is essential that Shannon Town Council would continue to adopt a progressive and visionary approach to the discharging of its functions in what is the second-largest town in the county.”
With regard to expenditure, she stated, “The draft budget sets out the amounts necessary for the council to fund its operations for the coming year. Gross expenditure is estimated at €145,000 and projected income is estimated at €41,000. This results in a net expenditure of €104,000 and represents the demand from Clare County Council for 2012. This level of demand does not, for the second successive year, necessitate an increase in the town rate, which remains at €2.11.”
In the review of 2011, which accompanied the document, it stated that a new draft Shannon Town and Environs Local Area Plan is being prepared.
“The development of this, the first standalone Shannon LAP acknowledges the significance of Shannon Town as the second-largest town in the county, and its environs, which incorporate the airport and its lands, the Free Zone and Westpark. This integrated plan for Shannon will be in place in 2012. An extensive consultation process will commence in December when the draft plan is put on public display. The plan, when adopted, will form the basis for a high-level strategy that will promote the opportunities available within Shannon, the airport lands, the Free Zone and Westpark.”
The review noted progress on the delivery of an arts/civic centre is slow, while it found the provision of allotments has been a success, as has the Shannon horse project at Ballycaseymore.
Councillor Gerry Flynn lamented the lack of progress on the arts/civic centre. “It’s disappointing that it didn’t happen in the good times and I don’t think it will happen now,” he said.
A number of councillors made comments about the budget, while Sinn Féin’s Cathy McCafferty said she wanted to congratulate the executive on “a job well done with so little money”.
Councillor Tony McMahon said he would like to see improvements to disabled access to buses, while he felt the civic centre is “long gone into the realms of aspiration”.