Minutes of Council meetings- list.:

MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS OF COMMITTEE OF COBH TOWN COUNCIL, HELD AT CARRIG HOUSE, COBH, ON MONDAY 11^TH DECEMBER, 2006.

Presiding -      Cllr. N. Doyle

Present -         Councillors S. Meade, P. Histon, K. McCarthy, S. O’Connor, M. Keating, J. Mulvihill, D. Crowley and P. Whitty

OFFICIAL PRESENT  

Ms. M. O’Halloran – Town Manager

Mr. P. Lynch – Town Clerk

1) Draft Local Authority Budget.

The Manager stated that she was close to finalising a draft budget for consideration by the members. She had been approached by the Cobh & Harbour Chamber who had requested that the Rates be increased by 1.2% with the additional income to be given to the Chamber in relation to the provision of Christmas Lights. She stated that she was concerned that this figure of 1.2% coupled with the figure of 4% that she was proposing as necessary to achieve a balanced and fair budget would result in a rate increase well above the rate of inflation. In response to questions from members the Town Clerk stated that he would examine the level of funding by the Council in relation to Christmas Lights with a view to giving the members this information at the Budget Meeting.

The Town Clerk outlined some of the issues which had arisen in the preparation of the Draft Budget. He stated that the County Demand, payable to Cork County Council, had increased by €80,000; electricity charges were due to increase by €10,000, payroll costs were increasing by almost €95,000 and provision now had to be made for the payment of refuse charges to Cork County Council in respect of street litter collected within the town. He advised members that following negotiations between the Town Clerks of the various towns in County Cork and the Finance Department of Cork County Council, a reduction had been agreed in the Domestic Water Contribution payable be each Town Council. He advised that while the Local Government Fund Allocation for 2007 had not been announced, a 4% increase was assumed. Following earlier requests from the members, extra funding of €2,000 was being provided for the Sea Angling Festival.

The Manager advised the members that the Draft Budget would issue to the members on the following day.

This concluded the business of the meeting.

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CATHAOIRLEACH

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TOWN CLERK

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