This article is from page 35 of the 2008-12-02 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 35 JPG
RATES in Shannon town are to in- crease by two per cent next year, while the overall budget is along the lines as that for the past year.
The proposals are included in the budget for 2009, which was up for discussion at a meeting of Shannon Town Council last Tuesday.
However, the budget, which was due to be adopted by councillors, was deferred after Councillor Patri- cia McCarthy (Independent) walked out of the meeting.
This was after she said she was not comfortable, unless the ethics frame- work was defined and said she would not participate until this was done.
Her comments came in the wake
of a complaint by the Wolfe Tones camogie club, over funding for the development of a skateboard park at the leisure centre. Cllr McCarthy is a member of the board of the leisure centre. However, the Standards in Public Office Commission ruled that there was no basis on which to initi- ate an investigation under the Ethics Act as none of the alleged contraven- tions was “a specified act”.
A number of councillors expressed the view that some members of the town council were also members of various organisations or groups that would be applying for funding from the council.
It was then decided that the county solicitor John Shaw would address councillors at a meeting this (Tues-
day) evening, when any fears could be raised. The budget is expected to be adopted at this meeting.
Under the budget proposal, rates would increase by two percent and would require a town charge of SO Oe
Additional funds have been set aside to cover the cost of the local elections, which will take place next June. They cost almost €15,000 to run in 2004.
The community grants scheme will have €5,300 at its disposal, which is the same as the figure for last year. However, the contribution towards community initiatives, which is a fund to build up a community initia- tives fund, will have a reduced sum of money at its disposal next year;
down €1,000 to €8,000.
It is envisaged that improvements will be made to the Shannon Town Council website, www.shannon- towncouncil.ie next year.
Discussions have been held with Shannon Chamber of Commerce regarding overall development of the website and how it might best be utilised as a wider resource in the promotion of all aspects of activity bom) er-beneCeyee
Town manager Ger Dollard, in putting together the draft budget for the forthcoming year, said it was pre- pared in “a most difficult economic climate and against a background where funding available from Clare County Council is likely to be less than that available in 2008.”