Capital plan shortfall concern
CONCERN was expressed at a recent meeting of Wexford County Council about how the council will finance its ambitious three year capital plan for 2018 to 2020.
Cllr Michael Sheehan said the programme of works will cost €300m if every project is completed. He said there is a €56m shortfall.
Head of Finance Annette O’Neill said tthe council is required to produce a three year capital programme each year under Section 135 of the Local Government Act 2001.
Ms O’Neill said: ‘ The 3 Year capital programme contains projects we propose to progress in this timeframe and is based on best available information at this time both in terms of project costs and associated funding. No project can progress without funding approvals and sources confirmed.
‘Some of the projects may not progress particularly where there is a grant element that is not secured to facilitate the progress of the projects. Normally grant funding and the level of that funding is only confirmed in each current year so we will have to wait until we have confirmation of this grant funding or part grant funding before we can advance the associated projects.’
There is a local funding element within the programme, currently estimated at €94m, that is anticipated to be funded by borrowing, development levies, annual budget reserves or local housing capital receipts.
‘ The borrowing process has begun as we move to secure ministerial sanction following council approval to borrowing which will see our borrowing for our Economic & Community Development Investment Programme, Public Lighting replacement programme and our Land purchase for housing purpose total €56m.
Funding from the other sources is estimated at approximately €15m over the three year period. This does present a shortfall on the funding for the programme as presented but only those projects with funding will be progressed.’
Ms O’Neill said the shortfall is a far lesser figure than Cllr Sheehan’s quick estimate. Other projects will continue through the feasibility/ concept stage in order to have them ‘shelf ready’ should more funding become available or if other projects do not materialise or progress as quickly as anticipated.
The council is required to revisit the programme each year and submit a revised 3 year programme to the members so the programme will be a rolling programme which will be refined each year based on any additional information available
Major projects included are those costing more than €200,000. Included in the programme of works is a €4,000,000 spend on the Min Ryan Park in Wexford town, €3.5m on Trinity Wharf business park in Wexford, €4,000,000 for the development of the Market House building in Gorey, €4.3m to regenerate Templeshannon area of Enniscorthy and €21,450,000 for the development of greenway across the south of the county.
Cllr George Lawlor said a public park is needed in Castlebridge, which, he described as a growing suburban village on the outskirts of Wexford town.
He suggested that public submissions should be able to be made.
Cllr Lawlor said a columbarium – a room or building with niches for funeral urns to be stored – is needed in one of our cemeteries.
‘It’s a place where people who have been cremated can have their ashes placed in the wall. They are very popular on the continent and there are some in Dublin.’
Cllr Lawlor said there is a degree of interest in having one in the county, especially for people who have lived abroad and died whose wish was to have their final resting place in their home county.
CEO Tom Enright said he will ask the Wexford district manager Angela Laffan to look at both proposals. Mr Enright said some funding is available and the local authority is in the process of buying land opposite the church in Castlebridge to develop a playground.
Having been asked if it can be made a condition of tendering that local companies are hired for council projects, Mr Enright said other local authorities have tried this approach only for difficulties to arise.
‘ There are some councils that have had that clause included. You would always hope that the work would be done by a local contractor where possible, where they would employ local people on social housing schemes, for example. They have run into difficulties in trying to insist on local employment,’ he said.