Kanturk/Mallow budget up over €2M for 2020

MEMBERS of Cork County Council’s Kanturk/ Mallow municipal district committee this week approved its working budget for 2020 – which has included an increase of more than €2 million on the budget for this year.

Presenting the draft budget to councillors at this week’s committee meeting, district officer Liz Donovan said it took into account the boundary changes to the district made earlier this year.

These saw Charleville and its rural hinterland transferred from the Fermoy municipal district and Millstreet move into the Macroom operational area.

“The draft budgetary plan sets out the level of funding that is expected to be assigned to the municipal district in respect of the services that come under its remit,” said Ms Donovan.

The total operating budget for 2020 has been set at just over €13.5 million, which includes almost €11 million for road maintenance and safety measures (up from €8 million this year), just over €1.2 million for recreation and amenities (an increase of more than €75,000) and €865,000 for environmental services (up from €826,000).

“There were increases across all categories and, although some of these may be slight increases, they are nonetheless significant. I am quite happy that we can adequately manage with the allocation given for next year,” said Ms Donovan.

The budget was passed by councillors, with Cllr John Paul O’Shea (FG) saying the overall increase on last year’s figure was a direct result of the decision by Cork County Council to increase the Local Property Charge by five per cent.

Cllr O’Shea also welcomed proposals to increase the funding for the General Municipal Allocation (GMA), a discretionary fund used to supplement the budget for individual initiatives over the course of the year, from €235,000 to almost €285,000.

The budget also saw significant increases to the Town Development Fund and Village Renewal Fund.

“I am very pleased to see the increases in funding contained within the draft budgetary plan for 2020. Streams like the GMA, Town Development Fund and Village Renewal Fund are all very welcome funding for our communities,” said Cllr O’Shea.

“Our budgetary plan takes into account all of the public services Cork County Council operates. An increased budget gives us as a municipal authority more scope to improve these services and this must be welcomed,” he added.