€102m fund for council spend in ’19

THE MEMBERS of Wicklow County Council unanimously adopted the draft budget for 2019 with just one amendment.

The local authority will have €102,670,000 to spend in 2019 and the only change to the draft document was to increase discretionary funding to €2million from €1.935 million. The balance was taken from parking and it was agreed the figure to be spent on contracts would be lowered next year.

The 2019 budget comprises Divisonal Income of €62.9 million, Local Property Tax of €12 million and rates of €27.9 million.

Cllr Pat Fitzgerald, pictured right, proposed the adoption and all members agreed.

‘I think it is a very balanced budget and there was only one amendment made by the members on Monday,’ he said.

The budget also allocated €250,000 to fabric upgrades to council housing stock and €150,000 for central heating and boiler servicing.

Homeless funding of €130,000 was approved and €50,000 was approved for public swimming pools in Arklow and Wicklow, to be divided equally.

It was outlined that 222 social housing units will be commencing in 2019, to be delivered through eight schemes, as well as 51 units to be delivered through Public Private Partnership Schemes.