Waterford’s Budget 2022 focus is on decarbonisation and climate change

The Budget 2022 for Waterford City and County Council was unanimously passed by the council last week, with a key feature of the newly approved budget being climate measures.

Included in the Budget 2022 is the allocation of €500,000 for decarbonisation and climate change initiatives.

Chief executive Michael Walsh, said that the aim is to ‘place Waterford at the forefront’, stating that ‘the time is right’ for Waterford to begin a decarbonisation agenda.

According to Mr Walsh, significant resources were allocated to decarbonisation and climate change within the budget, allowing the council to attract greater national and EU funding.

Mr Walsh stated that such changes regarding climate action would need to be driven at a local level in the long term.

In line with this, commercial rates were also raised by 5% for the new Budget.

The rates increase, however, will mainly take effect on larger businesses, as it was noted that a full rebate would be given to smaller businesses in return for engaging with climate crisis and decarbonisation initiatives.

All businesses that pay less than €10,000 in rates and all hospitality businesses will be eligible for such rates rebates.

“I really do see this as having the potential to be game-changing,” Mr Walsh said.

Increased spending on roads, footpaths and public lighting were also noted in the Budget 2022, along with increased spending on housing maintenance.

An additional €100,000 in funding was allocated towards the promotion of Waterford as a tourist destination while increased spending on playgrounds, open spaces and parks were highlighted.

ROADS ‘A MAJOR THING’

Local councillor James Tobin, while welcoming the budget at the meeting, sought a commitment that the hospitality sector would not be hit with increased rates during a time which he described as ‘pretty lean’ for the sector, which was confirmed to him by CEO, Micheal Walsh.

While Cllr Tobin welcomed roads funding, he noted that greater funding in this area would be a benefit.

“Roads are a major thing for us here in the country. Even with the increase, we’d need two times as much,” he said.

Concurring on the point of roads, Cllr Declan Doocey also noted the importance of funding in the area for those living more rurally.

Cllr John Pratt also welcomed the budget, stating that the €500,000 for decarbonisation is a ‘good step’ for the county.

In response to comments regarding decarbonisation and climate change, council officials noted that the intention is to put together a team who would drive the topic, which they hope to ‘build out’ to encompass as many as twenty persons.

Housing adaptions, however, were queried by the council who called for extra resources in the sector.

“For people in our own housing stock, waiting a year and a half or two years for works, it’s a long time to be waiting,” Cllr Pratt said.

He also pointed to footpath works, repeating previous called for the specific provisions to be made for footpaths within a separate line item, rather than combining footpaths within roads funding.