Council to spend €125,000 on festivals in 2019

WEXFORD District Council has been allocated a budget of €452,500 to spend on miscellaneous services in the area during 2019, including €125,000 for festivals, concerts and festive lighting.

The Council’s General Municipal Allocation (GMA) is the ‘discretionary funding’ made available to members in the annual draft budgetary plan.

The Wexford figure is part of an overall €1.5 million fund allocated by the Chief Executive and divided between the four districts. It has been increased by 43% since it was introduced in 2015.

Members agreed to adopt a budget which will see €24,000 spent on housing estate management and grants to residents’ associations next year; €87,500 on allocations to councillors for small local road works; €50,000 for community involvement road schemes; €4,000 for tourist facility operations; €12,000 for town twinning; €10,000 for litter control and hanging baskets/ planting; €5,000 each for 10 members to distribute as amenity/sports/recreational grants; €20,000 for the School Meals Programme; €10,000 for civic leadership and €60,000 for the General Municipal Allocation.

Independent councillor Ger Carthy asked what would happen to the budget if the electoral area is changed during the year, to become the Wexford and Kilmore Electoral District as as recommended recently by the Boundary Commission.

‘Where will be be in relation to allocations. It’s time we stopped flying blind. We need facts and figures going forward’. he said.

Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Services Tony Larkin said the Minister hasn’t accepted the recommendation of the Boundary Commission yet so it is not an issue at the moment.

‘We can only set out our budget according to the current structures. If it is accepted without amendment, we will have to re-order the budget.

‘We will have to break down the budget and divide it according to the different districts’ he said.

‘There is no extra budget in this. There will still be only 34 members. I don’t want to start have next year’s argument this year’.

Ms. O’ Neill told councillors: ‘If there are 34 members and there are more members in the Wexford District, the allowance will be divided pro-rata’.