Councillors unlikely to change commercial rates in Westmeath
Members of Westmeath County Council have been meeting today to decide their budget for 2013, and they are not expected to make a change to the level of commercial rates currently paid by businesses in the county. The annual budget meeting has been taking place in Mullingar, while councillors in neighbouring Roscommon will meet to agree their budget on Wednesday. A 2% rates cut is expected to be proposed at the meeting in Roscommon but a draft budget prepared in Westmeath didn't make any recommendation for a change in commercial rates. Westmeath County Council's draft budget for 2013 shows "a modest increase of 0.24%" which will bring its grant from the Local Government Fund up to €16.05m. In lieu of a change to rates, the council was planning to establish "a new event promotion and business initiative fund of €100,000, representing 1% the gross rate bill across the county" (not including the Athlone Town Council area). County Manager Danny McLoughlin's budget report points out that a standard rates reduction "would give rise to unequal benefits as between corner shops and large multi-nationals," and the new €100,000 fund would instead be used to "promote festivals, events, and initiatives agreed with the business community, Chamber of Commerce, etc, under the heading of business support." A number of major capital programmes and projects are expected to get underway in Westmeath in 2013, including the Athlone and Mullingar water mains rehabilitation programme, which is valued at €12m and will start "early in the new year." Also scheduled to begin in the new year is the €5m Garrycastle Bridge project. In addition, €200,000 is to be allocated from the council's own resources towards the refurbishment of Moate Courthouse. Funding for the council's Housing Grants Programme has been increased by €100,000, while a further €100,000 is being allocated for the provision of energy efficiency works in local authority houses. * For a report on the council's budget meeting, see this Wednesday's edition of the Westmeath Independent