€237m for 2019 FCC Budget to benefit communities, enterprise, infrastructure & tourism.
Balbriggan to benefit from investment and a new focus with a fully integrated Socio-Economic Strategy.
Fingal County Council CEO Paul Reid welcomes support for 2019 Budget tonight with a tweet:
In Balbriggan Fingal County Council will continue to attract investment, in Stephenstown and the wider Balbriggan area which is experiencing an upturn at present and which will benefit from substantial investment under the Council’s Capital Programme.
BALBRIGGAN SOCIO-ECONOMIC STRATEGY
In May 2018 a project to develop a fully integrated Socio-Economic Strategy for the town of Balbriggan was instigated. A series of workshops have taken place in the last few months to inform the development of this strategy with widespread input from statutory, non-statutory, business and community groups working and living in the area. A full strategy will be completed and launched in early 2019. Budget provision is made for programme costs relating to the implementation of this strategy.
Fingal County Council PRESS RELEASE
Fingal adopts budget of €237m for 2019
Fingal County Council has adopted a budget of €237m, the equivalent of €801 per head of population, to provide services and investment in 2019 to improve the county as a place in which to live, work and invest.
Councillors voted by 33 votes to three for an increased investment of €10m from last year which will enable the Council to manage the on-going demands of a county that has the fastest growing and youngest population in Ireland. The 2019 Budget will also have an impact of €572m on the local economy, an increase of €61m since 2017.
Three key core objectives have been set out in the 2019 Budget. The main priority is to continue investment in the Housing and Community areas as well as increasing service delivery and continuing to develop the economic and community plan for Fingal which supports job creation, tourism and sustainable communities.
The €237m budget can be broken down as follows:
€64m - Housing and Building;
€27m - Road Transport and Safety
€20m - Water Services
€23m - Development Management
€45m - Environmental Services
€45m - Recreation and Amenity
€1m - Agriculture, Health, Welfare and Education
€12m - Miscellaneous Services
Councillors agreed to a two per cent commercial rates increase which will see €2.5m ring-fenced for additional investment in street cleaning, parks maintenance and other operational activities as well as investment in tourism and events, community and arts.
Fingal County Council chief executive Paul Reid said: “The Budget provides for an increased level of investment in the social, economic and cultural fabric of this county. The overall aim of the budget was to maintain and build on the enhanced investment undertaken in the 2018 Budget. Meeting the demands for increased levels of service and investment in the fastest growing County in the country remains a significant challenge. The Budget will, however, support the Council in maintaining and improving on the services that we deliver to all of our key stakeholders.”
In September, councillors agreed to reduce the Local Property Tax by 10 per cent which has allowed €2m to be set aside for housing and homelessness and local services.
Under its three-year Capital Programme 2019-2021, the Council will spend a further €588m on 212 individual projects across the county.
A copy of the draft 2018 Annual Budget can be viewed at http://fingal.ie/your-council/budgets-expenditure-and-financial-statements/annual-budget/
Fingal County Council
Fingal County Council is the Local Authority for the administrative county of Fingal. Fingal is located to the north of Dublin City and is also bordered by South County Dublin, Meath and Kildare, and to the east by the Irish Sea. The county covers an area of c. 448 sq. km. Fingal has a population of 296,214, making it the third most populous local authority area in the country. Fingal is Ireland’s fastest growing county having seen its population grow by 8.1 per cent since 2011 and almost double over a 25 year period, from 152,766 in 1991 to 296,214 in 2016. Fingal’s significant economic advantages includes Dublin Airport, fast access to Dublin Port, rail, road, power and telecommunications infrastructure and the availability of serviced and unserviced land for development. Proximity to Dublin city centre and its location on the Dublin-Belfast Economic Corridor, ensures continued future growth for Fingal.
The Budgetary Process
The budgetary process is a statutory process, undertaken annually by all local authorities.
The process defines the income and expenditure for the Council for the coming year.
Budgetary policy is determined in consultation with elected members, officials and with consideration to the estimates of funding available through the Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government and in particular the Local Property Tax allocation. There is also a public consultation process in relation to the Local Property Tax.
The elected members of Fingal County Council have a number of key functions in relation to the budgetary process.
Adoption of the Budget
Members may adopt the Budget with or without amendment and must approve the sums provided for transfer to the Capital Account
Local Property Tax
The Members have the power to vary the Local Property Tax Rate (Local Adjustment Factor) by plus / minus 15 per cent
Commercial Rates
Members decide on the determination of Annual Rateable Valuation which decides the Commercial Rate which is charged to local businesses.
Rates on Vacant Properties
The members also have the power to determine the proportion of rates refunds which will apply to vacant commercial properties.