The Mayor of Clare has welcomed the commitment received by Clare County Council’s Elected Members that the Local Authority will receive its entire General Purpose Grant Allocation of the Local Government Fund for 2012 when the Household Charge compliancy rate in the county reaches 70%.
Councillor Pat Daly was commenting following receipt of the new information from local Government T.D.’s, Pat Breen and Joe Carey at a specially convened meeting of Clare County Council to discuss the implications of Minister for the Environment Phil Hogan’s decision to reduce the Council’s original allocation of €10,176,044 by €974,524.
Minister Hogan based the adjustment on the level of compliance in household charge payments by the people of Clare. By mid-July, 62% of householders in Clare had paid the charge, which is above the national average.
“While the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA) and not Clare County Council is responsible for the collection of the Household Charge, I am confident that the 70% compliancy rate in Clare will be met and that cutbacks in services provided by Clare County Council will not occur during the remainder of 2012,” commented Mayor Daly.
He continued: “I welcome the outcome of Friday’s specially convened meeting on the Local Government Fund adjustments. Deputies Breen and Carey, on foot of a discussion with Minister Hogan, assured the Members of Clare County Council that the funding that is being withheld will be restored once the compliancy rate for Household Charge payments in County Clare reaches 70%. This news will be particularly welcomed by the public who have expressed concerns that frontline services would be hit by any withholding of funding.”
Councillor Pat Daly was commenting following receipt of the new information from local Government T.D.’s, Pat Breen and Joe Carey at a specially convened meeting of Clare County Council to discuss the implications of Minister for the Environment Phil Hogan’s decision to reduce the Council’s original allocation of €10,176,044 by €974,524.
Minister Hogan based the adjustment on the level of compliance in household charge payments by the people of Clare. By mid-July, 62% of householders in Clare had paid the charge, which is above the national average.
“While the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA) and not Clare County Council is responsible for the collection of the Household Charge, I am confident that the 70% compliancy rate in Clare will be met and that cutbacks in services provided by Clare County Council will not occur during the remainder of 2012,” commented Mayor Daly.
He continued: “I welcome the outcome of Friday’s specially convened meeting on the Local Government Fund adjustments. Deputies Breen and Carey, on foot of a discussion with Minister Hogan, assured the Members of Clare County Council that the funding that is being withheld will be restored once the compliancy rate for Household Charge payments in County Clare reaches 70%. This news will be particularly welcomed by the public who have expressed concerns that frontline services would be hit by any withholding of funding.”
