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OVERDRAFT DOWN TO LESS THAN £1M FOR FIRST TIME IN 20 YEARS There has been a slow but steady improvement in the serious financial situation facing Castlebar Urban Council. The debt has been cut to below the £1m. mark for the first time in almost two decades. According to Mr. Alex Fleming, assistant county manager, the improvement is attributed to buoyancy in the local economy and the fact the town is experiencing a period of growth. In his annual estimate of expenses to be presented to the authority tomorrow (Thursday), he said it was important the council did everything possible to help sustain and maximise the growth while at the same time maintain the steady improvement of its financial position. The estimates provide for a total gross expenditure and gross income of £2.2m. The following is a synopsised version of Mr. Fleming's report under a number of headings. Housing and Building: The council agreed to proceed with 12 houses adjacent to the Town Park and two apartments at Lucan Street as part of the 1996/97 Housing Programme. Work on these schemes is expected to start shortly. In the meantime, the council is seeking to acquire lands suitable for the construction of further houses in future years. All auctioneers in Castlebar have been requested to submit details of suitable lands which they may have and the council will be kept informed of developments in this matter. Road Transportation and Safety: A road improvement grant of £70,000 was received in 1997. The council met with the ESB regarding the upgrading of the entire public lighting scheme in the town. This upgrading will consist of replacing the old inefficient lamps with new energy efficient ones. It will also include the provision of additional lamps which is necessary to maintain an acceptable standard of lighting. This work will have cost implications and the ESB are preparing a package which will come before the council as soon as it is available. The new carpark in Spencer Street will be opened early in the New year. Water Sewerage and Supply: The tertiary treatment facility has been in operation since June. This has resulted in a major improvement of the quality of the effluent being discharged into the Castlebar River and should ultimately result in improved conditions for fish life in the river. The council are still pursuing an allocation of funding to enable the Newtown Augmentation Scheme to proceed. This work is absolutely essential if the expansion of the town is to continue. Development Incentives and Controls: The level of development in the town is underlined by the fact the council received 84 planning applications to date in 1997. During the year, the team of consultants employed by the council met with numerous groups and individuals in relation to the development of the town and initiatives such as the proposed Market Square improvement scheme. The consultants' report on the planning of the town will be brought before the council in early 1998. Environmental Protection: The provision for the Tidy Towns Committee has been increased by £1,000 to £6,000. This is in recognition of the valuable work which they have undertaken and the level of public awareness which they have created. While the council will continue its programme of weekend street sweeping in 1998, it is essential that the public becomes more conscious of litter with a view to reducing the amount of litter being deposited on the streets. This change in attitude is absolutely essential if the town is to continue its progress and have an opportunity of winning the Tidy Towns competition. The domestic refuse charge is being increased by £15 per dwelling. This is necessary because the contribution which the council makes to the provision of the landfill site by Mayo County Council is going to increase as E.U. standards are complied with. In order to improve the efficiency and quality of the refuse collection service, it is proposed to make the wheelie bin mandatory. This would help improve the collection and would also have environmental benefits. The FAS Scheme at the Old Cemetery has been completed. It was carried out by the Castlebar Community Development Association in co-operation with the council and the Castlebar Parish Council. An arrangements has been made whereby the council contributes an amount of £3,000 to a fund which will be used to maintain the graveyard in good condition. Recreation and Amenity: The Castlebar International Holiday Village will open at Easter. It is the most ambitions project ever undertaken by the council in the tourism area. When this project is completed, Castlebar will be a major force in tourism in Mayo. Other developments coming on stream, such as the Turlough House project, will also strengthen the tourism sector in Castlebar, thus contributing to the overall improvement in the local economy. Miscellaneous Services: Provision has been made to increase the chairman's allowance by £1,000 to £4,000. A sum of £11,000 is being set aside for the promotion of Castlebar. In 1997, a sum of £5,000 of these monies was used to help fund Castlebar's bid to be Ireland's Informational Age Town. While Castlebar did not win the competition outright, it can be proud of its performance in being selected as one of the four finalists and it is encouraging to note that the members of the project team are continuing with their efforts to develop Castlebar as an Information Age Town. Financial Position: The council's debit balance improved by £70,000 in 1996 and is now marginally lower than £1m. A similar improvement is expect in 1997. The prospect of continued low interest rates and inflation should help this improvement to continue.
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