Struggling businesses in Clare are being told the change in the law will be required if their commercial rates are to be reduced in future.
Following last night’s Annual Budget Meeting of Clare County Council, where councillors agreed to keep rates at their current level, the County Manager has insisted they are aware of the plight of local businesses, but can’t sustain a rate cut across the board.
With a projected budget deficit of 500,000 euro for this year blamed on the response to last winter’s severe weather and the high cost of traveller accommodation maintenance, council management told Clare councillors that expenditure is decreasing, but so is income as the national economic situation takes its toll on the local budget of 102 million euro for next year.
Following another tough year for local businesses many rate payers had hoped for a reduction rather than another commercial rates freeze, but county Manager Tom Coughlan said this wasn’t possible:
A view echoed by the Mayor of Clare Pat Hayes, though he said he had hoped to do more to help local businesses
The council’s budget meeting also heard that cutbacks have continued in Clare County Council with staff payroll amounting to 8 million euro less compared to 2009, but concerns were expressed at the disproportionate expenditure that continues in some areas, like traveller accommodation – Shannon Councillor Patricia McCarthy says current problems can’t continue
