Crisis struck County Council fails to adopt rate

Faced with the most serious waste management crisis in its 116 year history, and a dire financial situation, there was no surprise that, at the end of a marathon annual estimates meeting yesterday, the twenty three elected members of Waterford County Council failed to adopt a county rate for 2006.

They will reconvene on January 4th just two days before the deadline date for adopting the rate. Failure to do so on that second occasion could put the local authority in the firing line for dissolution and its replacement by a Minister for the Environment-appointed Commissioner.

In his book of estimates the county manager, Ray O’Dwyer, disclosed that expenditure in the coming year will be just under €64 million, but with income projected at €59 million there is a shortfall of almost €5 million.