Cork County Council collects €110m in rates

Cork County Council exceeded expectations by collecting €110.3m in rates last year, up €20m on 2009.

The council’s chief executive yesterday said the local authority planned to spend €126.3m on capital projects this year.

Rates represents 41% of the council’s income and the amount collected — 80% of rates due — was ahead of budget predictions.

The council currently has a bad debts provision of €18.35m, which reflects the closure of some businesses, liquidations, receiverships, and extended payment plans for those which have struggled to keep afloat during the recession.

The council said it was conscious of the extremely challenging circumstances in which some businesses remain and rate-collection staff are engaging on a case-by-case basis to agree repayment plans.

Councillors Des O’Grady and Kevin Murphy inquired if Irish Water was paying rates to the council after taking over its water services.

Chief executive Tim Lucey said Irish Water was not obliged to pay the council rates but loss of income from the transfer of council assets to the utility company would be reimbursed by the Department of the Environment.

As part of its capital project spend programme, the council has earmarked €10.3m for social housing and €11.5m for affordable housing this year. It is setting aside €250,000 to adapt its housing stock for people with disabilities.

For every €1 it spends on such projects, it gets €9 from the Department of the Environment. Mr Lucey said he hoped that funding would be forthcoming.

Road maintenance and improvements will eat up €51.4m. Just over €9m will be spent on primary routes, €17.6m on secondary roads, and €15.8m on repairing and improving local roads.

Funding has also been set aside to improve public carparks in Carrigaline, Bandon, Mallow, Mitchelstown, Charleville, and Carrignavar with €400,000 earmarked for new public lighting schemes, countywide.

In addition, a new €1.6m fund has been put in place for extending and developing cemeteries.

A further €7.4m will be spent under the heading of recreation and amenity. This will include upgrading the Regional Park in Ballincollig, continuing work at Fort Camden, providing a new pedestrian bridge on the Beara Way and conducting feasibility studies for new greenways from Ballinascarthy to Courtmacsherry and from Midleton to Youghal.

Mayor of County Cork Alan Coleman said the capital projects would provide a significant boost to the local economy.

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