No change in commercial rate a ‘lifeline’ for Ballina retailers

No change in commercial rate a ‘business-saving lifeline’ for Ballina retailers


Anna Marie Flynn

BALLINA Town councillors have struck a rate for 2010. Weeks of behind-the-scenes negotiation paid off when the nine elected members succeeded in striking a marginally reduced commercial rate last Tuesday evening in just one meeting.
In the draft report prepared by officials and headed up by the Town Manager, Paddy Mahon, the management had recommended a one per cent increase in rates for the year, but after careful consideration and a number of savings strategies, the authority struck a rate of €65.84 in the euro. The adopted rate sees a marginally reduction of 0.02 on the 2009 rate which was €65.90.
Just eight weeks ago, at initial stages of the budget discussion, Mr Mahon had advised councillors that there will be an obvious difficulty in capital spending for the coming 12 months, due to the vast reduction in Government funding available to local authorities. He warned: “There is nothing easy about this; everything has to be looked at.”
It costs €6.4 million to run Ballina Town Council services annually, with just under 50 per cent of that figure generated through rate payments.
At last week’s meeting, both elected members and the management executive welcomed the rate which now sees an impressive record for the councillors sitting around the chamber table, after only one increase in the last five annual budgets. Last year, councillors secured an unprecedented rate reduction despite a two per cent hike mooted by officials. On foot of this, businesses will welcome the 2010 rate which has been dubbed a ‘business-saving lifeline’ by councillors.
Mayor Mary Kelly welcomed the rate and said that despite the current economic climate, ‘there are a number of positives happening’ in the town.  She referred to the RAPID status allocation to Ballina and welcomed the recent announcement regarding funding for same.
“The rate here will certainly give some businesses a chance in our town, and these businesses are the people that really make everything happen in Ballina. We also received word just before Christmas that Ballina was to get a €250,000 allocation from the RAPID project along with Ballina Town Council allocation of €40,000 from its own funding to the project, which is fantastic news.” Mayor Kelly is on the implementation team for the project and assured councillors she will update them on progress after the committee’s inaugural meeting.
Fine Gael councillor Mark Winters said the he was satisfied the number crunching sessions paid off.  “Everyone worked very hard and long on this budget, the increased efficiencies we have seen and the value for money we have been getting reflects very well on the council management. We’re coming off the back of a very hard year for everyone and we have bucked the trend in not increasing the rates on the business people in the town.”
Echoing the words of support, Independent councillor Gerry Ginty said the retailers are at the heart of the town’s progress and should be supported as much as possible to keep their doors open. “By not increasing the rates in the town, we’ve shown the business people that we want them to succeed and thrive in this town. It’s been an especially tough year for people in the retail trade in the town”.