Galway Bay fm newsroom - Galway County Councillors last evening adopted a Budget for next year following a period of uncertainty as to whether or not such an agreement could be reached.
Following on intensive negotiations involving the controlling group on the Council, with input from other parties, a series of re-arrangements were arrived at.
A lowering of the rates burden on over 90% of commercial rate payers was among the adjustments to the €143m County Council Budget for 2022.
Thirty out of the 39 Councillors finally voted in favour the Galway County budget for next year thereby avoiding the appointment of an administrator to run Council business
However the €143m Budget falls far short of what Councillors and Management are calling for. But a commitment that a full review of the financing for Galway Co Council will be carried out at national level helped to get the Budget over the line
Some immediate changes will see 90% of commercial ratepayers having their bill stabilised or reduced. Concerns with a rateable valuation of €20,000 or less fall into this category.
Councillor took into account that the debt on the Council headquarters is now paid off.
The changes also saw a return of control by Councillors on a specific sums of money on an individual basis - €11,200 each as again €18,500 last year. However, many Councillor who had given indication of support to community groups now have to pull back from those commitments due to other changes.
