MEMBERS of the outdoor staff of Mayo County Council have voted to undertake industrial action over the loss of subsistence and meal allowances.

The 350 workers, who are attached to SIPTU, voted overwhelmingly in favour of taking the action which due to begin in two weeks time.

It is understood the cuts did not extend to indoor and management staff. If the strike proceeds, it will have huge implications for services including water and sewerage.

At the same time, officials of the authority are preparing a detailed report on how it plans to deal with further budgetary cutbacks over the coming months.

The authority has been under tremendous pressure to maintain services and staff due to departmental revenue streams being slashed.

Shock new figures have also revealed the council has spent at least €200,000 more than it has earned from car parking charges since 2008, shock new figures reveal.

The figures, released by Claremorris Chamber of Commerce ahead of crunch talks with the council about paid parking in south Mayo towns, show the local authority is on target to lose at least €40,000 this year alone.

“The council would sooner throw town centres into an unmarked grave than admit they’re losing this money,” said Claremorris Chamber president Jimmy Flynn.

“Since 2008, they’ve spent €163,000 more than they earned from paid parking. This year, a further €42,000 will be lost. That’s €205,000 wasted on collection costs in just five years.

“The simple truth is the bureaucracy is fiddling while small business is burning.Mayo County Council say they borrowed €4.5 million to buy land and build car parks in Claremorris and Ballinrobe.

“If that’s being paid back over 10 years, it’s costing €570,000 a year. So, the real losses from paid parking could be as high as €610,000 a year. Why should our towns have to carry the can for that?”

Leaders from the two business organisations will meet the council tomorrow (Wednesday) in an effort to settle the issue.

The revelation in respect of lost revenue has the potential to prove embarrassing ahead of next Monday’s special meeting of the council to debate the Department of the Environment’s withholding of €2 million in funding to the authority due to the shortfall in the household charge collection.

Councillor Cyril Burke, the cathaoirleach of the authority,  has called on the 31 elected members to support the collection of all monies due to the council in order to maintain existing services.