Rates in Mayo to increase by 4%

COMMERCIAL rates in Mayo are to increase by 4% next year.

The hike was adopted at a reconvened budget meeting of Mayo County Council this afternoon (Monday). The rate is fixed for two years.

Council executive had sought a 3% rates increase and had also proposed a 50% cut in councillors' General Municipal Allocation (GMA) – money allocated by elected members to voluntary and community groups in the municipal districts.

The Fianna Fáil whip, Councillor Damien Ryan, proposed a number of amendments, with increased spending in some sectors and savings in others to balance the books.

They included increasing GMA by €1,050,000 - to the level of spending allocated this year.

The small business support scheme has also been tweaked upwards by €25,000 to shield lower rate payers.

Areas where savings were made included pensions and gratutities (€210,000), EPA charges (€99,000), loan charges on lighting (€130,000) and irrecoverable rates (€50,000).

With no counter-proposals being made, the budget, as amended, was adopted.