Council Urged To Spend 2020 Budget “Wisely And Shrewdly”

Photo (c) Clare County Council

Clare County Council is being urged to spend its Budget for next year “very wisely and very shrewdly” so that the most vulnerable in society are looked after.

Under plans announced by the local authority, some €370 million will be spent on capital investment projects over the next three years, while the spend on roads is to increase by €5 million in 2020.

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Elected representatives in Clare have signed off on ambitious plans for the county over the next three years.

The Council is planning a significant hike in spending on infrastructure, with its forecast investment three times higher than in the last three years.

Projects include the already-announced new Ennis library, significant roads projects in Ennistymon and Killaloe and more housing.

It will total €370 million, while next year alone will see an additional €5 million spent on roads, with all of this part-funded by the increase in Local Property Tax.

Despite some controversy about that when it was approved in September, CEO of the council Pat Dowling is confident the people of Clare will get value for their money.

However, concern is emerging that not enough of the funding ringfenced for projects across the county has been set aside to help those most in need.

Independent Barefield Councillor Ann Norton voted against the 15% increase in Local Property Tax, but did lend her approval to Budget 2020 in last Friday’s meeting.

Despite this, she has some reservations about how the elderly and those with disabilities will benefit from paying additional taxes.