Cavan votes to maintain lpt rate

Cavan County Council has voted to neither increase nor decrease the rate of Local Property Tax applied to homes in the county next year.

At this morning's special meeting to discuss Sinn Fein's motion seeking to have the full 15% reduction allowable, based on significant savings in non-front line expenditure.

The Council's executive, CEO Ger Finn and Chief Financial Officer Des Maguire had, from the start recommended that no reduction in LPT be sought on the basis that, if pushed through, it would have serious ramifications for the delivery of services in the context of next year's budget.

The LPT allocation of €8,458,415 Cavan Council will receive represents the same level of funding received in 2014 from the Local Government Fund.

With 100% compliance of payment, Cavan stands to take in €4,523,734 in LPT next year, with 20% of that to be retained centrally as part of the equalisation fund.

The meeting was told that the impact of a reduction in LPT on a liable person in Cavan would be marginal compared to the resultant income shortfall suffered by the council and the subsequent impact on service delivery.

However, newly elected Cllr Eugene Greenan (SF) claimed savings could be made in some areas, including allowances paid to Cathaoirleachs, both at County and Municipal level; a reduction in consultancy fees; not to mention the transition of the authority to a “paperless chamber”.

The counter proposal by Fine Gael's Paddy O'Reilly to maintain the rate was dealt with first, with 14 of the elected members present voting in favour of it, to just three Sinn Fein members present voting in favour of a full 15% rate reduction.

Fine Gael's Peter McVitty, Sinn Fein's Damien Brady and Fianna Fail's Clifford Kelly were not present at the meeting.