Councillors Present:Cllr Annie May Reape, Cathaoirleach

Cllr Gerry Ginty

Cllr Neil Cruise

Cllr Michael Loftus

Cllr John O’Hara

Cllr Michael Smyth

Cllr. Seamus Weir

Officials Present:Ms Marie Crowley, Head of Ballina Municipal District

Mr Tom Gilligan, Director of Services

Ms Theresa Durkin, Senior Executive Engineer

Ms Carmel Murphy, Administrative Officer

Ms Orla Bourke, Executive Engineer

Mr Declan Ginnelly, Assistant Engineer

Mr Vincent O’Boyle, Assistant Engineer

Mr John McMyler, Senior Executive Planner

Ms Breege Gordon, Staff Officer

Apologies:Cllr Jarlath Munnelly

At the start of the Meeting, Cllr Reape welcomed Mr Tom Gilligan to his first Meeting as Director of Services for the Ballina Municipal District and also extended Good Wishes to Mr Peter Duggan, who was previously the Director for the District.

Proposed by: Cllr Anne May Reape

Seconded by: Cllr Seamus Weir

AND RESOLVED:-

“That a Vote of Sympathy is extended to Ms Theresa Durkin, S.E.E., on the death of her Brother, Mr Sean Tuite, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada”.

ITEM 1
To adopt Minutes of Ballina Municipal District Meeting held on Wednesday, 25thOctober, 2017,in the Council Chamber, Ballina Civic Offices. / Proposed by: Cllr Seamus. Weir
Seconded by: Cllr Gerry Ginty
AND RESOLVED:-
“That the Minutes of Ballina Municipal District Meeting
held on the 25thOctober, 2017, be adopted as circulated”.
ITEM 2
To consider: (a) Draft Budgetary Plan including General Municipal Allocation for Ballina Municipal District and (b) To adopt with or without amendments the
Draft Budgetary Plan
including the General Municipal Allocation for Ballina Municipal District. / Ms Crowley, Head of Ballina Municipal District,referred to the proposed General Municipal Allocation for 2018 for Ballina MD, as circulated, and recommended that the Draft Budgetary Plan including the General Municipal Allocation be adopted by Resolution as required by legislation.
The Members voiced their concerns at the significant reduction in the GMA from 2017 and stated that they could not accept the proposal.
Mr Tom Gilligan, D.O.S., outlined the stages of the Budgetary process and acknowledged that it is always difficult to balance the Budget.
Proposed by: Cllr Michael Loftus
Seconded by: Cllr John O’Hara
AND RESOLVED:-
“That the Members of Ballina Municipal District have (a) considered the Draft Budgetary Plan including the General Municipal Allocation for Ballina Municipal District in accordance with Section 102 (4) of the Local Government Act, 2001, as amended by Local Government Reform Act, 2014 and (b) reject the Draft Budgetary Plan including the General Municipal Allocation as presented”.

The Members unanimously agreed to take Item 7 for consideration out of the sequence of listing on the Agenda, as it is directly relevant to Item 2.

ITEM 7 (1)
Notice of Motion
“I call on the Executive of Ballina Municipal District to provide the Councillors with a complete breakdown of monies allocated to Ballina Municipal District under the General Municipal Allocation Funding 2017 and all Programme Groups in 2017 to assist in assessing Budget 2018 and all identified budgetary requirements for 2018”.
Cllr Michael Loftus / Proposed by: Cllr Michael Loftus
Seconded by: Cllr Seamus Weir
AND RESOLVED:-
“That the Executive of Ballina Municipal District provides the Councillors with a complete breakdown of monies allocated to Ballina Municipal District under the General Municipal Allocation Funding 2017 and all Programme Groups in 2017 to assist in assessing Budget 2018 and all identified budgetary requirements for 2018”.
ITEM 3
To note update on Ballina Municipal District Works Programme 2017. / The Members noted the update Report.
Proposed by: Cllr Seamus Weir
Seconded by: Cllr Annie May Reape
AND RESOLVED:-
“That directional road signs are erected on the Local Primary Roads in the District”
Proposed by: Cllr Gerry Ginty
Seconded by: Cllr John O’Hara
AND RESOLVED:-
“That the Council calls on TII to replace the wording on the road signs for ‘Beal An Mhuirthead’ with the English word ‘Belmullet’”.
Proposed by: Cllr Neil Cruise
Seconded by: Cllr John O’Hara
AND RESOLVED:-
“That a letter is sent to the C.E. encouraging him to investigate the possibility of attracting the Apple Plant proposed for Athenry,to the former Asahi Site in Killala”.
ITEM 4
To note update on Planning. / The Planning Report was noted as circulated.
ITEM 5
To note Christmas Parking arrangements for 2017. / Ms Murphy, A.O., advised that the Council was agreeable
to granting free parking in all of the Council owned Car Parks in Ballina Town each day from 2 p.m. effective from the 1st December, 2017 to the 31st, December, 2017. Pay and Display will be operational on the Streets.
Proposed by: Cllr Gerry Ginty
Seconded by: Cllr John O’Hara
AND RESOLVED:-
“That Mayo County Council grants free parking in all of the Council owned Car Parks in Ballina Town each day from 2 p.m. effective from the 1st December, 2017 to the 31st, December, 2017. Pay and Display will be operational on the Streets during this period”.
ITEM 6
Correspondence.
(1)Ballina Athletic Club
(2) Garda Anthony Golden
Community Park
Committee. / Ms Murphy referred to Email dated the 3rd November, 2017, from Ballina Athletic Club requesting an opportunity to make a Presentation to the Councillors with regard to the possibility of a 15 year Lease in respect of the Track.
Ms Murphy, A.O., advised that there are ongoing issues between Ballina Athletic Club and Moy Valley Athletic Club and recommended that these issues are resolved prior to the Council considering the possibility of a Lease Agreement.
The Members unanimously agreed, as a first step, that both Clubs should enter into a mediation process for the purposes of submitting a written mediation settlement to Mayo County Council. The matter will be considered further upon receipt of this document.
It was also suggested that Athletics Ireland may be in a position to identify a suitable mediator to undertake this process.
In the absence of this being submitted, then the matter will revert back to Council for further deliberation.
Ms Murphy referred to Email dated the 7th November, 2017, from the Garda Anthony Golden Community Park Committee, requesting an opportunity to meet with the Elected Members prior to their next Meeting with a view to outlining their plans for the Park and discussing the project in general.
The Members acceded to this request.

The next Meeting of Ballina Municipal District will be held on Wednesday, 20th December, 2017.

The Meeting concluded at 12.50 p.m.

Page | 1