Household charge punishment cuts beginning to bite

By TONY GALVIN AS Galway Co Council makes little headway in the campaign to improve household charge compliance rates, the cuts inflicted as a result of non-payment levels are beginning to bite in communities throughout the county. In July the Minister for the Environment slashed the council's budget allocation from his department by €3.1 million as a punishment for the county's low compliance rate of 56 per cent. Despite appeals from the County Manager and the Co Council for those liable to pay the €100 charge to do so, it is believed the rate has only hit 58 per cent at last calculation. When the controversial issue was last debated at County Hall in July it became clear that a number of councillors had not paid their own household charge and this fact has added to the headaches for the officials responsible for collecting the charge. Tuam Area Cllr Sean Canney told The Herald that the cuts currently being imposed by the council 'haven't a snowball's chance in hell of making up for the €3.1 million lost.' He intends calling on the council to face down Environment Minister Phil Hogan by running a deficit to counter the cuts and will be looking for support from his fellow councillors for such a move. Local authorities throughout the country have been hit with similar cuts but few outside the major cities on the scale imposed on Co Galway. Already some community groups have been issued letters informing them that grants sanctioned earlier this year are being 'withheld until further notice'. Typical of the impact is the withdrawal of a grant to Dunmore Town Hall which has left the Community Council to make up the shortfall created, and a similar grant to Headford Arts Festival. In many cases money has already been spend on the understanding that the council grant would reimburse these funds and this is causing considerable difficulties for many voluntary organisations. Also hard hit are applicants for grants to carry out home improvements for the elderly and the infirm designed to allow them remain in their homes. Pay can't be touched The council's largest expenditure is on staff pay but as the Croke Park agreement excludes cuts in this quarter, officials must search elsewhere to make savings. Areas now under the spotlight include the library service, fire service and councillors' allowances and ex­penses. There is very real concern among member of the Co Council that the cuts will continue to erode services and matters will only get worse if the household charge collection drive stalls. One considerable hindrance for the Co Council in collecting the charge is that there is no database of homes to assist in locating non-compliant householders. It is also believed that the compliance rate is actually lower than stated as the figure released by the council includes all those exempt from paying. Cllr Canney says Minister Hogan is 'blackmailing' local authorities by withdrawing funding and placing an unacceptable burden on local authorities which are not geared up to collect the charges. He will be calling on his council colleagues to stand up to the Minister by doing all they can to ensure commitments are met and cuts resisted. 'Those who have paid are being punished alongside those who have not. This system is as unworkable as it is unfair and it's time local authorities began standing up for themselves and the people they represent,' he concluded. When the Co Council met in July the €3.1 million cut was announced by management. Under the heading Revised 2012 Allocations the communiqué from the Department of the Environment stated: 'The revised allocation for Galway Co Council consists of the following elements: The original allocation of €28,105,841; less €3,119,341, reflecting an adjustment based on the level of compliance achieved to date of 56 per cent.' This cut was calculated on the compliance figures up to mid-year. Since then the compliance rate has increased, but no significantly. It is estimated that between 60,000 and 65,000 households are eligible to pay the household charge of €100. This would bring in an estimated €6-6.5 million in revenue. Going by this estimate less than €4 million has been collected by Galway Co Council to date.