Remote work sees fall in county parking revenue

The pandemic has seen revenue from paid parking fall to a fraction of the level that it normally is at this time of year.

That’s what Galway County Council’s Head of Finance Ger Mullarkey told a meeting of the local authority.

The drop was inevitable with more employees working from home and a fewer motorists using the local authority car parks.

The half-yearly finance figures show that the Council have received just 7% of the overall annual on-street car parking income when it should be closer to 50%.

At the same time, Mr Mullarkey pointed out that expenditure for the first six months of this year is at the same level as the first half of 2020, which he described this as quite positive in the circumstances.

Senior officials with Galway County Council were disappointed that a proposed 15% increase the local property tax was voted down by one vote. Had it passed, it would have netted the local authority an additional €2.2 million.

Instead the local authority looking at a €4.5 million deficit – and this could be even worse given an anticipated rise in costs for road maintenance.

Mr Mullarkey told councillors that an application had been submitted to the Department of the Environment for additional funding – and he is aware that they are seriously considering it.

He also explained that during the pandemic, a rates waiver had been applied to smaller businesses and that this had also impacted on their income. Even income from the likes of casual trading areas had dipped considerably on foot of the crisis.

Cllr Shane Curley said that he wanted assurances that the local roads programme would not be impacted and that there would be no danger that the current funding would be compromised.

The Fianna Fáil councillor was one of those who supported a motion to maintain the current rate of local property tax – but he told the meeting that it was imperative that the local roads network be prioritised.

Cllr Donagh Killilea (FF) said that there was no guarantee that any increase in the LPT would generate any additional revenue from central government or boost expenditure on local roads given the gap between income and expenditure.

There can now be no further request for the rate of LPT to be increased for another year as local councillors wait with bated breath to see if expenditure on local roads will be impacted over the coming twelve months.