Business group calls for merger of Cork City and County Councils at launch of manifesto

Merging

Cork

city and county councils would lead to greater efficiencies and a reduction of rates for businesses in both local authority areas, according to business group

Cork Chamber

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The launch of the chamber’s Local Election Manifesto heard that its last two economic surveys had shown positivity was returning to the regional economy but the right structures needed to be in place to harness this positivity

Chamber president Gillian Keating said: "We are calling for a merger of our councils by 2018 as a means of increasing efficiencies in the delivery of local services and a reduction in the costs to businesses in the region.

"The evidence already exists where mergers in Waterford and Limerick resulted in rates reductions of 20 per cent and 16 per cent respectively," said Ms Keating.

She also called on all newly-elected councillors to pledge to allow the maximum period of 10 years for the harmonisation of rates where town councils are being abolished.

Lower rates
The Department of the Environment had set a maximum 10-year period for this in counties where town councils with lower rates are being abolished as part of reform measures.

“This will allow retailers and traders, who are key employers in regional towns, to properly plan for the future,” said Ms Keating at the launch yesterday of the manifesto in Cork.

Ms Keating also called on all new councillors to ensure that the recently announced Cork INC (Innovated, Networked, Connected) is properly funded by the local authorities. The new body, which will support strategic economic marketing and the promotion of leisure and business tourism, has a vital role to play in helping to create jobs in the region, she said.