Public Notices

Proposed Limerick City Boundary Alteration

Current information regarding Proposed Limerick City Boundary Alteration Limerick North Rural Electoral Division

Current information regarding Proposed Limerick City Boundary Alteration Limerick North Rural Electoral Division

Introduction

In September 2007, the Minister for the Environment, Heritage
and Local Government announced the establishment of a Boundary
Committee to examine an extension of Limerick City Council’s boundary,
to give effect to the report on “Addressing Issues of Social Exclusion
in Moyross and Other Disadvantaged Areas of the City” prepared by Mr.
John Fitzgerald and adopted by the Government in April 2007.This report
recommended inter alia a limited extension of Limerick City Council’s
boundary in the northern part of the City to facilitate intensive
development and regeneration.

The Committee is established under Part V of the Local
Government Act 1991 and its remit is to review the boundary alteration
recommended by Mr. John Fitzgerald, to consult locally and to report to
the Minister. The Committee is chaired by Mr. Seamus Dooley, former
Wexford County Manager, with the other members being Mr. Donal
Connolly, former Waterford County Manager and Mr. Eoin Corrigan of the
Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government.The
Committee invited submissions by public notice in the local media and
indicated a deadline of 19th November 2007.The Committee also wrote to
Limerick City Council inviting a submission.

Defining the Proposed Boundary Extension Area

Limerick North Rural Electoral District comprises the townlands of:

Clonmacken, Caherdavin, Knock, Shanabooley, Ballygrennan,
Clonconane, Clondrinagh, Coonagh East and Coonagh West.The area forms
the northern environs of Limerick City and is the subject of the
Caherdavin Local Area Plan, adopted in July 2005.

It is bisected by the Ennis Road / R445 Northern Ring Road and
the Cratloe Road. The area is bounded to the south by the River
Shannon, to the west by the Meelick Creek, to the north by the railway
with no clear boundary on the city side.

Area

There is an area of 1020 hectares involved, which represents
less than 0.5% of the area of the County.The extension proposed would
increase the area of the City by approximately 50%.

Franchise

Limerick
North Rural Electoral District forms part of the Bruff Electoral Area
and the Constituency of East Limerick. The Register of Electors
indicates a total of 5050 voters in the Limerick North Rural ED and the
Census 2006 indicates a population of 7,251.

The current ratio of population per elected member in Limerick
Cityis 3090:1.The inclusion of Limerick North Rural ED would increase
this ratio to 3,517:1. It is not envisaged that the Boundary alteration
will change the overall Membership of Limerick City Council.

Operative Date

The Minister will decide, by Ministerial Order, the date on
which the Boundary Alteration will take effect and this is referred to
as the Operative Date. It is expected that this date will be 1 March
2008.Impact

(a)  The principal impact of the recommended
extension would be the inclusion of over 7,000 people, who currently
live within the boundary of Limerick County Council, within Limerick
City Council’s boundary.There is already a significant level of service
integration in the area between Limerick City Council and Limerick
County Council, e.g. in areas such as Water and Wastewater Services and
the Fire Service and it is considered that residents of the area would
experience no material immediate change in service.

(b) Organisational Issues

Following discussions between officials of both authorities over
the past number of weeks, I summarise, under each Programme Group, the
following organisational issues, which will take effect from the
operative date:-

Housing

Limerick City Council will be the Housing Authority for the area
and will assume responsibility for three rented houses,
shared-ownership housing loans, RAS and the management of the 14 Bay
Halting Site at Lansdowne Bridge.

Roads

Limerick City Council will be the Roads Authority for the
area.Included among the road functions to be transferred are National
Primary, Regional and Local Roads, the School Warden Service (including
three existing wardens), Public Lighting, Road Planning and Parking
Bye-Laws.

Water Services

Limerick City Council will be the Water Services Authority for
the area.All the existing water services for the area will transfer to
the City Council and be administered by the City Council. To allow for
transfer of data and set up of customers Limerick County Council will
bill and collect for water services up to 30 June 2008 and Limerick
City Council will bill for the area in late 2008 or early 2009 for the
period to 31 December 2008.

Planning

Limerick City Council will assume responsibility as the Planning
Authority for the area.Transitional arrangements will be put in place
for applications on hand in the County Council’s area before the
operative date, including outstanding planning applications and
enforcement issues.The current Caherdavin Local Area Plan will continue
to have effect until a new Plan is made.All Development Levies due to
the County Council for developments commenced at the operative date
will fall to be paid to Limerick County Council.Development Levies on
permissions where work is not commenced by the operative date will be
the responsibility of Limerick City Council.

Environmental Protection

The main services in this Programme are Waste, Street Cleaning
and Fire Services (including building control & fire certificates)
and Limerick City Council will assume responsibility for the delivery
of these.

Recreation & Amenity; Agriculture, Education, Health & Welfare, Miscellaneous

The responsibilities of the County Council under these three
Programme Groups will transfer to Limerick City Council.Among the
services affected are the Library Service, Parks & Open Spaces,
Higher Education Grants, Register of Electors and Control of Dogs.

Rates

Limerick County Council will bill and collect rates for the area
for 2008. A financial adjustment will be agreed between Limerick City
and County Councils for the period from the operative date to 31
December 2008. The responsibility for collection of rates that are
outstanding at 31 December 2008 is the subject of further negotiation.

Limerick City Council will be responsible for all revisions and
submissions of new properties for valuation from 1 March 2008. Limerick
City Council will be responsible for the billing and collection of
property entry level levy from 1 March 2008. 

Financial Implications

Income and Expenditure Account

Following a detailed examination of the impact of the proposed
extension on the Income and Expenditure Account of the changes outlined
above, the financial impact for the next number of years has been
calculated. The main items of financial impact for Limerick County
Council are loss of rates on the income side and a reduction in the
cost of service delivery on the expenditure side, throughout all the
Programmes.Following consultation with Limerick County Council, it is
agreed that a net contribution of €200,000 should be made on an annual
basis by Limerick City Council to Limerick County Council, for a period
of six years, giving a total of €1.2m by way of compensation. The
financial impact on Limerick City Council is expected to be cost
neutral in 2008. If the Minister proceeds with the extension the
financial impact for 2008 Budget will be dealt with in the order or in
an agreement between Limerick City Council and Limerick County Council.

It has also been agreed that all non-operational assets,
including land and buildings, owned by the County Council in the area
will remain in the ownership of the County Council.

Any outstanding issues regarding Court Cases or other such
issues will be dealt with by the County Council where these matters
have been initiated before the operative date.Transitional arrangements
will also be made regarding limitation on rates in the added area, to
phase in adjustments between the county rate and the city rate.

All of these matters will be given a statutory basis by way of
Ministerial Order if the Minister proceeds with the proposed boundary
extension.

Conclusion

The proposed Limerick City Boundary Alteration outlined above
arises from a major Government Regeneration Initiative for the Moyross
Area of Limerick City.Limerick City Council has consistently indicated
its support for such a programme, which includes not only the Local
Government Sector but also other Public Sectors, including Justice,
Education, Enterprise and Employment and Social Welfare.The extension
is seen as an initiative that will co-ordinate services in the area
under one Authority and enable a Government Sponsored Programme to be
expedited as a result of having effective Local Government structures.

The limited extension proposed has received the support and
approval of Limerick City and County Councils in the interests of
effective and convenient Local Government.

30 January 2008