More details have emerged of the draft budget being proposed by Waterford City and County Council.
Councillors are due to discuss and vote on various proposals over the next few weeks.
WLR has learned the Council is planning to expand the budget by 5.5% from €183m this year to €195m next year.
They expect to raise nearly €600,000 from the Local Property Tax and another €1.4m in more rates income.
That would still leave a shortfall of €1.2m, which the local authority is proposing will be met by an increase in commercial rates of up to 3% which would allow the local authority to meet its budget objectives.
Within the figures, Waterford City and County Council is due to increase its “Housing and Building” expenditure budget from €38m this year to €44.4m next year; income from the same sector is due to increase from €44.1m to €52.3m over the next twelve months.
Pensions and lump sum charges to the council will be €1.6m in the red next year.
Tourism promotion is due to increase from €660,000 to €1.1m; public lighting operating costs are expected to increase from €2.1m to €3m; spending on social inclusion is due to decrease from €6.1m to €5.6m.
The figures also presented to councillors show that the amount of money the Council takes in from rates as a percentage of overall income will fall from 23.4% from 2020 to 19.8% next year.
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