Annual Report 2011.pdf (size 6 MB) - Offaly County Council

The actual allocation to all the Area Engineers in 2011 for
County Road Maintenance was €1,291,700 (inclusive of a charge
of €325,979 for Machinery Yard and Stores). Therefore,
effectively, the funds available to the Area Engineers in 2011 for
County Road Maintenance were €965,721. In 2010 this
allocation was €1,291,000 and in 2009 was €1,303,740. The
2009 and 2010 allocations did not include a charge for
Machinery Yard and Stores. Therefore, the actual funds available
to the Area Engineers in 2011,was 26% less than in 2009 and
2010. The effect of this is the level of service is greatly reduced.
Less maintenance including patching is carried out resulting in a
deteriorated County Road network. This in turn can lead to an
increase in public liability claims. The grant allocations from the
NRA and DOT are used to supplement the County Roads
allocations by carrying out as much as possible of the grant
works by direct labour. However the 2010 Memorandum on
Non-National Road grants limits the eligibility of certain
expenditure against state grants. This means that we are more
dependant on our own resources to pay wages, allowances, travel
& subsistence etc. During 2011 it was a struggle to maintain an
acceptable level of service based on the allocation provided from
our own resources. Any further reductions in this allocation
would result in a dramatic fall off in the maintenance/condition
of the County Road network.
Public Lighting (2011: NRA Allocation €81,146 ; Own
Resources Allocation €467,000)
This allocation is divided approximately 60% energy and 40%
maintenance. The energy costs increased by approximately 15%
in 2011 due to the introduction of a DUOS (Distribution Unit of
Service) charge by the ESB with a further increase of 11.5%
expected in 2012. The long term objective of Offaly County
Council is to replace the existing inefficient lamps
(orange/yellow) on the public lighting network over a 5 year
period at a cost of €800,000.
Some savings were achieved in 2011 on the maintenance
element of Public Lighting.
The public lighting network consists of network (light on pole
where you also have overhead electrical wires) and non network
(light only with no overhead wires) poles. It is a requirement of
the ESB that shared assets are de-bundled i.e. separate light from
ESB apparatus. It is an objective of Offaly County Council to
carry out this de-bundling on a phased basis. The estimate to
carry out this work for the County is approximately €500,000.
Any savings made in the maintenance budget at present are reinvested
in the asset de-bundling.
Smarter Travel
Additional funding of €410,000 was received from the DOT
under the smarter travel initiative for the following projects in
2011: -
1. Cycle routes in Tullamore Town €240,000
2. Cycle route “ Carneys Route” Moneygall €30,000
3. Riverside Walk Camcor Birr €50,000
4. Bicycle Parking in Tullamore Town €30,000
5. Pedestrian Crossing Edenderry Town €30,000
6. Public Lighting along walkway on Camcor river €30,000
Local Improvement Schemes ( 2011 Allocation 70,000)
This allowed for the completion of 3 schemes in 2011
Offaly Local Authorities Annual Report 2011
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