MINISTER FOR THE Environment, Community and Local Government Phil Hogan has published a plan to provide for the amalgamation of Limerick City and County Councils by mid-2014.

The plan is to “set the course” for the unification of the two councils into a single local authority. The new authority is to have its HQ in Limerick City Hall.

Among the proposals in the plan, which can be read in full here, are:

The number of senior grades at management level will be reduced by 40 per cent – there will also be a new Workforce plan to organise where people and resources will be allocated across all sections of the council (this will lead to a reduction of 20 per cent in staff across the authorities)

Cost savings of €6.1m must be identified by January 2015 to reduce the commercial rates in Limerick City and bring them in line with Limerick County level

The hope is that the amalgamation of the two authorities will help drive economic development in Limerick and in the Mid-West Region. A non-statutory High Level Economic Group will be established to try to deliver jobs and investment to the area

There will be a focus on redeveloping strategic derelict sites in Limerick city centre (a new Directorate for Regeneration is to be established)

There will be a bid to “rebrand Limerick in order to create a new and positive image for Limerick based upon its rich cultural and sporting heritage.

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