A 5% rates increase for Longford businesses has been adopted.
Councillors were divided over the rate in recent days with the Council executive initially proposing a hike of 10%.
Councillor Seamus Butler believes the rates should not have been increased and funds from the council's rainy day fund should have been used for the €620,000 gap in the local authorities budget reserves.
On Friday a vote was taken with ten votes to six majority passing the 5% increase.
Councillor Butler says he's disappointed.
''We have sufficient reserves and other monies coming in that doesn't necessitate raising the right rates. We haven't risen the rates in Longford in over 10 years because we've been prudent. It sends out the wrong message to the business community and as I said, with the rainy day fund we have, there's an absolute storm coming into the new year, and we should use those rainy day funds and not raise the rates in 2023.''
