Monaco’s municipal council has met in a special session to discuss amending the 2020 budget for the second time this year and included new expenses incurred, with the lion’s share going towards financing additional works at the Jardin Exotique.
A revised budget has been approved by the Monaco Town Hall for the second time since the Covid crisis began, this time revising upward to pay for additional expenses to make repairs at the Jardin Exotique.
Work at the Jardin Exotique has been overdue, but also necessary as there have been reports that some bridges are in need of repair as well as several false rocks which are unstable.
As was laid out in the meeting, “This work is made necessary following an audit concluding that there is imminent danger concerning some of these bridges as well as several false rocks. It was therefore decided to take the opportunity of closing the garden to the public until the end of 2020 to carry out all of this work.”
An additional €50,000 was approved for footbridge reparation, on top of the original estimate of €450,000. For the false rocks, a sum of €660,000 has been approved after an estimate made by the municipal technical services department.
The rocks, many of which are a hazard, will either be removed and replaced with plants or will be resealed with a new coating to make them safe once more.
In total, therefore, a new investment of €710,000 will be financed by a levy on the municipal financial fund. This increases the total number for the current year to €3,135,000 while the forecasts of income and expenditure are increased to €71,372,000.
The budget was also altered to reflect another increase of €113,000 for management costs and a decrease in €133,000 for entertainment, events and communication costs.
After these revisions, the revenue of the municipal budget is established with a lump-sum operating allowance €47,516,700 including a provision of equipment and intervention on behalf of the State equalling €6,510,600, products of the municipality coming to €14,209,700; and exceptional revenue, meaning deductions from the municipal financial fund, of €135,000.
Additionally, in light of this year’s special situation, mayor Georges Marsan has decided that, “in order to encourage economic recovery and limit the negative impact of this health crisis, not to increase the prices of the municipal service – shops, halls and markets for the year 2021.” This proposal, like the others, was passed unanimously.