Delegates attending next Sunday’s Westmeath GAA County Convention will learn that income has increased in the county in the past year, largely due to a rise in gate receipts, up by over €36,000 on the 2013 figure.
By Damien Maher
It represents a good success for the county in terms of scheduling the many competitions and is a strong endorsement of the new ticket system in operation at Cusack Park, but the financial challenge remains a tough one for the County Board, with expenses of county teams standing at €550,438 in the past year and their ‘cash at bank’ falling by over €80,000 to €170,000. The considerable county teams expenses total represents a sharp increase (almost €120,000) on the corresponding figure in 2013 and one of the standout-out sums is that of €52,779 for back-up staff which stood at €25,238 for 2013.
“The new ticket system we have in place for games has proven a success,” commented County Board Chairman Sean Sheridan.
“It has been difficult to get used to for some people, but there is a need for patience. This system is the way forward and in future years, Westmeath will have to implement it at every ground in the county,” he said.
Mr Sheridan conceded that the cost of preparing county teams is a huge challenge, with Westmeath facing €50,000 a month in expenses of hurling and football panelists alone. Another significant cost was playing equipment, €63,000 this year as opposed to €41,000 in 2013. The county went through nine sets of adult jerseys during the year and the chairman said it’s an area that must be addressed.
“That’s money that could be used for player development, for example,” he explained.
Westmeath is investing heavily in training facilities both in Mullingar and Athlone which they hope will benefit the county in the future. Use of facilities stands at €31,583 for the past year, up from €21,175 on the 2013 figure. Buses and overnights cost €33,760, up from €21,650 in 2013. Players travel increased from almost €70,000 in 2013 to over €95,000 this year.
A team expenses grant of just under €20,000 will help meet the rising costs associated with fielding teams in Westmeath.
Westmeath GAA have fixed assets of over €1m, including Cusack Park (€1,121,187), Columb Barracks (€13,413), equipment (€146,750) and machinery and equipment (€25,303).
On the flip side, the County Board is owed significant money, totalling €473,84. There are some significant figures here, including €61,364 from the clubs of the county for insurance. While there was a renewed effort by the County Committee to get clubs to pay up this year, there remains a significant debt.
The money owed for the coaching levy has fallen, though, from €69,000 in 2013 to €56,000 this year and that will please the board.
“Clubs have responded well to our call and we have improved this debt. Most clubs have an easy payment plan in place and I would encourage all clubs to come on board and meet their commitments. Up to €80,000 has to be furnished to Croke Park by Westmeath at the start of the year and the early months are always challenging for us,” explained Sean Sheridan.
The Cusack Park account reveals that €42,749 was generated through rent in 2014, up slightly on the previous year’s figure of €42,634. Expenditure included rates (€3,728), light and heat (€9,147) and general repairs and upkeep (€20,240).
“We’re healthy, but finance is an ongoing challenge for us,” remarked Mr Sheridan.
“We faced huge expenses in recent years and don’t have the big county final gate that the likes of Kilkenny can boast, for example. But we want to have the best facilities for our players and it’s important to invest in our future,” he added.
County Convention takes place in Brownstown GAA Centre next Sunday, 21 December at 3pm
