Sussex councils urged to raid their piggy banks (From The Argus)
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Sussex councils urged to raid their piggy banks
3:00pm Wednesday 1st December 2010 in News By Andy Tate, Parliamentary Correspondent
Councils were today told it was time to raid their multi-million pound piggy banks to head off cutbacks.
Communities Secretary Eric Pickles released records showing how much money town halls have set aside in their reserve accounts with Sussex councils holding on to more than £387 million between them.
All local authorities are required to have an emergency pot of savings to cover unexpected costs such as "necessary restructuring" but the cabinet minister insists the current economic climate means they must use some of the stashed cash to plug funding shortfalls.
Although there is no hard and fast rule Whitehall officials said local authorities would be expected to have reasonable reserves - around 2-5% - to get accounts signed off.
East Sussex County Council's vault holds £130.4 million - the fourth highest cash figure nationally, equivalent to 18.1% of its revenue budget.
Crawley Borough Council topped the league when it came to councils with the highest percentage reserves held compared to their budget at 202% while Chichester came in at eighth on 121.4%.
A spokesman for Crawley Borough Council said measures had already been agreed to use council reserves in the next financial year.
He said "As Crawley is a new town the council inherited many assets including a large number of council houses and land. Over the years assets have been sold which has generated income.
"Much of the council’s reserves can only be spent on capital projects by law and as a result the council has an extensive capital programme, spending £43m in 2010/11 and 2011/12 and £5m each year for the following three years. This will fund decent homes work, neighbourhood regeneration, flood alleviation and many other capital schemes. The interest we earn on our reserves funds some of our day-to-day services."
A spokeswoman for Chichester District Council said: “All of our reserves, except £10 million, are committed to capital projects, which have been approved and are underway.
“We recognise the difficulties ahead and so it is prudent to maintain a certain level of reserves to assist the council through these times. To use all of our reserves would be irresponsible and could have severe implications on our taxpayers.”
For a full break down see today's Argus.
Comments(11)
Warren Morgan
says...
3:21pm Wed 1 Dec 10
I'm sure those nursery staff and youth workers, along with other council employees who face redundancy next year will appreciate that...
Andy R
says...
3:30pm Wed 1 Dec 10
brunswick63 wrote:Yaaawwwn....! The Council does not have and never has had a "Celebrating Diversity Unit" Do try to remember....your Daily Mail is for wrapping your fish and chips in.
B and H council could start saving money by ditching all of it's politically-correct vanity projects; exactly how much does the councils 'Celebrating Diversity Unit' cost the taxpayer?
brunswick63
says...
3:42pm Wed 1 Dec 10
Andy R wrote:You claim B and H council doesn't have a 'Celebrating Diversity Unit'? Oh Andy, the lengths you'll go to to uphold the principles of multiculturalism! Do try harder; lying doesn't help to embolden your argument.....
brunswick63 wrote:Yaaawwwn....! The Council does not have and never has had a "Celebrating Diversity Unit" Do try to remember....your Daily Mail is for wrapping your fish and chips in.
B and H council could start saving money by ditching all of it's politically-correct vanity projects; exactly how much does the councils 'Celebrating Diversity Unit' cost the taxpayer?
Magnatron2010
says...
3:52pm Wed 1 Dec 10
Andy R wrote:i did work for the councils diversity unit from the mid to late '90s; are you saying that I imagined it all? you don't happen to be councillor trying to defend its expenditure are you? by the way, i stopped working there due to their outrageous practice of using tax-payers money for the most ridiculous politically-correct projects
brunswick63 wrote:Yaaawwwn....! The Council does not have and never has had a "Celebrating Diversity Unit" Do try to remember....your Daily Mail is for wrapping your fish and chips in.
B and H council could start saving money by ditching all of it's politically-correct vanity projects; exactly how much does the councils 'Celebrating Diversity Unit' cost the taxpayer?
Andy R
says...
4:01pm Wed 1 Dec 10
brunswick63 wrote:What does that even mean? There never was a "Celebrating Diversity Unit". But if I am "lying" you'll be able to prove it easily enough won't you?
Andy R wrote:You claim B and H council doesn't have a 'Celebrating Diversity Unit'? Oh Andy, the lengths you'll go to to uphold the principles of multiculturalism! Do try harder; lying doesn't help to embolden your argument.....brunswick63 wrote: B and H council could start saving money by ditching all of it's politically-correct vanity projects; exactly how much does the councils 'Celebrating Diversity Unit' cost the taxpayer?Yaaawwwn....! The Council does not have and never has had a "Celebrating Diversity Unit" Do try to remember....your Daily Mail is for wrapping your fish and chips in.
Magnatron2010
says...
4:04pm Wed 1 Dec 10
Andy R wrote:I can hardly help suspecting....
brunswick63 wrote:What does that even mean? There never was a "Celebrating Diversity Unit". But if I am "lying" you'll be able to prove it easily enough won't you?
Andy R wrote:You claim B and H council doesn't have a 'Celebrating Diversity Unit'? Oh Andy, the lengths you'll go to to uphold the principles of multiculturalism! Do try harder; lying doesn't help to embolden your argument.....brunswick63 wrote: B and H council could start saving money by ditching all of it's politically-correct vanity projects; exactly how much does the councils 'Celebrating Diversity Unit' cost the taxpayer?Yaaawwwn....! The Council does not have and never has had a "Celebrating Diversity Unit" Do try to remember....your Daily Mail is for wrapping your fish and chips in.
Andy R
says...
4:06pm Wed 1 Dec 10
Magnatron2010 wrote:"...are you saying that I imagined it all? "
Andy R wrote:i did work for the councils diversity unit from the mid to late '90s; are you saying that I imagined it all? you don't happen to be councillor trying to defend its expenditure are you? by the way, i stopped working there due to their outrageous practice of using tax-payers money for the most ridiculous politically-correct projectsbrunswick63 wrote: B and H council could start saving money by ditching all of it's politically-correct vanity projects; exactly how much does the councils 'Celebrating Diversity Unit' cost the taxpayer?Yaaawwwn....! The Council does not have and never has had a "Celebrating Diversity Unit" Do try to remember....your Daily Mail is for wrapping your fish and chips in.
Well...yes...quite possibly! Sort of sounds like you might have done!
B G Gruff
says...
6:55pm Wed 1 Dec 10
Arriseme
says...
7:52pm Wed 1 Dec 10
TheInsider
says...
9:12pm Wed 1 Dec 10
I find it astonishing that ordinary folk off the street, elected onto a council can over-rule Employment Law and help themselves to residents' money to pay off staff instead of going through HR process and managing people out of jobs or making them perform.
brunswick63 says...
3:08pm Wed 1 Dec 10