Suffolk County Council have £68 million in the bank but are slashing services...

Eric Pickles addressing the Tory Party Conference

Suffolk County Council are going around telling anyone who will listen that they have no money.

So little money that they cannot continue to fund school crossing patrols (which cost only £174 000 a year) and need to slash at least 30% from the £9 million a year library budget.

I think most Suffolk taxpayers would be surprised that in fact Suffolk County Council not only has £68 million of reserves in the bank but these reserves are actually projected to increase this year...

Writing in The Sun earlier this week, Eric Pickles the Communities Secretary responsible for Local Government said:

SENSIBLE financial planning is about putting cash away when the sun is shining so you have some cover during the rainy days. 

These reserves exist to ensure councils can react to unforeseen situations like tackling the country's unprecedented level of debt. 

People will be shocked that councils have £10billion stashed away when they hear stories of service and job cuts.

Earlier this month the Liberal Democrat opposition proposed an amendment to the Tories County Council budget that would have seen school crossing patrols saved, the eXplore card retained, waste sites staying open and libraries saved. Caroline Page blogs about this and their plan included the use of some of the Council's reserves. If this isn't a rainy enough day to use this money when is?