COLUMN: We're working to keep council finances in order

However, thanks to sound officer advice and good understanding within the Labour administration, we have agreed on a number of measures to help fill the gap.

Over the next five years Ashfield needs to find £3.7 million. This next financial year we have to find £1m of this £3.7m gap in our general fund. Our investment in commercial property has been a very sensible decision, adding at least £450,000 to this £1m, almost 50 per cent.

We are not complacent in this though and will continue to look for other investment opport-unities.

Other measures to counter this deficit includes seeing how we can offer even better services to our residents. Our recent budget information leaflet outlined some of these measures. Many thanks to residents who sent in comments from this.

Contrary to other local politicians’ beliefs, we are not awash with money in our reserves. Although accounting procedures insist on using language like useable, what this means is that money is available but it has been allocated to enable your council to function and deliver the services you expect – IT investment to improve customer service, council asset improvements, well maintained homes and housing services – where the vast majority is allocated and ring-fenced as per government require-ments.

We have a limited amount in our reserves, currently £4.4m, that is not allocated and each year, like this, we add a proportion to the general fund to help with this government funding gap. Within the next few years, we will have to use most of this, leaving just £1.35m to counter unforeseen emergencies.

What would you prefer? Sound and prudent financial manage-ment by the Labour admin-istration or a raid on our reserves to spend on projects of the other parties within Ashfield? We will do all that is needed to ensure our finances are in the best condition, it’s what you would expect and therefore what we will deliver.