Spending is up at council, despite £1million budget woes

IT may be facing up to a £1million black hole in its finances, but spending at East Cambridgeshire District Council in June was up almost 25 per cent on last year.

According to its own figures, the council spent £735,228.60 on items over £500 in June, compared with £556,791.39 in the same month a year previously, an increase of about 24 per cent year on year.

The news comes just weeks after the council revealed it would have to find almost £1million in savings by 2015 in order to balance its budget.

The figures published for June show that hotels and guests houses in and around Ely once again enjoyed a bumper month, with the distinct council paying for accommodation for people and families made homeless.

The Castle Hotel, in New Barns Road, collected some £15,287.50, The Nyton Hotel, in Barton Road, received £2,130.02, Ely Guest House was paid £2,640 and Hallcroft House, in Soham, paid £3,600.

Training firms also enjoyed a good month at the taxpayer’s expense, with £650 paid to the Association of Electoral Administrators for providing election training, £675 paid to UK Fire Training for ‘fire marshal training’ and £765 paid to All Things Training for teaching staff how to handle used needles and other waste drug products.

Ely Citizen’s Advice Bureaux received £26,673 in grant funding, while Newmarket and District Citizen’s Advice Bureaux was also paid, receiving £11,583 in grants.

£593.10 was handed over to Ely Cathedral for providing a guided tour for Rickmandsworth and District and Greater Thame U3A.

The district council was compelled to pay out £6546.55 in compensation and legal costs following a length planning wrangle in Hod Hall Lane, Haddenham.