Spending up despite hard times at district council

Spending at cash-strapped East Cambridgeshire District Council in January was up by more than £15,000 year-on-year.

The latest figures published by the authority showed that, back in January, the council shelled out £630,810.34, up from £615,040.88 a year earlier, an increase of more than 2.6 per cent.

The news comes at a time when the authority is facing a funding shortfall of more than £3million for its 2017/18 budget.

But the increase was largely put down to the continuing cost of introducing its wheelie bin recycling service, for which the authority received a £5million grant from Government.

Also during the month, the council paid Soham Town Council £1,232 towards the cost of hanging baskets for the town and £1,062 to Ely’s Newnham Street Carpets to fit out Oliver Cromwell House.

A bill for £3,182.80 in consultants fees to manage the Croylands application for the council was paid to Hutchinsons.

Leicester City Council received £5,316.66 for equipment to carry out air quality monitoring in Ely and £922.35 was paid to UNISON to cover the cost of staff membership fees.

Repairs to Ely’s Paradise Pool set taxpayers back some £3,730 and a further £700 was paid out for a slot on an advertising board at the Ely branch of Tesco.

£1,000 was paid to Cambs Light Removals for their services moving items belonging to someone who had lost their home from Littleport to Soham and £8772.50 was paid for the installation of a new CCTV camera in Ely’s country park.