Conservatives at Essex County Council are underspending on services and banking up millions of pounds in reserve funds, according to a new report. The report, on the council's finances for 2007/08, was discussed and approved at a meeting of the council's cabinet at County Hall. Speaking about the report, Cllr Tom Smith-Hughes, Liberal Democrats group leader on Essex County Council, said:

"Underspending on the council's budget and services, and building up reserve funds, is something that I have been questioning for some time with the council's administration. I'm really not sure how taking council tax from hard-working people and squirreling it away in reserve funds is of benefit to the taxpayer.

As there are county council elections next year, can it be that the Conservatives are banking up an 'election fund' which they can use to announce a low council tax rise and to spend on some eye-catching, but hollow, electorally pleasing gimmicks? The council's latest stunt to offer a job to the runner-up of television's The Apprentice spectacularly backfired when the council admitted they had no intention of offering a job at all.

It is galling enough for council tax payers in Essex that our council tax has risen by 120% over the past 10 years. To then find out that hard earned cash is not being spent on the things I and my constituents would like, such as filling in potholes and providing facilities for young people, but to bolster up excessive reserves for electoral purposes is an outrage."