Hertfordshire Lib Dems learned today that the projected underspend at County Hall this financial year has topped £21m. Just £4.2m of this is needed to carry into next financial year, to finish off delayed projects.
Conservative-led County Hall still intend putting £7.7m into topping up reserves, and have now suggested paying off further debt with the extra £9.1m windfall, despite having the 2nd lowest debt of any comparable UK local authority.
This is all despite the Conservative Administration recently deciding to raise Council Tax, piling misery onto hard-pushed families, to raise just £4m extra.
Paul Zukowskyj, Lib Dem spokesperson on Resources commented “We suggested, as we have done so many times before, that squirreling money away in the bank while our roads start to resemble the lunar surface isn’t what residents want. They want roads and pavements and other services that are fit for purpose.
“The Tories at County Hall simply can’t see that they’re fiddling while roads break.”