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Liberal Democrat Ray Earwicker says savings of £593,847 is too much Sandhurst Town Council
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Sandhurst Town Council denies "sitting on cash mountain" claim

By James Chapple
October 16, 2012

A council ‘sitting on a cash mountain of nearly £600,000’ should ‘come clean’ or pay money back to taxpayers, according to opposition councillors.

Bracknell Liberal Democrats accused Sandhurst Town Council of taking money from taxpayers under ‘false pretences’ and said holding back such a large sum of cash was ‘disproportionate’ and ‘out of line’ with other authorities of its size.

The Conservative-led town council responded that it was simply ‘prudent financial management’ to ensure the council was prepared in the event of any unplanned expense.

The council ended the year with assets totalling £593,847 – some £30,000 more than the council received in council tax for the year.

This includes £382,352 set aside in ‘earmarked reserves’ of which a further £153,000 is kept back for ‘future capital projects’, according to the council’s books which are made public every year.

The Lib Dems, however, say capital spending – major spending projects in the community – have been ‘minimal’ in recent years.

The council’s spending on capital projects fell from £15,479 to £9,366 in 2010/11 to 2011/12.

Ray Earwicker, Bracknell Lib Dem spokesman, said: “There had been no public announcement about the need for this money and I suspect the council has simply been building up a war-chest of cash for the future at the taxpayers’ expense.

“It should come clean and say what the money was intended for or give it back to local council taxpayers.

“A public consultation to establish the views of residents would not come amiss.

“The last one by the Conservative-dominated council nearly 10 years ago could have been used to follow up the programme of improvements initiated by the Lib Dems in the 1990s, but it wasn’t.”

However Cllr Nick Allen, chairman of strategy and policy, said Mr Earwicker’s contentions demonstrated a ‘lack of understanding’ of council finance.

“Sandhurst Town Council is a well- run council and does what a lot of people do – set aside funds for future projects such as enhancing the balancing pond or improving the play area.

“We do this over time in small sums so we don’t get large, unplanned expense that might need a sharp rise in council tax, like the one the Liberal Democrats had when in control of council in the 1990s, where they raised the precept a staggering 47 per cent in one year and still failed to deliver a single project of any long term value to the community.”

Cllr Allen said the council was in regular contact with its residents to ensure their wishes are met: “The council enjoys a high level of customer satisfaction with the services we provide.

“Our accounts are available for public inspection and during this year’s public consultation period, no one queried the accounts.”

He added the £382,000 in reserves will be, or has already been, spent on maintaining and enhancing local facilities while the £155,000 set aside for future projects would be mainly allocated to long-term planned maintenance.

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Most recent user comments 5 of 5

Cllr Nick Allen's insulting attempts to belittle Ray Earwicker by claiming that he shows ‘lack of understanding’ of council finance is likely to turn off voters to the Tories failed administration. Ray is a well respected local campaigner, former councillor, Town Mayor and parliamentary candidate who has helped run many local charities such as WRVS Meal-on-Wheels and the Sandhurst Day Centre.

Winstanley claims “that this smacks of opportunism and a case of Mr Earwicker recognising the looming disintegration of his party at the next election”. Justified criticism of the Tories misusing taxpayer’s money can never be opportunism. A mid term opinion poll averaged over the UK has little bearing on the election result in Bracknell Forest in 2015. The Lib Dems have quietly been taking council seats off the Tories and gained one in Maidenhead last week. We are the main challengers to the Tories in Sandhurst, so a vote for anyone else won’t get rid of the Tories. What is holding us back is that we don’t have donors like local businessman John Nike who donates over £100,000 p.a. to the Tories or enough community minded people like Ray Earwicker who are prepared to stand for election.

Bracknell Lib Dems
02/11/2012 at 13:41

Tory councillor Nick Allen claims that the Lib Dems “failed to deliver a single project of any long term value to the community”, when they were in control of the Sandhurst Town Council during the 1990s. Cllr Allen is never one to let the facts get in the way of a good argument. The fact is the Lib Dems delivered amongst other things:

* The Coffee Spot in the Memorial Park

* The first skateboarding ramp

* The first & only hard-standing play area

* The cricket pavilion

* Football field

* Tennis courts

* Public toilets

* A much needed clean-up of the balancing pond

* A much-improved Owlsmoor Park including a Memorial Garden for Dr Stilliard (of the Sandhurst Group Practice)

Sandhurst residents may well wonder what the Tories have done in their 13 odd years in office? We would love to know, answers on the back of a postcard (or emailed) please, our address can be found on our website: http://bracknelllibdems.org.uk

When the Lib Dems were in office in Sandhurst we secured public support for the many new projects listed above, aimed at improving the range and quality of the amenities. Council tax was increased only once (by 25p a week on average) and costs were strictly controlled.

Since the Conservatives regained control of the Council in 2000, the tax bill for the average property in Sandhurst has risen by more than 40% (£20 a year) but they have nothing to show for it. They have simply hoarded the money and sat on a mountain of cash, equivalent to more than a year's council tax (£561,646), meanwhile inflation is rapidly eroding the value of this cash mountain.

Bracknell Lib Dems
02/11/2012 at 12:32

While I'm no fan of the Tories and welcome any opportunity to kick them in the shins, I have to say that this smacks of opportunism and a case of Mr Earwicker recognising the looming disintegration of his party at the next election. He's building his part up.

You can guarantee Mr Earwicker would be bashing the council if there was not enough money!

Winstanley, Bracknell
16/10/2012 at 15:53

I'd like a chocolate tea pot.

Beef, Bracknell
16/10/2012 at 15:23

Having large amounts of money available in ready cash in local councils in general makes councils more open to undertaking silly vanity projects. look at your own personal expenses, consider what you'd spend £660K on, it will include a number of silly projects, I dont think councils are any different. this is your chance Sandhurst locals to put in for a hand carved solid oak bus shelter or stainless steel elevated fish pond. All local politicians become less accountable when money is freely available.