A rather depressing evening yesterday having attended the monthly cabinet meeting at Hart. The cabinet were putting the finishing touches to next years budget before it is presented to the full council at the end of February. Like most councils and other organisations the recession has made coming up with a budget for next year particularly challenging.

It is clear that from April residents will be faced with an increase in their council tax bills, a reduction in some front line services and an increase in other charges.

What was most worrying about the figures presented last night is what has happened over the last 2 years to Hart’s financial reserves. In April 2008 The current Conservative administration took control of the council from a coalition of Lib Dems, Independents and councillors from the Community Campaign in Hart. Over the previous two years the coalition had built up the reserves from just over £1 million to £2.4 million. Now two years on the reserves are back down to just over a £1 million [the minimum level that is viewed as prudent for the council]. Over the past 2 years the council has spent much more than it had originally budgeted for and now the money has run out !