HDC is £1.9 million under budget for 2009/10

According to the annual accounts in a Report to the Corporate Governance Panel HDC underspent the 2009/10 budget by £1.9 million. Good News? If the underspends are sustainable this is good news. If these savings are "one off" then not so much good news.

In the report is says:

The £1.9 million underspend has been put into a special reserve to pave the way for future changes in services. The Town and Parish Councils should remember this money is available when HDC starts getting rid of services.

But that isn't the only piece of information in the accounts. Included are the pay and benefits of the most senior council officers.

That isn't the whole news. On the list of officers paid over £50,000 the number has increased by 8 from 29 to 37. As this Conservative administration has been telling us the need to make cuts more officers are earning more money. Who is running this Council? The Councillors or the Officers?