Why council defence of reserves falls flat

COSLA and it's member councils are today facing the fact that they have yet again been found lying to their constituents with their increases in council tax (constitutents call it poll tax) twice the level of inflation.

"After the Accounts Commission revealed they were sitting on £1bn of reserves while jacking up council tax at more than twice the rate of inflation last year, any future claims of poverty and quiet heroism will fall flat.

Squirreling away that kind of money while roads are potholed and old people wait for care home beds will go down as badly with voters as it will with ministers. Cosla's acidic response yesterday – blaming the commission for issuing the £1bn figure instead of trying to defend it – will only damage the case further. "

More information in this article by by Tom Gordon in The Herald