Money, money, money‏

Many councils are citing financial problems for cutting jobs and services, and it is important that UNISON activists are able to get reliable and useful information to check what the real financial situation is. In the East Midlands, the regional office has made a series of Freedom of Information (FOI) requests on agency workers and consultants' costs, chief executives' pay, and they have also made FOI requests to councils about their levels of reserves.

They have uncovered startling information that some councils have very high levels of reserves compared to their expenditure. It is clear these councils can use their reserves to help support their budget budgets and UNISON branches will be using this information to fight against cuts to jobs and services.

The full story about reserves and a list of the reserves in all 45 councils in the East Midlands is here on the region's Local Government Matters campaign blog.