§ Mr. SpringTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what the most recent information is on the current reserves held by the county councils of(a) Suffolk, (b) Essex, (c) Cambridgeshire and (d) Norfolk; and what the figures were 12 and 24 months previously.
§ Mr. Robert B. JonesThe available information is as follows:
Local Authority Reserves 1 April 1992 to 1 April 1994
The latest available estimates of the level of reserves as at 1 April 1992 to 1 April 1994 are attached. These are split, where possible, into schools' reserves ('LMS'), and other ('Non-LMS'). Non-LMS reserves include funds, which may be substantial, held for specified purposes which may not be available to the council for general use—for example, funds to finance capital projects to which the authority is committed; and insurance funds where the authority is bearing its own insurance risks.
These estimates are subject to amendment as authorities finalise their accounts. Compatible data on the use of balances in 1994–95 which would be needed to derive an 896W estimate of the level of reserves at 1 April 1995 is not yet available.
1 April 19921 £000 1 April 19932 £000 1 April 19943 £000 Suffolk LMS n/a 13,120 13,120 Non-LMS n/a 21,388 14,982 Total 16,051 34,508 28,102 Essex LMS n/a 25,039 25,039 Non-LMS n/a 20,311 49,465 Total 39,373 45,350 74,504 Cambridgeshire LMS n/a 8,469 7,930 Non-LMS n/a 45,343 48,602 Total 48,119 53,812 56,532 Norfolk LMS n/a 9,059 9,059 Non-LMS n/a 21,915 24,791 Total 13,109 30,974 33,850 Sources: 1 Level of reserves (outturn) at 1/4/92 (RS returns for 1992–93). 2 Level of reserves (outturn) at 1/4/93 (RS returns for 1993–94). 3 Level of reserves (outturn) at 1/4/93 +/- appropriations to/withdrawals from reserves 1993–94 (RS returns for 1993–94).