Following the report that public toilets may have to shut due to a shortage of funds, it seems we should all start to undertake some lateral thinking.

The average home in Rochford district pays £1,500 per year for the services provided by the local authority. We should all start querying every bill the council pays on our behalf. It is our money and we need to know it is being spent wisely.

The annual accounts are a work of almost fiction, with block sums being entered for huge departments that are meaningless to the general public.

Vast sums are pulled together as “miscellaneous”

expenses with no explanation. Yes, they make the books balance, but given the debacle of accounting practices in the banking system it would be no surprise to find creative accounting is covering up massive waste in our local authorities.

I suggest a forensic inspection of council receipts and expenditure by a small forum of volunteer local retired financial experts to ascertain if there is any room for savings.

As a first step in saving taxpayers’ money, councillors should show leadership and offer to drastically reduce the money they claim in expenses for the “voluntary” work they do on our behalf.

I would suggest a 50 per cent cut. Given that county councillor Stephen Castle received £54,000 in expenses for the year 2010/2011 and that £94,000 was paid in pension contributions by Essex County Council for county councillors, in the same year, this would make a massive difference.

Linda Kendall
Lubbards Close
Rayleigh