Council funds still not spent

More than £400k left over

More than £400,000 Devon County councillors have to spend in their local area remains unused.

It equates to roughly £6 out of every £10 that the 60 councillors combined have in their so-called locality budgets.

And with local elections due in May next year, councillors have been urged to submit requests to use the money no later than Friday 14 February, with approvals set to be confirmed by 1 March.

Data shows that £402,078 remains unspent, with only £253,031 allocated.

Each councillor has an annual locality budget, to be used as a last resort, of £8,000 that they can spend on local needs each financial year.

The money can be rolled over into new financial years, meaning some councillors have more than their annual amount.

For instance, Cllr Paul Crabb (Conservative, Ilfracombe) has more than £19,000 left, while Cllr Marcus Hartnell (Conservative, Seaton & Colyton) has the second-largest amount to use, at £13,725, and Cllr Jeffrey Wilton-Love (Conservative, Bideford West & Hartland) is just behind on £13,259.

It is possible that some requests are in the pipeline.

Councillors can support projects or activities that benefit the communities they represent. Ideally, applications should be in line with the council’s objectives and priorities, which include improving health and wellbeing, helping communities be safe, connected and resilient, and supporting sustainable economic recovery.

The council’s procedures committee says any unspent money carried forward or new funding given in the new 2025/26 financial year should be deferred until after May’s local election.