It was pointed out at a meeting last week that Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council has more than £6.5million in unspent developers’ contributions. This is cash given to the council by developers to be spent on the community. If it isn’t spent, guess who it returns to? The property developers.

With local elections on the horizon, residents will rightly be questioning how much value for money they are getting from their local council at present.

The town’s ice rink is in desperate need of repair while Basingstoke Town Community Football Club has put forward a strong case to get back to The Camrose (part owned by Basingstoke & Deane Borough Council). Why can’t these unspent funds go towards helping these much-loved institutions?

Katie French, Editor