A HAMPSHIRE councillor has taken her concerns over a council's lack of transparency on its budget to senior figures in Government.

Mims Davies, MP for Eastleigh, said she will also be asking a question on the issue of Eastleigh Borough Council's finances in Parliament.

This comes after the Liberal Democrat-run council approved its 2016/2017 budget, but has yet to reveal details of how it will reduce its budget by almost £1million.

The council needs to shave £4.7 million off its budget in a five year period.

As reported, the council's spending has dropped from £10.9million last year to £9.8million.

This has led to calls from residents and politicians for greater transparency about how taxpayers' money is spent and saved.

Council bosses have previously said budget savings had come through generating more income and by improving the way services are provided.

Ms Davies, a Conservative, told how she has raised her concerns about lack of transparency with Secretary for the Department of Communities and Local Government Greg Clark.

She said: "In law, it is the council’s responsibility to set a balanced budget and the council tax rate and, as I have said before, I very much want them to be candid in the choices they are making so that residents can be in possession of all the facts.

"The council has a £154 million gap in its plans and it needs to be clear how it will make savings, and not to play games with this important procedure.

"Having been a local councillor myself, I recognise that making savings is always a challenge and I urge Eastleigh Borough Council to use all the opportunities given to them by central government to set a balanced, clear and appropriate budget."

This comes after the Daily Echo reported yesterday how Cllr Suzy Hamel was axed from cabinet having voiced concerns about the council's level of debt, which will stand at £154million at the end of this year.

The council says £28million being borrowed this year relates largely to redeveloping Fleming Park Leisure Centre and the town's upcoming Marks and Spencer store.

But it failed to explain how the council was involved in that project, though it says it is not buying the land or building.

A spokesman said: “Eastleigh Borough Council has and will continue to borrowing prudentially to invest in assets - principally property - that will generate future income, allowing us to protect frontline services and continue to deliver real-term reductions in council tax in the face of year-on-year cuts in our grant from government.

"The existing borrowing has been spent on acquiring our significant income-generating property portfolio.”

The council would not give the Echo any further details on what borrowing had been spent on.