A SENIOR Government figure has joined critics of a Hampshire council under fire because it will not reveal how it will make £1million savings.

Leader of the House of Commons Chris Grayling said it was important that Eastleigh Borough Council and its leader Keith House should be clear about what difficult decisions it had taken and why.

He was responding to a question from Eastleigh MP Mims Davies who said it was vital councils openly discussed budget decisions to maintain trust in politics.

The Daily Echo has reported how the council has come in for fierce criticism after its recently-approved budget failed to set out where nearly £1million of efficiency savings would come from.

Former cabinet member Suzy Hamel was sacked by Cllr House for speaking out about her concerns over the estimated £154million the council will have borrowed for secret projects by the end of 2016/17.

She hit out at leader Keith House’s “iron rule”, even likening him to Russian president Vladimir Putin, while Conservative and UKIP opposition figures have also accused him of a lack of transparency and being “undemocratic” over where the cuts will fall and what the money is being borrowed for.

Cllr House, who takes home around £70,000 from his borough and county council roles, is no stranger to controversy.

He faced calls for his resignation, having been embroiled in a love triangle when he struck up a relationship with Cllr Tonia Craig, having ended his 14-year relationship with Cllr Louise Bloom.

Cllr Craig was promoted to join the cabinet as member for health and safety – alongside Cllr House and his former partner.

He also came under fire for promising to buy the Hilton Ageas hotel at the home of Hampshire cricket for £27.4million in 2012. The project was halted for six months in October 2013, when main contractor Denizen went into administration.

Speaking in the Commons, Ms Davies said: “Local councils must help to maintain trust in politics by openly discussing and transparently agreeing their budget, and by explaining the savings, efficiencies and programmes that they will undertake.

“Does the Leader of the House agree that councils such as Eastleigh Borough Council must lead the way, because it is struggling to explain openly its future budgets to the public?

“May we have a debate on open and balanced council budget setting, so that MPs can highlight the importance of vital local decisions and how they must be clearly and roundly understood by residents?”

Mr Grayling said she made an “important point”, adding: “There is a curious irony, given who controls her borough council.

“The Liberal Democrats argue for openness, but do not necessarily deliver it when in power.

“I am sure that if the decisions they take are as opaque as she is suggesting, they will not be holding that power for very much longer.

“It is of course important that local government is transparent, explains the decisions its takes and sets out why, when it has had to take difficult decisions, it has chosen that route rather than any other.”

Neither Cllr House nor deputy leader Anne Winstanley responded to the Daily Echo’s requests for a comment.

Speaking during the council’s recent budget meeting, Cllr House said “there are no frontline cuts in the budget”, adding: “We can only do that by being ruthlessly efficient in our costs…and opportunities to raise money.

“The way we’re making savings is by doing things differently and more efficiently.

“It’s all about finding smarter ways of working that will cost less. We will see a gradual drift down in the number of staff.”