Cost-cutting council to spend £500k on vehicles

East Suffolk Council's frontline services company East Suffolk Services Ltd currently leases 63 vehicles including HGVs

A council said it hoped to cut costs from its budget by purchasing an array of vehicles which it currently leases.

East Suffolk Services Ltd, a company owned by East Suffolk Council, hired 56 light fleet vehicles and seven heavy goods vehicles (HGVs).

These included trucks, vans, sweepers, skip lorries and refuse vehicles.

Twenty-three of these vehicles will now be purchased for about £515,000, while the rest of the fleet will continue to be leased.

The move was approved during a council meeting and the local authority said the money was already budgeted for.

It would cost £1.5m each year to continue leasing all the vehicles, the council said.

The new arrangement will take effect from January, with the council's current lease agreements with private company Norse ending on 31 December.

A council report seen by the BBC reads: "Purchasing these vehicles would constitute a saving."

Green Party councillor Sally Noble, the cabinet member for environment, said: "With leases due to expire, acquiring 23 of the vehicles from the end of the lease term represents good value for money and ensures continuity of operation."