Suffolk County Council energy sales to help plug £22m gap

Suffolk County Council had forecast it would spend £22.3m above its £688.1m annual budget

Suffolk County Council is due to cut its overspend by selling energy created at its waste site.

The authority, which previously said it would use savings to help plug a £22m spending gap, is set to earn about £10m selling power to the National Grid.

Its Energy from Waste facility at Great Blakenham burns non-recyclable rubbish.

Together with a £0.9m improvement in finances, an £11.4m overspend is now forecast.

A budget report is due to be discussed at a meeting of the council's cabinet next week.

The Conservative-run council had forecast it would spend £22.3m over its £688.1m budget for the year.

It said it would use savings in the short term, but this was "not sustainable" and every department would have to make cuts.

Opposition groups had blamed a lack of funding from central government.