A £300,000 deficit which appeared in Bromsgrove District Council's accounts in November 2000 was cleared by the end of the financial year in 2001.

Following publication of the accounts Cllr John Gardener (Wythall Ratepayers' and Residents' Association) during a district council policy and resources committee meeting on January 8, took the opportunity to ask treasurer Andrew Fisher how it had been achieved.

Mr Fisher said the authority had received £80,000 in the shape of planning fees from various large housing developments in the district and £160,000 interest on its bank deposits.

And a further £60,0000 had been saved by the council's senior managers exercising a tighter control of the budget.