COUNCIL bosses have hit back at claims local residents are seeing a reduction in their services because of the ongoing cost of pension contributions for their employees.

New research published by the Federation of Small Businesses in Lincolnshire has revealed that public sector pension contributions cost East Lindsey District Council residents the equivalent of 50.29 per cent of the money paid in Council Tax precept in 2008/2009.

The FSB figures show that £3,127 million was paid to the Lincolnshire Pension Fund during that period and that the amount raised in Council Tax precept for the same year came to £6,218 million.

The pensions contributions were equivalent to 13.71 per cent of the total revenue which ELDC received in that year.

However ELDC say that the figures do not show a realistic reflection on council spending and that their services are not suffering as a result.

For the full story see this week's East Coast Target.