Scottish local government finance statistics 2015-2016

Annual publication providing a comprehensive overview of Scottish local authority financial activity.

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4. Reserves

Revenue reserves reflect an accumulation of surplus income. These are used to finance future spending on services. The surplus or deficit on the provision of service is laid out in Table 1.1. Income is shown in brackets and expenditure as positive in the following tables.

On 1 April 2015 local authorities had total revenue reserves of £1.84 billion. Over the course of the year, total reserves increased by £0.048 billion (2.6%) to £1.89 billion on 31 March 2016. Capital reserves increased by £0.097 billion (18%), from £0.53 billion to £0.63 billion.

Table 4.1: Movements in Reserves by Account, 2015-16

£thousands

Revenue Reserves Total Revenue Reserves
General Fund Housing Revenue Account Renewal and Repairs Insurance Fund Other Statutory Funds
Level of Reserves held 1 April 2015 (1,133,850) (129,470) (206,056) (86,495) (287,644) (1,843,515)
Surplus or Deficit on provision of services 350,450 206,948 557,398
Statutory Adjustments (441,490) (219,483) (660,973)
Total Surplus or Deficit (91,040) (12,535) (103,575)
Movement between Revenue Reserves 72,508 4,957 2,056 26 5,533 85,080
Repayment of Debt from Capital Reserves (39,313) (4,353) (43,666)
Other Movements in Reserves 9,819 (319) 3,345 1,152 0 13,997
Movement in Reserve 43,014 285 5,401 1,178 5,533 55,411
Level of Reserves held 31 March 2016 (1,181,876) (141,720) (200,655) (85,317) (282,111) (1,891,679)

Source: Local Financial Returns ( LFR 23)

Table 4.1: (continued) - Movements in Reserves by Account, 2015-16

£thousands

Capital Reserves Total Capital Reserves
Capital Fund Capital Receipts Capital Grants Unapplied
Level of Reserves held 1 April 2015 (441,041) (51,748) (37,845) (530,634)
Increase of Decrease in year (12,248) (12,248)
Movement between Reserves (155,117) 52,435 (102,682)
Capital receipts for the year (2,376) (159,403) (161,779)
Capital Expenditure funded from Reserves 44,607 95,979 140,586
Repayment of Debt from Capital Reserves 39,313 4,353 43,666
Other Movements in Reserves (4,407) (205) (4,612)
Movement in Reserve (77,980) (6,841) (12,248) (97,069)
Level of Reserves held 31 March 2016 (519,021) (58,589) (50,093) (627,703)

Source: Local Financial Returns ( LFR 23) and Capital Return Final

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