SURREY County Council has voiced its frustration that, almost a year after the foot-and-mouth outbreak in the county, it remains almost a quarter of a million pounds out of pocket through its handling of the crisis. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs still has not reimbursed the council for the extra work the authority did together with its partners. David Harmer, the executive member for environment, said: "Surrey County Council co- ordinated the response of a huge range of agencies to the crisis and we have ended up with a bill approaching £250,000. "We are upset and frustrated that Defra still has not reimbursed us and our partners for the hard work we all put in to stop the spread of a disease that has cost the national economy millions of pounds. "As a result of this £250,000 black hole, the Trading Standards Service reluctantly had to reduce the service it offered in lower priority areas for a while – such as dealing with business enquiries and recruitment for the approved trader scheme. "We believe Surrey's residents should be made aware of this. This comes some six months after Government funding for animal welfare and health to Surrey and other local authorities was cut by some 12 per cent, despite its being agreed as the budget for this financial year. "It leaves us wondering just when the Government cost-cutting is going to stop for responding to outbreaks that have a disastrous impact at a national level on the rural economy."
