What is the logic of trying to pursue an authority for overspending when it is within its expenditure limit?
Overspending relates to target spend, so a county can be penalised if it exceeds its budgeted expenditure and its targets.
Year after year here has been overspending, despite the increases in expenditure allocated to defence.
The most significant was overspending by local authorities on current account of some £1·7 billion.
We remain committed to the principle that overspending against standard spending assessment should come home directly to those who pick up the bill.
The answer is that when we are overspending to the extent that we are, no area of public expenditure can be regarded as sacrosanct.
She was very angry about local authorities overspending.
They see it as a wonderful way of starting all over again and overspending all over again.
