Central Government delivered the glad tidings to Hertfordshire County Council this week that they are removing restrictions on almost £930,000 available for use next year.

Hertfordshire was one of 22 local councils, identified as excellent in the national Comprehensive Spending Assessment of local authorities and will be rewarded by being granted greater control on how it uses its money.

Ring-fencing on £928,058 will be removed as part of what the Government terms as a radical package of freedoms being metered out to high performing councils.

However, Leader of the council, Robert Ellis was far from over-awed by this development.

He said: "There isn't any money involved all they are saying is that at the moment it comes to us completely ring-fenced, and next year they will remove the restrictions.

"But there isn't any money."

He added that any money which is released next year will almost certainly be passed straight to designated areas such as schools and highways.

He said: "They are playing ducks and drakes with people's lives.

"They say they are giving us £1million, but they have not given us it."