EAST Hampshire District Council is breathing a sigh of relief after its predicted budget deficit of more than £750,000 has been drastically reduced.

Last month, the district council announced that more than £1m had been wiped off its government grant to reflect the transfer of some planning services to the South Downs National Park, which officially comes into being on April 1 this year.

But the government has had a change of heart.

For full story, see this week's Bordon Herald.