Communities in east Suffolk could be missing out on more than £100,000 worth of vital funding because councillors have only spent half of the money they are allocated to help projects in their wards.

Suffolk Coastal District Council sets aside £231,000 a year – £5,500 for each of the 42 councillors – to help new projects or enhance existing projects that benefit the community.

However, latest statistics for the current financial year show £125,457 of the enabling communities budget (ECB) has been spent – less than this time last year – leaving £105,543 still to be given out.

Some 88 projects across the area have received a grant.

In a report, TJ Haworth-Culf, cabinet member for customers, communities and leisure, said: “In terms of increasing take-up, there have been individual discussions with some councillors about their intentions and much effort has been put into contacting local organisations about the ECB, especially in those wards where spend is lowest.”

According to the council’s website, council leader Ray Herring has not yet spent a penny of his £5,500 and neither have councillors Mark Amoss, Stephen Burroughes, Raymond Catchpole, Deborah Dean, Mark Newton, Carol Poulter, and Paul Rous.

In contrast, Christopher Hudson has spent all of his ECB, and other top spenders are Graham Harding £5,400 and Colin Hedgley £5,000.

Time is running out for organisations to make applications for funds with deadline Sunday, February 28.

To check whether your councillor has spent their budget already, visit www.suffolkcoastal.gov.uk/yourcouncil/councillors/list