As summer, the inevitable dry season for news stories, approaches journalists could do worse than head down to their local town hall.

Every year councils are required by law to display their accounts for four weeks for inspection.

While it may sound dull, countless stories from spending on councillors' expenses to that botched traffic island project could come to light.

A former regional press hack has set up a website detailing when councils open their books.

Click through to read our news story and visit the agency's website.