Council predicts £4.2m social care overspend

Telford and Wrekin Council will discuss its finances at a meeting this week

A council is predicting an overspend of almost £4.3m in providing adult social care this financial year, due to rising costs.

Telford and Wrekin Council will discuss its financial report at a cabinet meeting on Thursday.

In the report, the authority said the overspend was down to a multitude of reasons, including an increase in market rates and the use of additional agency workers.

The report also showed that the council was helping more people who needed longer periods of support, and more with additional needs.

Money from its reserves would be used to cover some of the shortfall.

The authority said partner organisations were looking at alternative service delivery strategies, to help tackle demand in the medium to long term.

Discussions with Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin Integrated Care Board are being held on a regular basis, the council said, to determine a funding strategy for the current financial year.