Gloucestershire council set to overspend £12m on children's services

Concerns were raised last year about a £7m overspend

Gloucestershire's children's services budget is facing a multi-million pound overspend, prompting bosses to ask staff to find ways to reduce costs.

Concerns were raised last year that the county council had failed to get to grips with an average yearly £7m overspend for children's services.

But recent increases mean the council is now forecasting a £12m overspend.

The executive director of children's services told staff: "We have a problem in uncontained cost pressure.

"I need you to help reverse this so we can continue to work for our children without taking tougher decisions."

Ann James continued: "The council must find ways to reduce its placement costs."

External placements are where a child is looked after by an independent fostering agency, a residential children's home, school or a specialist residential unit and not with their own in-house foster carers.

Ms James said financial issues within children's services were a challenge for local authorities across the country.

"The safety of children in Gloucestershire remains our highest priority and we will never shy away from spending money where it's essential to keeping children safe," she added.

'Financial mess'

Liberal Democrat group leader Ben Evans said the wrong cuts had been made by the Conservative council.

He said: "Let's be clear - this financial mess is all of the Tories' own making, by cutting costs in the wrong areas. They know the cost of everything but the value of nothing."

But children's social care cabinet member Stephen Davies said the service was overspending due to increasing pressures and high cost placements.

"Residents would rightly expect us as Conservatives to challenge managers to make sure their taxes are being spent wisely and where the money is most needed.

"We have made significant improvements to our delivery of children's social care thanks to the huge investment we have made into the improvement programme."

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