Blackpool council to fund children’s services by cutting up to 75 jobs
I know Blackpool is a big place but the struggle it is locked in mirrors exactly the same challenge faced by a significant number of rural authorities. This story tells us:
Blackpool council has said it will invest an extra £14m in its beleaguered children’s services by axing up to 75 jobs and raising council taxes.
Since 2012, the council has received several “inadequate” ratings from Ofsted. The most recent inspection raised concerns vulnerable children were being left at risk of “significant harm” including from sexual exploitation and going missing.
Figures show the cost of all social care in Blackpool accounts for more than three-quarters of local authority spending. Budget proposals for the forthcoming financial year show cuts of £5m, which mean savings of £19.6m must be found across all services when the funding for children’s services is factored in.
The council has announced that up to 75 jobs will be lost, while council tax is expected to rise by the maximum 4% allowed by the government.
In January last year, children’s social care in the Lancashire resort was deemed inadequate because of “key weaknesses” in support services. The inspection report also found that some children were left to “live in situations of chronic neglect for long periods of time”.