Independent consultants are being hired by West Berkshire Council – to help them save money commissioning care packages.
West Berkshire Council is bringing in independent consultants to cut costs on care packages, as they face a £6.8m budget shortfall in adult social care and children's services.
During a tense council meeting, it was revealed that while forecasts anticipated one child with complex needs, the reality is four children costing over £3m annually. Councillor John Gotelee raised concerns about the fairness of spending over £5,400 a day on just two kids, to which the council admitted there’s “no upper limit.”
Heather Codling, the portfolio holder for children and family services, stated that running children's services cost £11m in 2023, with a budget of £19.8m this year and a projected £21.4m for next year. "The number of young people entering residential care is rising, particularly those dealing with trauma," she said.
Meanwhile, the council possesses a General Fund Reserve of just over £10m, but forecasting indicates a reduction of £6.8m next year, jeopardising financial stability.
Conservative group leader Ross Mackinnon expressed alarm, calling the situation "financial chaos" due to mismanagement. He highlighted the council's recent £700k expenditure on a football pitch, which will soon be replaced with an artificial one, as a sign of their poor control over finances.
Patrick Clark, overseeing adult social care, acknowledged the challenge in predicting the number and complexity of cases while noting that various councils, including West Berkshire, have cut back on non-essential services to balance their budgets. This comes after a decade of cuts affecting youth clubs, leisure centres, and arts projects.
Niki Hinman, Local Democracy Reporter
