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“The added workload these assessments are causing for councils must be addressed and councils should be given appropriate additional funding and support in order to participate in them effectively.”

The number of children’s social care placements costing £10,000 or more per week has risen sharply in five years, a survey of councils by the Local Government Association reveals today.

The LGA is now seeking the sector’s views on the principles of assurance and accountability and asking for ideas on how the framework can be improved.

According to Home Office data, there were around 90,000 decisions on older cases forecasted to be made before the end of December 2023. The pace and scale of the Home Office’s decision-making means that large numbers of people are already and will continue to turn to councils for support.

“Investing in cost-effective and resilient roads resurfacing, rather than retrospectively dealing with potholes, is a priority for councils."

“The evidence of the financial strain on councils has been growing and it is hugely disappointing that today's Autumn Statement has failed to provide funding needed to protect the services the people in our communities rely on every day."

The local government family has long warned of the growing financial challenges facing councils. Through savings and efficiencies, councils have done everything they can to deliver balanced budgets and ensure vital local services are saved from being cut. Yet for many of our members, they are now approaching or already at the point where their financial sustainability is at risk.  Today we unite to call on the Chancellor in the Autumn Statement to address the significant financial challenges faced by councils, and to protect the vital local services that our residents rely on every day.  But

A coalition of councils, charities and campaigners - including those with experience of the children’s care system - has written a joint open letter to the Chancellor Jeremy Hunt urging him in Wednesday’s Autumn Statement to provide the funding children’s social care “desperately needs…before it is pushed to the brink”.

The LGA does not endorse how this recent communication was sent, nor the hurt, worry and distress that this has caused.

“It is positive to see that places which had been overlooked in previous rounds have been included on the strength of their previous bids and that culture is given the extra recognition it deserves in strengthening pride-in-place."