Social care a council 'priority' despite job cuts
BBCA council leader has said supporting the most vulnerable children in society is the "priority", despite controversial plans to restructure its social care team.
In its budget released last month, Bath and North East Somerset (BANES) Council said it would invest £9.6m into children's services and adult social care to meet the growing demand.
But earlier this week, more than 100 social care employees were told their roles would be "deleted" and they would have to reapply for new jobs. A consultation has been launched for staff who are at risk.
Council leader Kevin Guy said the decision was not a "budget issue" but a "restructuring issue" that would see 4.7 of 350 posts removed.
Guy told BBC Radio Bristol that there had been an "astronomical" increase in the number of children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in recent years.
In 2014, there were 718 children in the BANES area with educational health care plans (EHCP), compared to the latest figure of more than 2,200, he said.
According to figures, BANES spends between £20,000 and £60,000 per SEND child per annum.
Guy said 34.1p of every pound received from taxpayers in the area is allocated to children's services.
Financial preessures
In December, the UK government announced provisional council finance settlements following its Fair Funding Review which aimed to benefit deprived areas.
BANES Council was given less money due to its financial state, which was considered to be "relatively well-off", Guy said.
As a result, the authority is set to lose more than £12m over the next three years.
Guy said: "The government takes away millions from us, but yet statutory require us to spend millions.
"The pressures from other areas and looking after the most vulnerable people in our society is going up.
"Supporting the most vulnerable in our society - those children, those vulnerable adults - has to be the priority."
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