Martin Ford 06 March 2024

Budget: Boost for preventative services 

Budget: Boost for preventative services  image
Image: James Jiao / Shutterstock.com.

Funding for preventative services has been announced as part of the Spring Budget in an attempt to relieve local government’s demand pressures.

In his speech, chancellor Jeremy Hunt announced £105m would go towards creating 15 new special free schools, with locations to be confirmed by May.

Another £45m of match funding will also be provided to local authorities to provide 200 open children’s home placements, alongside £120m for maintenance of the secure children’s home estate.

Hunt said: ‘The way to improve public services is not always more money or more people.

‘We need a more productive state, not a bigger state.’

Budget documents added the Government will also work with the Local Government Pension Scheme in an effort to ‘unlock investment in new children’s homes’.

The investment was aimed at ‘strengthening preventative action to reduce demand on public services’.

It added: ‘This extra capacity will reduce local government reliance on costly emergency provision and improve outcomes for children by providing them with more suitable placements.’

Further proposals to ‘combat profiteering, bring down costs and create a more sustainable market’ for residential placements will be drawn up and published later this year.

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities will create a panel to ‘discuss key themes emerging’ from previously-announced productivity plans submitted by councils, and to ‘offer advice to both councils and Government’.

The County Councils Network’s finance spokesperson, Barry Lewis, said: ‘While we welcome today’s announcements on supporting councils to reduce costs in children’s care placements and investment in more special school places, there is no more fat to cut and productivity gains can only get us so far.’

The £37,000 SEND Problem image

The £37,000 SEND Problem

Natalie Kenneison, COO at Imosphere, argues that the real SEND funding crisis isn’t just about budgets - it’s about the systems behind the decisions.
SIGN UP
For your free daily news bulletin
Highways jobs

Executive Director – Adult Social Care, Health & Wellbeing

Sefton Borough Council
£131,208 (Hay 1)
Lead with Purpose. Build on Excellence. Shape the Future of Health and Wellbeing in Sefton. Sefton (Metropolitan borough), Merseyside
Recuriter: Sefton Borough Council

Strategic Finance Business Partners (five roles)

Nottingham City Council
up to £80k
Nottingham is a bold, vibrant, and exciting Core City at the heart of the UK, alive with potential and ambition. Nottingham, Nottinghamshire
Recuriter: Nottingham City Council

Director of Finance (Strategy) – deputy S151

Nottingham City Council
up to £125k
Nottingham is a bold, vibrant, and exciting Core City at the heart of the UK, alive with potential and ambition. Nottingham, Nottinghamshire
Recuriter: Nottingham City Council

Customer Specialist

Essex County Council
Up to £25081.00 per annum
Customer SpecialistPermanent, Part Time£25,081 pro rataLocation
Recuriter: Essex County Council

Customer Specialist

Essex County Council
£25081.00 - £27653.00 per annum
Customer SpecialistPermanent, Part Time£25,081 to £27,653 pro rataLocation
Recuriter: Essex County Council
Linkedin Banner