Sixteen areas are to pilot pooled community budgets from next April 2011, it was announced today in the Chancellor’s comprehensive spending review.
The pilots – or prototypes, as described the Communities and Local Government department– will look at ways local authorities and partners can pool budgets and develop more joined-up services especially in family services. They will build on the work of the 13 Total Place pilots completed earlier this year.
The CLG said: ‘Pooled departmental budgets will help councils and their partners to work together to support families with complex needs. All places may be able to operate these approaches from 2013/14.’
The 16 community budgets will be in Greater Manchester, Leicestershire, Croydon, Blackpool, Islington, Hull, Kent, Blackburn with Darwen, Bradford, Swindon, Barnet, Lewisham, Essex, Lincolnshire, Birmingham and a group of London boroughs, Westminster, Kensington & Chelsea, Hammersmith & Fulham and Wandsworth,
Of these Birmingham, Bradford, Croydon, Kent, Leicestershire, Lewisham, and Manchester were previous Total Place pilots.
