Blackpool Council has welcomed the lifting of a government directive requiring the local authority to improve its children’s services social care.

The statutory direction was issued by the Department for Education after an Ofsted inspection in 2018 deemed the service to be inadequate.

The council has since introduced an improvement plan supported by a £4m investment, which resulted in the recruitment of more than 100 social workers.

Minister for Children, Families and Wellbeing, David Johnston OBE MP, said he was ‘satisfied’ the council was ‘ambitious in their desire to further embed and build upon improvements to date.’

In a letter to the authority, he wrote: ‘I have decided to remove the revised Statutory Direction which was issued in July 2019 on the understanding that children’s social care services remain one of the key priorities for the Council.’

The minister emphasised that this only relates to children’s social care services and that the council should maintain their engagement with the Department for Education on SEND services.

Cllr Jim Hobson, cabinet member for Children’s Services, commented: ‘I am delighted that the minister has recognised all of the improvements that have been made and removed the revised statutory direction which was issued in July 2019.

‘Credit must go to our dedicated, ambitious and committed workforce within children’s services social care who are working day in, day out to provide better outcomes for local children and their families. It is clear to see that their hard work is paying off.’