Children's services 'top priority' for Torbay

Spending on the department is set to rise by £9.8m next year

The challenge of funding children’s services is the top priority for Torbay Council, Liberal Democrat leader Steve Darling told councillors.

Cllr Darling highlighted an increase in next year’s budget for the department at a meeting of the council’s ruling Cabinet.

The council leader said: “We as a partnership have high aspirations for our area and want to Torbay becoming the premier resort in the UK.

“But we do have a challenge, and part of our house is on fire. 

“There are some really significant challenges, and part of the house that is on fire is children’s services.”

He said the council’s ruling partnership of Liberal Democrats and Independents was prepared to “throw the kitchen sink” at supporting the department.

Cllr Darling was presenting the draft revenue budget for the council covering £116m of spending in the next financial year from April 2020.

The document reveals spending on children’s services in Torbay is set to rise by £9.8million next year to a total of £47million.

That figure includes £2.8million for improvements in the statutory service which is working to change its inspection rating from ‘inadequate’ to ‘good’ by April 2021.

Councillors were told that the children’s services department was heading for a £6.3million overspend by the end of this year.

The ruling Cabinet approved a recommendation to start the consultation process on the budget proposals at a meeting on Tuesday night.

Figures show the council’s spending on adult social care next year will be £48million as part of a three-year fixed deal with health and social care partners.

Deputy council leader Darren Cowell said the budget pressures meant the council would have to change to a more “enabling” role.

That would mean working in partnership with community groups to deliver some non-statutory services.

The Independent councillor highlighted a £250,000 fund next year to cover transition costs of setting up transferred services.

Cllr Cowell said: “It is time the community were back at the heart of the council.”

The budget document says the council needs to find £10.5million of savings and new income over the financial year from April 2020.

The council’s core government funding has dropped from £42million in 2013 to £6.5million next year.

Proposed changes next year include a review of car park charges and raising the cost of permits.

The council is planning to set up an enforcement team to issue on-the-spot fines for litter and dog-fouling.

Looking farther ahead, it will consider moving to three-weekly household waste collections and review funding for seafront lights, libraries, museums and theatres, and events like the English Riviera Airshow.

The proposed budget would see the council tax bill rise by a total of 3.99 per cent, including 2 per cent to go to adult social care.

Feedback from consultation will be considered before the final budget is set by councillors at the end of February.

What people end up paying will only be known after the budget is finalised and the share of the bill for the police and fire service is added.