BUDGET LETTER TO ADVERTISER

Dear editor,

Thank you for publishing a council response on your website to last week’s article (February 4) about the children’s services budget.

We did provide a council statement to this story which unfortunately missed your print deadlines.

For those readers who may not have chance to see this online, I include it again here.

I trust you will help to inform residents by making this available in your paper also.

"We do have an overspend in this year's budget which we will manage effectively so that it does not affect crucial services next year.

"A big part of this has come from the duty of placing children with special needs in the most appropriate provision.

"These placements can be more expensive than the government funding we get each year which means overspends are hard to avoid, but necessary in the best interests of the children of this city."

Your story also noted that cuts to youth workers were being made and I’d like to reassure readers that there are absolutely no plans, in no shape or form, to cut these posts now or in the future.

Yours
Councillor John Warmisham
Salford City Council’s leader member for children’s services