Children need a long-term plan in this spending abyss

Our expert contributors provide some striking observations. Association of Directors of Children’s Services president Debbie Jones warns that action is required to ensure there will be enough secondary school places to respond to the current population boom. As she says: “A strategic and well-planned investment in school buildings now could stave off a crisis later”.

David Simmonds, chair of the Local Government Association children and young people board, issues a stark warning that efficiency savings alone cannot provide the answer to all funding pressures. Can we do more with less? Undoubtedly so, but there comes a point when all avenues of streamlining and rationalisation have been exhausted and some very important and effective things have to give.

The next government spending review is due towards the end of 2013. It will set out departmental funding allocations beyond 2014/15, the final year of the present spending review period. But it will probably cover just one year to take us into the next parliament because the coalition parties are unlikely to agree plans for a longer period. This minimises the chance to make spending decisions that are truly strategic and long-term, increasing the prospect that they will be political and short-term. The review after that, by a future government and taking effect from 2016/17, will therefore be more significant. It is certainly not too soon to enter into a dialogue with the powers that be, and the powers that want to be.


Savile case must rouse vigilance among us all