Children's Services: Fears poor budget deals could hit Every Child Matters reforms

The extent of the shortfall is now becoming clearer as councils settheir 2006/07 budgets. Andrew Webb, co-chair of the Association ofDirectors of Social Services' children and families committee, said hewas aware of a "significant number" of councils facing problems.

"The Government has protected funding for schools, which means we lose ahuge amount of flexibility at a local level," he said. "On thechildren's social care side a lot of money is already committed, so theonly place to make cuts is the preventative work, which is Every ChildMatters."

Faced with stark choices, six councils in the east of England havewritten to the deputy prime minister, who is responsible for localgovernment finance. Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire,Norfolk and Suffolk councils argue the poor financial settlement,combined with council tax capping, will result in "serious damage" tostrategic services. They add that the money goes "nowhere near"recognising the severe cost pressures in children's services.