Daily roundup 11 November: Gordon Brown, care applications, and 'fat letters'

Gordon Brown is urging the government to abandon cuts to tax credits completely, warning that to press on would lead to "one of the biggest poverty problems in the western world". The BBC reports that the former prime minister will use a speech today to defend the large increase in tax credits he presided over as Chancellor.


Numbers of care applications are continuing to rise with latest figures showing that in October 2015 a total of 1,079 care applications were made, a seven per cent increase compared with the 1,009 applications received in October 2014. Figures published by Cafcass show that between April and October this year, there have been 7,101 applications, compared with 6,406 for the same period last year, a rise of 10.8 per cent.


So-called "fat letters" sent to the parents of children who are overweight are not helping combat obesity and should be stopped, says The Royal Society for Public Health. The Telegraph reports that only half of parents understand why their children are being weighed and few find the information in the letter useful.


Significant areas of weakness remain in Sandwell Council's children's services, a report by the authority's safeguarding children board has claimed. The Express & Star reports that an annual review by the board's chair said that while improvements have been made, there are continuing challenges for the local authority, police and health services to improve the quality and consistency of practice.


Blackpool has the highest proportion of young people subject to child protection plans in England, figures show. The BBC reports that Blackpool Council had 157 children per 10,000 under protection plans this year – three times the national average.