Children's services chiefs will be asked to explain how they are going to deal with the ever-growing number of children in care in the area.
Known as ‘Looked After Children’ (LAC) figures show that more are being placed in care and this is a big reason behind the department's financial problems.
Powys County Council’s (PCC) health and care scrutiny committee looked at Children’s Services finances when it was noted that the department was £5.6 million over its £18 million a year budget.
The main reason for this is the undelivered cuts of £2.3 million which had been written out of this year's budget and the £2.5 million cost of placement, and the cost of agency staff which is £566,000.
Cllr Roger Williams asked for accurate figures on children in care.
Finance manager, Jackie Pugh, replied: “When I closed the books there were 246, but 43 of those have a nil cost to the authority.
“They are placed with their parents or someone with parental responsibility, or adoption.
“So the actual cost of the overspend is based on 203 LAC.”
Cllr Williams, continued: “With the best will in the world if LAC are going to increase exponentially, where are we going to be?
“This is a pressure on the services that can’t be planned for.
Committee chairman, Cllr Gwilym Williams pointed out that in the report the average cost for a LAC is £54,900.
Cllr Roger Williams added: “This time last year the figures were just over 200.
“How on earth can we scrutinise a budget that has this increase of 50 LAC in a year? With a cost of around £50,000 a child that’s £5 million.
“We have to get some sort of a grip as to why this is happening. It’s a major issue to the council as a whole.”
Joanna Harris, Children’s Services strategic programme manager said that PCC had set up teams to work with children and their families and this would hopefully prevent children coming in to care.
“When children come in to care, we will work intensively to see that they return home as quickly and safely as possible, that’s our new structure,” said Ms Harris.
Corporate director for transformation, Vanessa Young added that the issue was Wales-wide not just a Powys problem.
Ms Young added that questions were being asked of the Welsh Government as to what would be an “aspirational figure” for LACs over the next three years?
Cllr Elwyn Vaughan said: “This is not just a Welsh issue it’s one of the reasons why Northamptonshire went bust.”
Cllr Gwilym Williams, added: “It’s a difficult service to manage because you need to be mindful of looking after the child and of the cost.
“And if the cost is too much, you may not have a service.”
The committee will invite the head of Children’s Services Jan Coles to appear before the committee to discuss the problem as well as portfolio holder, Cllr Rachel Powell to find our what her political strategy is.
By Elgan Hearn, Local Democracy Reporter
