Havering Social Services in Mass Overspend of £5 Million (approx).

Havering Residents Association Councillors have slammed the Tory Administrations announcement of a £5 million pound investment in Social Services as a sham.

Cllr Mann, the press officer for the R.A Group said “It is nothing more than smoke and mirrors, as the money has not fallen out of the sky, it has been taken from all areas across the Council, including £850k from Public Realm, which runs front line services such as Parks and StreetCare”.

The budget announcement follows the discovery of a £3million black hole in Social Services budgets, however no mention of the overspend has been mentioned in the report that goes to Cabinet next Wednesday (19th Sept).

The Residents Association Finance Spokesman Cllr Clarence Barrett said “The Audit Commission say we are a 3 star council, yet how has this department been allowed to run up a huge overspend without anyone knowing or taken action sooner”.

“This is an exercise in 'expediency' and not dealing with the long term problem in a sustainable manner. The £5m has not appeared by magic, it has all come from somewhere. What is not being done in Public Realm for £849,000?”

He went on “This also comes, despite the fact that there has been a huge ration to services and increase in charges to the elderly, such as meals on wheels”

Cllr Mann went on to say “Overspending in Adult Social Services is not new, what we need is a solution that is workable and sustainable. We also need to demonstrate to central government that the funding formula leaves us short changed in Havering and it is an issue that needs addressing rather than expecting us to rob Peter to pay Paul.”

Key Questions the Residents Group will be putting to the Administration

If it has been a huge budget pressure, why was it not dealt with and addressed by the highly paid cabinet during the budget setting process less than 6 months ago.

There has been a Conservative Council for 5 years, yet they have still not got to grips with Adult social services, how many more years before they do, they should hang their heads in shame.

What departments of Social Services actually overspent their budget, the report says nothing about which areas in the budget

This is not a £5m injection; it is a cash grab from across the Council, including worryingly £850k from Public Realm, which manages StreetCare and Parks

Why are these huge sums lying around when we have the 4th highest Council Tax in London?

No exact details have been given about were the money is coming from, the details in the report or very vague, such as the £800k Special Budget Reserve and the LPSA Grant and the New Road And Street Works Act monies, are one off and are therefore not sustainable in the long term.