Our children deserve fair funding
Hello everyone. I hope you have signed our Let’s Fix It Together petition, calling on the Government to give Bury a fairer funding deal.
It’s so important that councils receive the money they need for local services, and what could be more essential than looking after our children?
The amount we spend on children’s social care accounts for a substantial part of our budget – around 20% in fact. But the number of children in our care continues to increase - a rise of 16% over the last decade - as does the cost of providing this care.
Funding is also needed for early years, but the number of pupils with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) has risen by 80% since 2018 to 2,657. So you can see the pressure these increases in demand are putting on our budget.
You can sign the petition calling for a better deal for Bury at Let’s Fix It Together.
We’re disappointed that the Government announced no extra funding in their autumn statement last week. And while we will not give up on our campaign to convince them to reverse course, our campaign doesn’t just call on ministers to act. It also looks at what we can all do, working together and with our partners, to give our children a bright future.
Take fostering, for example. Foster carers do a tremendous job, but we need more of them. It means that more Bury children can stay here among their friends and contacts, rather than having to be placed elsewhere in the country. And it also saves taxpayers’ money.
We’ve made substantial increases in the allowances we pay our foster carers. So, if you’ve ever thought you could provide care for a vulnerable child or young person, come and talk to us about the opportunities and support we offer – please see our fostering web pages for more details.
Despite tough times, there’s still much to celebrate. The hard work and achievements of children and young people in care and care leavers were celebrated at the annual Believe and Achieve Awards.
And new family hub has opened in East Bury – hopefully the first of many across the borough. Family hubs are places where council, health and community services come together so that families can access the right support when it’s needed. See: My Newsdesk - East Bury Family Hub opens its doors to the community.
Meanwhile, Bury has become the first local authority in Greater Manchester to implement the new Family Safeguarding model, and one of just 19 nationwide. It was founded by Hertfordshire County Council in 2015 and has significantly reduced the number of children being taken into care. At its heart is bringing together a wide range of professionals who will support parents to become better equipped to meet the demands of parenting. See: My Newsdesk - Creating stable family homes built on love.
On its way – the new high school for Radcliffe! The 750-place school in Spring Lane, operated by Star Academies, has just cleared its final planning hurdle. Star will open for its first intake of pupils next September in temporary classrooms, with the permanent school to be completed in 2025.
It will feature a traditional red brick building with outdoor sports facilities which will be open to the community outside school hours. Environmental improvements will include the planting of 100 new trees, and there will be a drop-off area to aid pupil safety and help keep nearby roads free of obstruction at peak times.
We’re still helping families with the cost of living, using money from the government’s Household Support Fund and our budget. This is ensuring that 6,900 pupils receive free school meals every school holiday, including the recent half term break. Sadly, the government have announced this vitally important fund will be ending next year. We plan to add this into our campaign asks too!
We’ve also provided support for parents to buy school uniforms, and supported 119 foster carers and 94 carer leavers with direct help including with energy costs. Our community grants fund is helping local groups provide young people with skills and help to budget and cook healthy meals.
This is what we mean by Let’s Fix It Together. The council, residents, and the government – we all need to do our bit, because our children deserve it.