The number of homeless young people in Telford is on the increase, according to a new report to councillors.
The number of homeless young people in Telford is on the increase, according to a new report to councillors.
Looked after children in the borough are also on the increase but a significant number are also moving from care to living by themselves, which means extra spending by Telford & Wrekin Councilto support the transition.
The findings come in a report on council performance in 2007/08 which is to be considered by members of the ruling cabinet on Monday(June 16).
Councillors will hear that, overall, the authority was in the black over the last financial year and actually underspent on its revenue account for services by £199,183.
There were overspends in some areas, however, including payments for the use of bed and breakfast accommodation where the authority was £164,000 over budget after losing subsidies for providing the service.
Shortage
The report says: “There are a number of reasons for this problem, mainly a growing number of homeless young people and a shortage of permanent accommodation to move people on who are in temporary accommodation, which means that bed and breakfast accommodation sometimes has to be used.”
Members will hear that spending on children and families was £800,000 over budget, although this was offset by a £500,000 grant.
The report says the pressure on finances was caused by an increase in the number of looked after children and of those leaving care who switched to independent living which required additional support from the council.
The average amount spent on each looked after child in the borough was £800, down from £811 the previous year when 21.6 per cent of youngsters were put in accommodation more than 20 miles from their home, often outside the borough.
That figure was anticipated to fall to just over 18 per cent by the end of 2007/08 while the proportion of looked after children in residential accommodation is on course to achieve the target of 16 per cent.
