Responding to the announcement of the extension of community budgets for families with complex needs, Sir Merrick Cockell, LGA Chairman, said:
“Giving local areas greater control over the delivery of services to families with complex needs saves money and improves lives. Momentum is building behind this approach. Pilot councils have demonstrated that it can work and with the extension of the scheme we are very confident that more will match and even exceed early successes.
“We do need much greater buy-in from all Government departments if the next round of councils are to more easily overcome some of the hurdles which stand in the way of the huge savings and greater local accountability this approach can deliver. We estimate up to £100 billion in taxpayers’ money could be saved over the life of the current parliament if place-based budgets were introduced everywhere.
“The LGA will work with councils to maintain momentum within the sector and with Government departments to ensure they continue to devolve budgetary control in a way which promotes true localism.”
