TRAFFORD Council's Conservative and Labour groups have clashed over the funding of children's services.

Labour's spokesperson for children's services, Cllr Jane Baugh, claims that council chiefs are planning £2.5m savings in children's services.

But the executive member for children and families, Cllr Mike Whetton, has strongly refuted her concerns, branding them "on the verge of scaremongering."

Cllr Baugh said: "In this year’s budget, Trafford is planning £2.500,00 savings in children’s services. This is totally unacceptable 

"At a time when the number of children in care has increased this is not the time for making further savings.

 "We are at a  point where there are few savings left to find, without having a real and lasting impact upon crucial services that so many children and families rely on.

"This Conservative Government has also cut the early intervention grant, early help being invaluable in preventing children entering the social care system.

"We are in a crisis situation. This  Conservative Government  has to understand that the effect of these savings on our most vulnerable children. Children’s social care is being pushed to breaking point.”

But cllr Whetton hit back: "Trafford Council set its budget for this financial year in February, over seven months ago.

" I cannot fathom why Labour councillors are raising these questions now, especially when it was clearly stated that over £7m of additional funding was being allocated to children's and adult social care to recognise the pressures both service areas face with increasing demographic demand. 

"At the same time, there continues to be work undertaken to ensure our services are delivered efficiently.  After all, we are still in difficult times as we recover from those years of Labour’s financial excesses."

He added: "Our services in Trafford are very highly rated and greatly respected.

"Our Early Help services are more effectively targeting children and families than ever before, and this is alongside being the first local authority in Greater Manchester to be independently inspected by Ofsted as having the joint highest performing children's services in the country, rated good with two outstanding judgements."