MORE funding is needed to prevent services sliding towards crisis, a council chief has warned.

Cllr Maureen Bateson, Blackburn with Darwen Council’s executive member for children, young people and education, issued the warning as her department is facing the possibility of a £750,000 budget overspend for the current financial year.

She said: “There’s not enough money in the pot to meet the needs of authorities right across the country.

“There’s a shortfall. Local authorities are facing crisis because we can only cut so much.

“The more we cut the back office, the more extreme it gets.

“It’s a disaster waiting to happen."

“This government has got to get to terms with it and start funding services properly.”

Cllr Bateson said at the free summer lunchbox scheme aimed at tackling holiday hunger, there had even been cases of youngsters asking if they could have food for their parents as well.

In the first week of the four-week scheme, the group has distributed 7,000 lunchboxes so far via children’s centres in Blackburn with Darwen, with more being prepared each day.

The summer lunchbox scheme was organised by Kat Zaman, of charity Kingdom Outreach, which started the project last year, when they gave away 17,000 packed lunches.

Executive member for resources Cllr Andy Kay said departments were feeling the squeeze.

He said: “There is considerable pressure on the revenue budget at the moment. We don’t want to end up like some of the county councils."

The council detailed each department’s spending for 2018/19 so far in a corporate revenue budget monitoring report, comparing it to what it planned to spend.

Most departments are in danger of overspending and are having to take measures to bring costs back into line.

Health and Adult Social Care is anticipated to be around £485,000 over budget due to increased demand and the increased cost of care packages.

Children’s Services, Schools and Education is projected to overspend by £776,500 against the cash limited budget.

According to the report, this is based on current levels of demand. which may fluctuate during the year, as well as pressures on the Special Educational Needs transport budget.

The Environment department has highlighted significant cost pressures in relation to waste (£237,000) and a £563,000 shortfall on income.

Leisure, Culture and Young People has identified cost pressures of £738,000 in relation to leisure centres and pools.

Neighbourhoods & Prevention has identified cost pressures of £194,000 arising from potential shortfalls in income in respect of the renewal of the Employability & Health contract, CCTV and temporary housing accommodation.

Maintenance of the highways and pothole repairs have given rise to a £310,000 cost pressure on the regeneration budgets.

In addition, running costs and income shortfalls on the markets have added a further £280,000.

The Resources portfolio has identified cost pressures for the year which it is working hard to contain including pressures on the Legal Services budget from the increase in the number of childcare legal cases, and other prosecutions.

Public Health is projected to break even in 2018/19 based on the position at the end of the first quarter of the year.