Don’t blame middle-class parents for the cost of special-needs childcare

Councils are running out of money… but that’s the fault of local authority bosses, not the residents who depend on their services, says James Moore

Is middle-class parenting to blame for holes in council finances? (Posed by models) (Alamy/PA)

I was wondering how long it would take someone to blame “middle-class parents” for the growing financial holes faced by councils.

This week, the leaders of 33 local authorities in England warned the government against funding cuts that would place “severe and mounting pressures” on frontline services.

It came after Nottingham City Council last month revealed it was on course for a £23 million overspend, and blamed its financial squeeze on real-terms cuts in government funding and rising demand for services. It then issued a Section 114 notice, effectively declaring bankruptcy – the seventh authority to do so since 2018.