DELIGHTED social services chiefs are celebrating having an increase in their budget for the first time in years.

They have received an extra £1.4 million in Government grants and are planning to create 27 new jobs.

Councillors yesterday earmarked budget savings of £800,000 as part of the council's reductions programme for the next 12 months.

They are having to make a 1.7pc reduction as its share of the local authority's total reduction of £3.2 million.

But other committees are having to make larger percentage cuts and with the extra grant social services chiefs are able to make plans for expansion.

Chairman Cllr Cliff Morris said at a social services committee meeting yesterday: "This is the best settlement we have had for a long time.

"We are having to make reductions in some areas, but there is room for growth."

Andy Robertson, director of social services, added: "Overall, it is optimistic.

"There is an opportunity to take our services forward."

Most of the expansion will be in the area of building up partnerships with the health authority and other organisations to care for elderly people who have been discharged from hospital.

There will also be extra money spent on people with learning difficulties and children with disabilities and increased home care services.

Among the reductions would be changes in the way that some of Bolton's learning disability networks are managed and changes in the home care services.

Councillors were told that some posts would disappear but staff would be re-deployed and new posts created.

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