CUTS to council services will “disproportionately impact children who rely on the state for protection”, the children’s commissioner has warned.

Dame Rachel de Souza said local authorities are facing “immense financial pressures” but that “children must not pay the price for balancing budgets”.

Analysis of the budgets of 187 councils by the BBC’s Shared Data Unit shows authorities have approved more than £3bn in savings proposals this financial year alone - but will still face a collective funding shortfall of more than £5.75bn by 2026/27.

The Local Government Information Unit (LGIU) said councils had carried out “all of the easy cuts” to non-statutory services years ago and so children’s and adult social care services would now bear the brunt of the savings drive.

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Dr Jonathan Carr-West, chief executive of the LGIU, said the bleak financial picture is compounded by the growing demand for, and the increasing cost of, homelessness and social care services.

Worcestershire County Council has approved cuts of £37.2 million this financial year and is forecasting an overspend of £14.2m on its £433.1m net budget.

Like many other county councils, its main areas of overspend are in adult social care (£5m), home to school transport (£3m) and children’s social care (£6m).

Dame Rachel, the children’s commissioner for England, said: “Funding for services that children and families need and value - from social care to support in the earliest years, from youth work to libraries and places to play - should not be left to a lottery.

“We need a fair system that ensures children can grow up, children can have all the opportunities they deserve to lead happy, successful lives.”

Phil Rook, chief financial officer for Worcestershire County Council, said balancing the books is “extremely tough” at the moment.

Speaking to Tammy Gooding on BBC Hereford and Worcester, he said no stone had been left unturned in the council’s bid to make savings, adding that council tax alone was not going to balance the books.

“The cost of home to school transport, adult social care and children’s social care are going up greater than the level of income we get, so are putting extreme pressure on the rest of the council’s budget,” he said.