In The Bleak Mid Winter

Revised procurement plans are trickling through. There are not any up yet for areas where I saved the first edition. I have however had a look at Walsall and spoken to a resident there – my guess is that the new Family NMS procurement target is now 10% lower than originally set and, consequently, what was actually delivered in 2008/9.
In other news we continue to hear from clients at the end of this years NMS allocation and still being refused increases – this despite the raids on under utilising firms. The formal review process should also allow the LSC to run down the clock until there is no realistic prospect of a legal challenge.
Bleak at the moment then and possibly bleak from October – except for firms doing their own advocacy under the Family Advocacy Scheme.