SOCIAL services bosses in Warrington have admitted that clients have suffered as a result of a major belt-tightening exercise over the past year.

The county council's social services department has pulled off a remarkable turnaround in its financial position, going from a £2.5 million overspend to a £358,000 underspend.

However the saving has come at a price, with services being cut back and fewer people now being eligible to receive help.

Kevin Miller, Warrington's social services chief, said: "When you pull back on expenditure on this scale, there is bound to be an impact.

"We have had to look at eligibility criteria and generally reduce the number of people who are being supported.

"We have had to find a more cost-effective way of delivering services, and in some cases, this has meant a reduction in the quality and range of those services."

The transformation of the department's budgetary position has been described as a "financial miracle" by Cty Clr Keith Bland, the Conservatives' social services spokesman. But he warned that the department could not be expected to carry on making reductions.

He said: "Budget changes on this scale cannot be made without rationing our priorities and recognising that we are not meeting all the needs of vulnerable people in Cheshire.

"Improvements had to be made if we were not to face major financial problems.

"But there are limits to which you can squeeze any service and I believe we may well have reached those limits."

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