Sun.Apr 28, 2024

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Vulnerable teenagers ‘dumped and abandoned’ in hotels by councils in England

The Guardian

Campaigners say cash-strapped local authorities are placing young people in budget accommodation, making them targets for grooming by criminal gangs Vulnerable teenagers in care are being placed in hotels by cash-strapped councils, with experts warning they are being “served up” to criminal gangs. Children aged 16 to 17 are entering care in greater numbers than any other age group, often with complex needs, and experts say many councils in England now have nowhere to put them.

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From potholes to planning: the issues at stake in England’s 2 May local elections

The Guardian

While some voters may want to send a message to Westminster, more local concerns will have an influence This week’s local elections have been widely described as one of the toughest tests of Rishi Sunak’s 18-month premiership, with Westminster-watchers considering the results as portents of his fate in the coming national poll – considered to be coming this autumn.