The cost of bringing Herefordshire’s troubled children’s services department up to standard has been put at nearly £22 million – over half of which will be spent this financial year.

These figures were presented to last week’s cabinet meeting of the council’s portfolio holders, who gave them unanimous approval.

The £11.5 million from the council’s “financial resilience reserve” this year is in addition to the £41.3 million allocated to the department under the council’s 2022/23 budget.

A further £4.5 million will be added to the department’s budget for the next financial year. The council has already spent £5.8 million, partly from the Government, on the department’s transformation programme over the last year.

Cabinet member for children’s services Cllr Diana Toynbee said the new sum was “a huge ask”, and added: “We need to show results and value for money for Herefordshire residents from this.”

The money will fund 82 more staff (full-time equivalent) on top of the department’s current figure of 429.

Conservative group leader Jonathan Lester said: “If there’s one thing the council has to do well, it’s looking after children’s wellbeing,” but sought assurances that the council was good for the “huge increases” in funding.

The children’s services department has been obliged to make drastic improvements since a High Court judgment against it last March, following the death of a child in care.

The Department for Education then issued the council with an improvement notice in May.