DORSET County Council must find savings of £1.7m in order to balance the books ahead of the next financial year.

A cabinet meeting at County Hall in Dorchester heard on Wednesday that the authority is facing a massive overspend in some departments, including the Dorset Waste Partnership.

The total overspend is £4.1m, and a report presented to councillors said that this figure is a cause for ‘significant concern’ despite being £1.6m lower than previously reported.

Savings made in other areas mean the funding gap is £1.7m, based on the assumption of a two per cent increase in council tax.

Chairing the meeting, leader of DCC Robert Gould told the cabinet that the projected overspend in children’s services is £1.9m, adult services is £2.9m and the county council’s share of the DWP overspend is forecast at £1.6m.

But Cllr Gould said the DWP was a ‘successful partnership’ despite its financial issues.

“One area where we have been challenged is the DWP. Members will be concerned by that but we can take confidence from the range of measures now in place to tackle that issue and we can be confident there will not be a recurrence of this issue in future years.

“It has to be put in the context of what has been a successful partnership that has led to a very large increase in recycling in Dorset.”

He added that rising numbers of children in care had caused the overspend in children’s services.

A report to the cabinet states that child protection services are under ‘more pressure than ever’, with the number of looked-after children nationally at its highest figure in 30 years.

It adds: “In Dorset there has also been an increase in the number of referrals, with cases held increasing from 2,200 in 2012 to 2,450 in September 2014.”

The report recommends in future that the county council employ eight more social workers to ensure caseloads are safe.

Some departments, including public health, environment and economy and the chief executive’s department have made savings in their budgets.

Cllr Gould said work is ‘in hand’ to find the additional savings.

“We are working on the basis of a two per cent increase in council tax. Any more than that would trigger a referendum. Any change in that percentage would mean having to find additional income. A one per cent change would mean we have to find £1.9m extra savings.”