Council Leader, Councillor Ray Morgan, said:
"We welcome the Government's announcement regarding the new measures being put forward for stronger regulation and capping of costs for residential children's homes.
We have been lobbying for change and are pleased that the government is starting to address the costs involved in caring for our children in public care.
The profiteering involved in this sector is creating an unsustainable pressure on our budget particularly for those vulnerable children who need 1-1 care.
The commitment to provide additional funding and resources to improve the quality of care in children's homes is commendable.
It reflects a good understanding of the challenges faced by local authorities and care providers in offering safe and nurturing environments for children in care.
However, we would like this to go further as we feel it will miss some of those smaller providers who charge so much.
This whole area has become, for many providers, a free market bonanza.
We are particularly pleased to see the emphasis on greater powers for Ofsted to tackle unregistered children's homes, ensuring that all children receive the care and support they deserve.
This move will undoubtedly lead to better outcomes for children and young people across the country.
As we continue to work towards improving the lives of children in our community, we look forward to continued collaboration with the government and other stakeholders to implement these changes effectively.
Together, we can improve the lives of every child in care."