A HUGE demand for help is helping to send the social services budget hurtling into the red once more.

Town hall chiefs are forecasting a £1 million-plus overspend as the demand for services outstrips the balance sheet.

The department has drawn-up an action plan to hold down expenditure and prevent a repeat of the financial disasters of recent years.

A council finance report reveals that the social services department was looking at a £644,000 overspend by next April. Even after action already taken, it still leaves £268,000 to find.

Another major "hot spot" is the community care budget, what the council pays other groups to provide various packages of care, which is forecast to overspend by £840,000.

The cost of sending troubled children outside Bury to be looked after, which the council as a whole has to carry, might be £500,000 overspent. It costs around £100,000 a year for each child. Finally, another £127,000 will have to be found to accommodate children in Bury. The budget can only cope with 85 placements, but Bury has had to place 114 youngsters.

Councillor Pam Walker, social services spokesman, said the budget had been rigorously examined. Action plans were in place to manage the money while maintaining quality services.

"Health and social care agencies face a time of major change," she said. "This is a complex and demanding agenda, which also has to be mindful of the public purse. Bury, like all authorities, faces this problem of reconciling budget pressures with the demand for new services."

The department is trying to increase income and pursue outstanding debts, which should bring in £200,000. A further £125,000 spent on providing cover during the Millennium period will not re-occur.

Bosses are also striving to bring down significantly the cost of outside contracts while not reducing services. They have also been looking at how to reduce the number of children which are being placed in expensive out-of-borough placements.

Mr Jim Wilson, chief social services officer, said the department would work closely with colleagues in health, education, housing, the police, probation service and voluntary organisations.

"Most importantly, contact needs to be maintained with people who have specific social and health care needs," he said. "While there are many and unforeseen demands that can occur, we are confident that we can meet this challenge of managing the budget and not cutting front line services to the public."