Star comment: The young deserve a better deal

The service has been rated inadequate for the last four years, with the situation so bad that the Government has intervened.

Worryingly, the latest Ofsted inspection shows that improvement has been slow.

And just as concerning is the fact that service bosses at the authority are not being held to account closely enough.

This, unfortunately, exemplifies the culture in the public sector in Britain today.

It has become common practice at councils across the country for top level staff to be brought in on huge salaries, bringing with them the promise of large scale improvements.

Yet time and time again, the situation is no better by the time they leave.

As we reported last month, two leading officers have recently left Sandwell Council's children's services department.

Their time at the authority has seen the service continue to be dogged by a legacy of poor practice, with inspectors noting that young people’s needs are still not identified accurately enough.

Depressingly, we appear to have reached the point where failure has become acceptable.

Many people will rightly be appalled at the size of the salaries paid to some public sector staff, particularly those on inflated interim contracts.

The public has a right to expect the best from these individuals.

Yet often when things go wrong they simply cash in their chips and move to a similarly highly paid job elsewhere.

Where is the accountability?

It is difficult to imagine a scenario in the private sector where a boss would be continually rewarded for poor results.

At a time when the public sector is facing increasing strains on departmental budgets, every penny must be wisely spent.

The folly of paying enormous salaries to feed the cycle of failure appears to be lost on many of our local authorities.

Councils regularly tell us they have to spend big to bring in the best possible people.

But this policy starts to look suspect to say the least when improvements are not forthcoming.

Sandwell Council has admitted there is plenty to put right regarding its children's services provision.

But bosses insist the authority is committed to getting the best possible support to children and young people.

After four years of woefully poor provision, significant improvements are long overdue.

Our children deserve better.