Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Mr P A Tuthill.

None.

Members of the public wishing to take part should notify the Head of Legal and Democratic Services in writing or by e-mail indicating the nature and content of their proposed participation no later than 9.00am on the working day before the meeting (in this case Tuesday 3 October 2017).  Enquiries can be made through the telephone number/e-mail address below.

None.

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The Minutes of the Meeting held on 7 September 2017 were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

The Leader of the Council was invited to update the Board on the Medium Term Financial Plan, the process for setting the 2018/19 Budget and how Scrutiny might best contribute to that work.

Budget setting for this year would follow a different process than in recent years. The Council was facing a number of challenges and changes to Policy eg the budget pressures resulting from the inadequate situation in Children's Services, changes to Business Rates and the cap on public sector pay were all variables making financial planning more difficult. 

The Leader explained that the overall resource base was broadly steady but slightly increasing and a gap was emerging due to the demand led services mainly Children's and Adults.  Work was on-going in the Directorates to look at the trajectories of the Budgets and Directorates would then be looking at how they could work within a resource allocation over the medium term. 

As part of this process, it was suggested that Scrutiny could look at:

·       what other councils were doing in respect of budgets

·       the detailed in-year analysis

·       a comparison of in-year analysis with the new suggestions coming forward when the information was available in December.

During the discussion, the following main points were made:

·       There was £7.5m shortfall of which £6m related to Children's Services

·       Each Directorate would be advised of their resource allocation for next financial year and asked to consider how they would be able to manage within that allocation. Directorates would build their Budget bottom up by considering the Corporate Plan objectives, Directorate service requirements and pressures and the resources required to achieve those requirements

·       The Three Conversations Model was going to be one of the key underpinning initiatives in Adult Social care moving forward. It was a strengths-based approach to social care which built on the resources and resilience that an individual already had, including family, friends and the wider community to avoid long term care.  This was being piloted in some areas at the moment, meanwhile the numbers in crisis and pressures in this area were still high as not everyone was yet going through this process

·       The Adult and Health interface was very key in the medium term and the resource allocation would be discussed jointly as they were interlinked. It was important to ensure that the total funding was considered to ensure the best value and outcomes.  It was suggested that the relevant Scrutiny Panels should also carry out joint discussions

·       There were a series of initiatives in respect of winter pressures both nationally and locally.  One example in Worcestershire was that social workers would be allocated to hospital wards to assist with effective discharge

·       The impact of public sector pay on the Adult Social Care Budget was questioned.  It was confirmed that the key assumption eg pay and inflation would need to be reviewed as part of the budget setting process.  A challenge for the Directorate was that the majority of spend was with external providers

·       There was an opportunity to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 1000.

Environment and Economy Overview and Scrutiny Panel

The Chairman of the Panel advised that the Panel had met twice and discussed Highways Development Management Processes – Section 278 And 106 Delivering For Cycling Footways.

Crime and Disorder

The Lead Member for Crime and Disorder report that following the Following the Annual Worcestershire County Council Community Safety Report on

7 September, it was agreed that the Board should receive feedback from the County Council's Representative on the Police and Crime Panel, Councillor Stephen Mackay on a regular basis, preferably following each PCP meeting.

Corporate and Communities Overview and Scrutiny Panel

The Chairman of the Panel advised that at its meeting on 13 September, the Panel met with Place Partnership Ltd. 

Children and Families Overview and Scrutiny Panel

A workshop, facilitated by the LGA, was being held on 16 October to support Scrutiny and colleagues from the Corporate Parenting Board and Worcestershire Safeguarding Children Board had been invited to attend also. 

Adult Care and Well-Being Overview and Scrutiny Panel

The Chairman of the Panel reported that at its recent meeting the Worcestershire Safeguarding Adults Board's Annual Report and the Three Conversations Model were discussed. 

Forward Plan

No comments were made.