Agenda and minutes

Apologies had been received from Councillors Rob Adams (who subsequently attended part way through agenda item 5), Pattie Hill and Shirley Webb.

The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting, including members of the Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee (HOSC), who had been invited to participate in a joint discussion of the draft 2018/19 budget for Adult Services and Public Health.

Three members of the Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee (HOSC) declared an interest.

Mr C Hotham declared an interest as his wife was a GP. If the discussion referred to this interest, he would leave the meeting.

Mrs F Smith declared an interest as her husband was the Council's Cabinet Member with Responsibility for Health and Wellbeing.

HOSC member Cllr Bob Brookes also declared an interest, as his son and daughter were GPs, although not in this area.

Members of the public wishing to take part should notify the Head of Legal and Democratic Services, in writing or by email indicating the nature and content of their proposed participation no later than 9.00am on the working day before the meeting (in this case 9 January 2018). Enquiries can be made through the telephone number/email address below.

None.

Previously circulated

The Minutes of the meeting on 14 November 2017 were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

Attending for the discussion of the draft 2018/19 budget for Adult Services and Public Health, were the Director and Assistant Director of Adult Services, the Director of Public Health, the Strategic Commissioner of Adult and Health Services, as well as the Senior Finance Manager for Adult Services, and Senior Project Manager.

The Cabinet Members for Adult Services and Health and Wellbeing were also present.

A presentation had been circulated and the officers highlighted the main points, including key headlines from the budget report included in the agenda, key investments, new proposed reforms or other ways to fund, the Public Health Ring-fenced Grant, risks and cost pressures.

·         There were a number of demand pressures, especially on services for adults and children. Around 85% of the budget for adult services was spent on external providers.

·         The proposal for 4.94% Council Tax increase included a 3% Adult Social Care Precept, ring-fenced for Adult Social Care services in order to contribute to cost pressures. Since an extra 2% had been raised the previous year for Adult Social Care services, this would mean that the extra amount allowed for 2019/20 would be 1%.

·         The Adult Social Care budget would be strengthened by £7.2million in 2018/19; £3m in response to demographic growth and increasing complexity of support for vulnerable older people and adults with disabilities, £3.2m to meet rising costs of inflation, for pay,pensions and prices. £1m would go towards meeting the requirements of the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DOLs) legislation – government reforms were due, which the Director welcomed since the current requirements were frustrating and not the most effective method.

·         Measures to achieve a balanced budget included maximising use of the Better Care Fund Grant, other monies, income for client contributions, also maintaining challenge on savings targets and trying to keep them at the same level, as well as use of accountancy adjustments where necessary.  An example was capitalising expenditure to maximise the use of revenue.

·         New proposed reforms, or other ways to fund included £4.2m from optimising use of the Better Care Fund and new Directorate reforms such as:

Ø  review of Learning Disability (LD) Day Services (£0.3m)

Ø  maximising benefits (£0.2m), by working with the voluntary sector and the Department of Work and Pensions. There was evidence that people were not always maximising use of the benefits they were entitled to, which was detrimental to them but also to the Council

Ø  review of Replacement Care (previously called Respite) for LD (£0.1m)

Ø  Advocacy joint commissioning with neighbouring councils (£0.1m)

Ø  Transport provision (£0.1m)

Ø  External Provider Training (£0.1m)

Ø  Housing Support (Mental Health (£0.3m)

·         Reprioritisation of Public Health was earmarked to save £0.5m. Existing plans for Public Health were based on cautious estimates of assured grant levels from 2018 and following confirmation of the Public Health Ring-fenced Grant (PHRFG) further reprioritisation of spend would follow.

·         Nationally, there were significant risks and cost pressures on services for adults, including demand and demographics, workforce (particularly nursing and social care recruitment within home care  ...  view the full minutes text for item 263.