Agenda and minutes

Resolved:- That the minutes of the meeting held on 7^th December 2009 be approved as a correct record.

Mark Scarrott, Finance Manager (Adult Services) presented the submitted report which provided a financial forecast for the Adult Services Department within the Neighbourhoods and Adult Services Directorate to the end of March 2010 based on actual income and expenditure to the end of November 2009.

The latest budget monitoring report for Adult Services showed some underlying pressures, however after taking account of a number of achieved savings and assuming the achievement of all management actions implemented to address identified pressures it was forecast that there would be an overall net overspend of £189k by the end of the financial year.

Management actions of £1.139m had been identified to reduce the budget pressures. A total of £954k had already been achieved to-date and were now included in the detailed forecasts. This reduced the underlying pressures to £374k and left a balance of £185k identified management actions to be achieved by the end of the financial year. The Directorate was continuously reviewing planned spend to identify any further potential opportunities to mitigate the remaining forecast overspend. 

The latest year end forecast showed the main budget pressures in the following areas:-

• Home Care as a result of delays in shifting the balance of provision to the independent sector (+£572k). The 70/30 split was achieved at the end of July 2009 and the balance had now moved beyond 70/30 towards an 80/20 ration that the Cabinet recognises as the optimum level based on experience elsewhere in the country.
• Increase in residential and nursing care short stays over and above approved budget for clients with a physical and sensory disability (+£147k).
• Independent sector home care provision for Physical and Sensory Disability clients had increased by an additional 970 hours since April 2009 and a further 38 clients were now receiving a service. This was resulting in an overspend of £352k against the approved budget.
•  A significant increase above approved budget in clients receiving a Direct Payment within Physical and Sensory Disabilities and Older Peoples Services (+£280k), reduced by Social Care Reform Grant Allocation of (-£100k).
• Additional one-off expenditure was being incurred in respect of the costs of boarding up, removal of utilities and security costs at the former residential care homes prior to them transferring to the Council’s property bank (+£200k).
• Delays in the implementation of budget savings agreed as part of the budget setting process for 2009/10 in respect of meals on wheels (+£241k), laundry (+£125k) and the bathing service (+£40k).
• Continued pressure on the cost of external transport provision for Learning Disability Day care clients (+£134k).

The above pressures had been reduced by :-

•  Additional income from continuing health care funding from NHS Rotherham (-£222k).

·        Delays in the implementation of new supported living schemes within Learning Disability services (-£395k).

·        Savings within independent residential care due to an increase in income from property charges (-£586k) and slippage in intermediate care spot beds (-£40k).

·        Savings on the reconfiguration of Extra Care housing (-£340k).

·        Planned delay in developing rehabilitation and supported living facilities for clients  ...  view the full minutes text for item 75.

Chrissy Wright presented the submitted report in respect of the Workforce Strategy.

She reported that a workforce strategy based on the Integrated Local Area Workforce (InLAWS) approach had been developed which was an approach developed by the DH and endorsed by ADSS.

The Strategy set out 6 main objectives which had been informed nationally and regionally.  These actions would support our Strategic and Year Ahead commitments along with the implementation of personalisation across Rotherham.  Neighbourhoods and Adult Services recent Care Quality Commission inspection recommended that the workforce strategy and training plan had a clear action plan that detailed how key milestones would be met.  The Strategy reflected these recommendations and its action plan sets out clearly the journey that would transform the service.

An InLAWS approach would provide:

•               smooth pathways for customers

•               effective workforce planning across organisational and professional boundaries

•               change which delivers efficiencies

•               whole system career pathways – interchangeable between organisations

•               strong, strategic and active leadership

•               motivated and trained workforce facilitators - both in HR and frontline services

•               good knowledge sharing systems

•               synchronised planning cycles

•               thinking and acting in ‘whole systems’ – involving stakeholders, staff and partners

It was noted that CQC had stated that only 25% of authorities nationally had a robust workforce strategy in place and the achievement of a Workforce Strategy based on the InLAWs approach for Rotherham was considered good performance and also met the action required in the performance improvement plan arising from the CQC Inspection in 2009.

Resolved:- (1) That the Cabinet Member endorse the Workforce Strategy and the InLAWS approach

(2) That the Cabinet Member for Housing and Neighbourhoods endorse the strategy

(3) That the Strategy be presented to the Adults Board for endorsement.

Millennium Centre

The Cabinet Member for Health and Social Care announced that there had been an outbreak of Legionnaires at the Millennium Centre, which had resulted in the centre being closed until further notice.  Discussions were underway with regard to the functions undertaken by the Council within the building and how these would continue in the interim.

Residential Care Workers

The Cabinet Member for Health and Social Care wished to place on record his thanks to all the staff especially residential care and enabling care workers who had provided a continued service to all residents during the recent adverse weather conditions.  It was agreed that a letter be sent to all members of staff congratulating them on behalf of members and officers.