Agenda and minutes

Consideration was given to the minutes of the previous meetings held on 13^th  February, 2012.

Resolved:-  That the minutes of the previous meetings held on 13^th February, 2012, be approved as a correct record.

Consideration was given to a report, presented by the Finance Manager (Adult Services), which provided a financial forecast for the Adult Services Department within the Neighbourhoods and Adult Services Directorate to the end of March, 2012 based on actual income and expenditure to the end of January, 2012. 

It was reported that the forecast for the financial year 2011/12 was an underspend of £1.976M against an approved net revenue budget of £76.400M.

It was explained that there were a number of underlying budget pressures which were at present being offset by a number of forecast underspends:-

The underlying budget pressures included:

·        an overall forecast overspend within Older Peoples’ Home Care Service mainly due to increased demand for maintenance care within the independent sector

·        pressure on independent home care within Physical and Sensory Disability Services due to continued increase in demand

·        shortfall in respect of income from charges within in-house residential care

·        additional employee costs due to high dependency levels and cover for vacancies and long term sickness within older people inhouse residential care

·        an overall forecast overspend on Direct Payments across all client groups due to increase in demand was being reduced by savings on independent and voluntary sector contracts as clients in those schemes moved to Direct Payments

·        recurrent budget pressure on Learning Disabilities Day Care transport including income from charges

These pressures had been offset by the following forecast underspends:-

·        Forecast net underspend on Older People independent sector residential and nursing care due to an increase in the average client contribution and additional income from property charges

·        Underspend on employee costs within Transport Unit plus income from increased activity

·        Slippage on developing Supported Living Schemes within Physical and Sensory Disabilities

·        Review of care packages within Learning Disabilities Supported Living resulting in efficiency savings with external providers and additional funding from health

·        One off slippage on vacant posts as part of restructure/reviews including voluntary early retirements

·        Underspend on Rothercare Direct due to slippage on vacant posts and a reduction in expenditure on equipment including leasing costs

·        Slippage on recruitment to vacant posts within Older People’s Assessment and Care Management Teams

·        Underspend on Older People’s Day Care due to slippage on vacant posts plus additional grant income

·        Slippage on developing support services for carers

·        Underspend on preserved rights clients within learning disabilities residential care and nursing care

·        Difficulties in recruiting to vacant posts within Adult Safeguarding Team

·        Further efficiency savings on Supporting People contracts in order to meet 2012/13 budget savings target

·        Impact of additional funding from NHSR for Support to Carers Strategy

·        Further slippage on developing assistive technology

·        Savings within supported Living Schemes across client groups due to vacant posts and additional income from health

·        Further slippage on developing specialist residential and respite care for clients with a physical or sensory disability

·        The additional one-off income from Health in respect of additional funding announced by the Government for investment in Social Care Services which benefitted the Health system, recognising the significant pressures during the winter period, had now been  ...  view the full minutes text for item 52.

Resolved;-  That the Chairman (or substitute) be authorised to attend the National Children and Adult Services Conference to be held in Eastbourne on 24^th-26^th October, 2012.

The following item is likely to be considered in the absence of the press and public as being exempt under Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended March 2006) (information relating to the financial or business affairs of any person (including the Council))

Resolved:-  That, under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended March 2006) (information relating to the financial or business affairs of any person (including the Council)).

The Director of Health and Wellbeing submitted for consideration a proposal to freeze the Resource Allocation System (RAS) scorecard to reflect the Council’s budget setting decisions.

The aim of the RAS, linked to the allocation of personal budgets, was to provide a clear and rational way to calculate how much money it was likely to cost to meet a person’s assessed needs as determined in their support plan.

The RAS had to be revised each year to take account of changes in Social Care budgets and support costs.  Presently the key cost drivers were Direct Payments and the costs of independent sector community based services.  The Council’s inflation provisions for the cost drivers had not been increased, therefore, it was proposed that the RAS scorecard be frozen at 2011/12 levels.

The rates were set out in Appendix 1 of the report submitted.

Resolved:-  That the Resource Allocation System be frozen at 2011/12 prices for the financial year 2012/13.