Agenda and draft minutes

Consideration was given to the minutes of the previous meetings held on 12^th  March, 2012.

Resolved:-  That the minutes of the previous meetings held on 12^th March, 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 February, 2012. 

It was reported that the forecast for the financial year 2011/12 was an underspend of £2.145M 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

·        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

·        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 agreed with NHSR.

Total expenditure on Agency staff for Adult Services so far was £208,021 compared with an actual cost of £355,049 for the same period last year.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 57.

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)).

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 a proposal to relocate the Council’s Mental Health Day Service from Clifton Court to a suitable alternative Council building in order to ensure that the Service best met the needs of its customers.

Community Mental Health Services must be sustainable and personalised and reflect recovery and social inclusion principles.  This would mean movement away from premises-based day Services in favour of individual support to access local mainstream services.

Resolved:-  That the proposed relocation of the ‘New Service Provision’ (previously Clifton Court)  Day Services be approved.