Agenda and minutes

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 December, 2011. 

It was reported that the forecast for the financial year 2011/12 was an underspend of £748,000 against an approved net revenue budget of £76.727M.

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 residential care and nursing care

·        Difficulties in recruiting to vacant posts within Adult Safeguarding Team together with underspend on Mental Capacity Training budgets due to Council-wide moratorium on non-essential spend

·        Further efficiency savings on Supporting People contracts

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

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

The forecast excluded any additional income from NHSR in respect of additional funding announced by the Government for the support of Social Care.  There was a requirement that the funding should be transferred to Councils under Section 256 of the 2006 NHS Act.  Negotiations were currently taking place with NHSR to determine the most appropriate  ...  view the full minutes text for item 44.

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 reported that the Supporting People Accommodation contracts with the current providers and the in-house Service Level Agreements were due to end in March, 2012.

Supporting People had conducted robust analysis of all accommodation-based services currently delivered and developed an action plan for commissioning for the next 2 years which included procurement of 4 accommodation-based services in 2011/12 and extending the remaining 13 accommodation services for a period of 12 months from 1^st April, 2012, to align with corporate priorities, the budget challenge and the SP Strategy (2008-2013).

Resolved:-  (1)  That the contracts for the remaining 13 accommodation-based services, which currently end in March, 2012, be extended for a period up to 12 months.

(2)  That the report be referred to the Cabinet Member for Safe and Attractive Neighbourhoods for information.