Agenda item

Mark Scarrott, Finance Manager (Adult Services) presented a report relating to the Revenue Outturn position for Adult Services Department within the Neighbourhood and Adult Services Directorate for the financial year 2013/14.

It was reported that the 2013/14 revised cash limited budget was £73.555M, and the net Outturn for the Service for 2013/14 was an underspend of £33,089 (variation of -0.05%).

It was noted that a significant part of the actual underspend was due to additional income received from the NHS during the final quarter.  This, together with restricting spend to essential items only throughout the year, underpinned by tight financial management within the Service, had contributed to addressing the budget pressures within Adult Services. 

A summary revenue outturn position for Adult Social Services was given in the table within the submitted report.

The appendix to the submitted report detailed the revenue outturn 2013/14 and the reasons for variance from approved budgets.  The following key variations were highlighted:-

Adults General (-£140,000)

-        Underspend in the main due to restricting spend to essential items only, managed savings on training budgets plus additional grant funding for HIV support 

Older People’s Services (+£298,000)

-        Recurrent budget pressure on Direct Payments, delays in implementing budget savings target within In-House Residential Care due to extended consultation, overspend on independent residential and nursing care due to budget savings target for additional Continuing Health Care not achieved plus increase in demand for domiciliary care particularly during the final quarter

-        Above budget pressures reduced by additional Winter Pressures funding received in the last quarter, vacancies due to Service reviews and increased staff turnover within Assessment and Care Management and Social Work Teams, impact of restricting spend to essential items only within Day Care Services, delays on developing services for Dementia clients and carers’ breaks.  There had also been additional funding from Health to support hospital discharges, revenue savings due to delays in the replacement programme for Community Alarms and funding through capital resources

Learning Disabilities (+£132,000)

-        Main overspend in respect of SYHA residential and nursing contracts, increases in care packages and reduced in Continuing Health Care income in Supported Living Schemes

-        Increase in demand and unachievable budget saving in Domiciliary Care and high cost placements in independent day care

-        Recurrent pressures on Day Care transport including under-recovery of income from charges and new high cost placements during the year

-        Reduced by underspends in independent sector residential care budgets as a result of a review of all high cost placements plus efficiency savings on a number of independent and voluntary sector contracts and reduced care packages within Community Support Services

Mental Health Services (-£446,000)

-        Savings on Community Support budgets

-        Additional funding from Health to meet Public Health outcomes in respect of alcohol and substance misuse

Physical and Sensory Disabilities (+£383,000)

-        Recurrent budget pressure and a further increase in demand for Direct Payments plus independent Domiciliary Care

-        Pressures reduced by a planned delay in developing specialist alternatives to residential and respite care provision

-        Efficiency savings on contracts with providers for day care, advocacy and Community Support Services, equipment and minor adaptations, staff vacancies and non-pay budgets

Adult Safeguarding (-£148,000)

-        Underspend mainly due to additional Public Health funding to support Domestic Violence plus higher than expected staff turnover

Supporting People (-£112,000)

-        Efficiency savings were made due to a reduction in actual activity on a number of subsidy contracts

Members present raised a number of issues that were clarified as follows:-

·           The Local Authority had received £220,000 Winter Pressures money from Rotherham CCG

·           £400,000 ringfenced Public Health monies had been allocated to meet Public Health outcomes within Adult Services

Resolved:- (1)  That the unaudited 2013/14 Revenue Outturn report for Adult Services be received and noted.

(2)  That staff be congratulated on ensuring the 2013/14 budget had been brought in line with Corporate priorities in an efficient manner.