Agenda item

5:30pm – 7:00pm

The Chief Finance Officer submits a report that seeks views of the Scrutiny Committee on the draft budget plans, for the following divisions:-

-          Adult Social Care (D1 - Lilac)

-          Housing Strategy and Options (D2 - Blue)

-          Housing Related Support - Supporting People (D3 - Pink)

-          Safer and Stronger Communities (D4 - Orange)                                          

The Committee is asked to consider the draft budget proposals and make its comments to the Cabinet.

 The following draft Budget Strategies 2011/12 – 2013/14 were presented: -

i)                    Adult Social Care - (Appendix D1)

ii)                  Housing Strategy and Options Division - (Appendix D2)

iii)                Housing Related Support (Supporting People) Fund – (Appendix D3)

iv)                Safer and Stronger Communities Division – (Appendix D4)

i)          ADULT SOCIAL CARE                                                          APPENDIX D1

The Strategic Director, Adults and Communities presented the Draft Budget Strategy. A supplementary page of information relating to Clients Changing Services and Clients Receiving Less Of Their Existing Services was also tabled at the meeting.

Members expressed a view that the supplementary information should have been circulated prior to the meeting and not tabled and that consideration should be given to deferring discussion of the Strategy document to a Special meeting of the Board. Members were unclear about several issues contained within the report and requested further information from the officers.

It was moved by the Chair and seconded by the Vice-Chair, and agreed, that further discussion on the Adult Social Care Draft Budget Strategy 2011/12 – 2013/14 be deferred to an adjourned meeting of the Board, to be convened as soon as possible.

Members requested that further information on the areas identified as follows be provided prior to the meeting: -

·        Proposed closures of residential homes, including a detailed cost analysis

·        Meals on Wheels Service

·        Personal Budgets

·        Home Care Workers and the options

·        Specific proposals regarding Extra Care

·        Quality of Care

RESOLVED:

that discussion on the report be deferred to the adjourned meeting of the Board.

ii)         HOUSING STRATEGY AND OPTIONS DIVISION              APPENDIX D2

The Director, Housing Strategy and Options presented the Draft Budget Strategy and stated that Housing General Fund services would be adversely affected by severe reductions in capital reductions in government resources for the Homes and Community Agency, reductions in former Supporting People funds and the overall reduction in formula grant to the Council.

Members opposed, under the rationalisation of voluntary sector grants, the proposed withdrawal of funding for the provision of Corner Club, and Study Support, both of which were in-house services, and Family Support at Border House. It was felt that these were still much needed services and could lead to discrimination as some children at Border House would be eligible for support and others would not. Further information on the length of time families spent in hostels was requested and to be circulated to members.

Members supported the retention of the Homehandy Person Services but felt that there was an opportunity to promote this service better within the private sector.

Members supported the work being done to develop the Revolving Door Service at al hostels in the City that would provide focused support on those individuals that had been in the hostel more than once over the previous two years and would help them succeed when they next left the hostel.

RESOLVED:

that the Draft Budget Strategy be noted and Cabinet be informed of the comments made by the Board. 

iii)        HOUSING RELATED SUPPORT                                          APPENDIX D3

            (SUPPORTING PEOPLE) FUND

The Director, Housing Strategy and Options presented the Draft Budget Strategy and stated that the report set out the actions required to make reductions of 15% in year 1 and 7.5% in years 2 nad 3 for services funded from the former Supporting People grant. It was reported that the Care and Repair and the Supporting Tenants and Residents (STAR) services would be particularly affected by these cuts.

Members supported the work of the STAR service and questioned whether the work could be expanded, to offer support to clients for an appropriate period of time, instead of reducing the service. By way of clarification it was stated that there was not a fixed term of 3 months for each case handled by STAR.

Members further suggested that the proposed position regarding the ending of the contract with the Care and Repair service be re-visited as it was felt that this was a useful service.

Members questioned the savings referred to in the report that related to Children and Young Peoples Services (CYPS) and Community safety. It was stated that these cuts related to contracts for particular services that were in place. Negotiations were underway by the Housing Related Support Team with the respective contractors to try and identify the necessary savings. Members stated that the Children and Young Peoples Scrutiny Committee had not been informed of these cuts to services for children and urged that they be consulted.

It was moved by the Chair and seconded by the Vice-Chair that discussion on the report be deferred to enable the information identified to be provided and to enable the members of the Children and Young Peoples Scrutiny Committee to be consulted on the proposed cuts to services to children.

RESOLVED:

that discussion on the report be deferred to the adjourned meeting of the Board and that members of the Children and Young Peoples Scrutiny Committee be consulted on the detail of the proposed cuts, and the Cabinet Lead Members for Children and Young Peoples Services and Community Safety be invited to attend the adjourned meeting.

iv)        SAFER AND STRONGER COMMUNITIES DIVISION       APPENDIX D4

The Head of the Youth Offending Service presented the Draft Budget Strategy and stated that the division was heavily dependant on Central Government grant funding, with the Drugs and Alcohol Team 100% funded by Government and the Youth Offending Team 65% funded by Government.

It was reported that Information was still awaited from Central Government on a number of the funding streams identified in the report, and this information was being pursued by officers.

It was stated that, regarding the Youth Offending Service, discussions were underway with the Strategic Director Children to try and ensure that this area is work is not cut out by utilising some funding from the Early Intervention Grant that had been made available by the Government.

Members expressed concerns that actual savings could not accurately be determined because of the position reported by officers and surprise at the predictions that, despite cuts of some £1.5m, an improved level of service could be offered by way of re-commissioning and re-alignment of services and better ways of working, and sought what services would not actually be re-commissioned to achieve such savings.

It was moved by Councillor Newcombe and seconded by Councillor Potter, and agreed, that further discussion on the report be deferred to the adjourned meeting to enable the further information, referred above, to be provided by officers.

RESOLVED:

that discussion on the report be deferred to the adjourned meeting of the Board