Agenda item

This report sets out the current financial pressures within Adult Social Services along with details of the mitigating actions being taken and likely future issues.

The Committee considered a report, which set out the current financial pressures within Adult Social Services together with details of the mitigating actions being taken and likely future issues.

Details of the main areas of overspend and the mitigating actions being undertaken were outlined in Annex One, with an analysis of spending in key areas over a three year period in Annex Two, to the report.

The Chair confirmed that this meeting had been arranged to consider details of the capital and revenue figures for Adult Social Services for the 2010/11 financial year. This information had been requested to enable the Committee to respond to the Executive’s request to review the reasons and possible options for offsetting the increase in demand for adult community care packages and care packages, which were having an impact on the Council’s budget.

Members expressed disappointment that the Executive Member had been unable to attend the meeting to answer questions in relation to this matter. They pointed out that under Part 4G of the Constitution – Scrutiny Review Procedure Rules scrutiny committees could require Executive Members to explain about matters within their remit.

Some Members suggested deferment of this item to allow the necessary information to be provided together with the attendance of the Executive Member, as they felt unable to provide a response to the Executive in relation of options without this input.

Other Members referred to the Executive’s request and pointed out that the information members were requesting would not be available, at this time, as it was part of the normal budget process.

Cllr Simpson-Laing then moved that further consideration of the report on current budget pressures be deferred pending receipt of the information requested at the Committee’s last meeting, namely the capital and revenue figures for Adult Social Services for the 2010/11 financial year. This was seconded by Cllr Fraser but on being put to the vote the motion was lost.

Officers then went through the report in more detail and some of the main points raised related to:

• Breakdown of the Residential and Nursing figures;
• Forecast of demand for services causing a similar overspend next year;
• Use of in house home care rather than private service providers following the 6 week assessment period;
• Paragraph 7 of the report to refer to ‘annual average cost of packages of care’ rather than ‘annual cost of average packages’;
• Questioned reference in paragraph 10 to ‘providers are now operating at the limit of their capacity’ and the future effect of this;
• Paragraph 13 reference to increased reliance on temporary staff as it was felt that maximum use should be being made of existing staff;
• Questioned Council’s operation of a Bank System for staffing;
• The young people with complex needs that would be coming into adult services how would this compare with previous years;
• Questioned ‘no HR implications’ of report as stated in paragraph 21;
• Difference between holding vacant posts and recruitment freeze of front line posts and the effect on service levels with cover of these posts by existing staff;
• Affect of possible changes to eligibility criteria for services;
• Pro rata % of the savings made at Full Council on the Adult Social Services budget;
• Would a consequence of extending the time taken to complete care assessments and packages lead to bed blocking?
• Questioned savings in relations to each option detailed in the report;
• Changes in services and response times would have an effect on Performance Indicators and the Care Quality Commission ratings;
• Time delay with the need to consult relatives/carers etc prior to any changes to services.

Officers confirmed that they would provide Members with the following information:

• Breakdown of residents  in residential and nursing care;
• Total number of hours temporary staff employed on a monthly basis;
• Number of vacant posts held.

Following further lengthy discussion it was

RESOLVED:                i) That the Scrutiny Committee forward the paper to the Executive as information for the reasons of the overspend;

ii)                That the Executive be informed that the Scrutiny Committee was unable to make any comments on savings at this point in the financial year as options suggested by Officers could have an impact on residents in the city, such changes to services would require consultation and further information on their impact for clients, staff and, partners and Councillors would need to understand any implications. Furthermore, the non-attendance of the Executive Member for Housing and Adult Social Services meant that the Committee were unable to ask his views on the impact of possible changes to services. ^1.

REASON:                  To update the Committee on the current financial pressures in order for them to make a response to the Executive.