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City of York Council |
Committee Minutes |
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Meeting |
Decision Session - Executive Member for Health and Adult Social Care |
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Date |
13 January 2021 |
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Present |
Councillor Runciman |
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30. Declarations of Interest
The Executive Member was asked to declare, at this point in the meeting, any personal interests not included on the Register of Interests, or any prejudicial or disclosable pecuniary interests that they might have had in respect of business on the agenda. None were declared.
31. Minutes
Resolved: That the minutes of the Decision Session held on 9 December 2020 be approved as a correct record and signed at a later date.
32. Public Participation
It was reported that there had been two registrations to speak on agenda item 4 [Financial Strategy 2021/22 to 2025/26] at the meeting under the Council’s Public Participation Scheme.
Cllr Perrett expressed concern regarding the cuts and projected savings in a directorate that had already directly felt the impact of the pandemic. She asked which savings presented the highest risk and added that a number of savings relied in the care sector which was already fragile. She noted concern regarding the £33,000 cut to the public health budget.
Cllr Mason welcomed the investments in social care, mental health and carer support as part of the COVIS-19 recovery fund. He noted that the support for carers to projects that would make a difference. He expressed concern about the long term mental health impacts of the pandemic and was happy to see investment n mental health provision.
33. Financial Strategy 2021/22 to 2025/26
The Executive Member considered a report which set out the draft savings proposals, growth assumptions and capital schemes relating to her portfolio, providing an opportunity to receive feedback in advance of the presentation of the overall Financial Strategy to Executive on 11 February 2021.
The report outlined the national and local context of the overall strategy, highlighting the unprecedented financial challenges resulting from the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, which had generated an in-year financial pressure of £15m for the council. Revenue savings of £7.9m were required in 2021/22. Savings proposals for the portfolio was were set out in Annex 1 to the report, with growth proposals in Annex 2 and capital schemes in Annex 4. Feedback received to date on the public consultation on those proposals was attached at Annex 3. It was noted that the budget consultation would continue until 31 January.
The Director of People explained that due to the long term funding position, pandemic and increased demand, it was a challenging time for adult health and social care. In response to the registered speakers she noted the need for savings, which would be made by looking at different ways of delivering services, including the management, procurement, economies of scale and working patterns.
In relation to the proposed savings in the public health budget, the Director of Public Health explained that savings would made by restructuring some services. She noted that the government had maintained the public health grant allocation but had not increased it and she noted the long term impact of this.
The Executive Member noted that concerns had been raised about quality to which the Assistant Director for Joint Commissioning explained that the care market in York was very good and there was regular contact with the Aged Care Quality Association (ACQA). She added that the council was looking at making savings by doing things differently and not by reducing quality.
In response to questions from the Executive Member, officers clarified that:
· Different types of technology were used to help people lead better lives, enabling them to go out into their communities and to meet and connect with different people. There had been technology pilots over the last year that had been put in place with support from the council IT team.
· Support for carers was strong in York and there was funding for the carers centre.
· An update on the Better Care Fund was given.
· There had been 780 responses to the budget consultation as at 3 January 2020. A brief outline of the responses was given and it was highlighted that the largest priority for respondents was to prioritise the public health response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
· The budget proposals would be met by working differently, economies of scale, integrating people into their communities to live their best lives. Different approaches would be used to deliver better outcomes.
Resolved:
(i) That the feedback from consultation for Health and Adult Social Care portfolio, as set out in Annex 3 to the report, be noted.
(ii) That the following be agreed for inclusion within the overall Financial Strategy 2021/22 to 2025/26 to be presented to Executive on 11 February 2021 and Full Council on 25 February 2021:
a) The 2021/22 revenue savings proposals for Children, Young People and Education and Culture, Leisure and Communities portfolios portfolios, as set out in Annex 1 to the report.
b) The 2021/22 revenue growth proposals for Children, Young People and Education and Culture, Leisure and Communities portfolios, as set out in Annex 2 to the report.
c) The new schemes for inclusion in the 2021/22 to 2025/26 Capital Programme as set out in Annex 4 to the report.
Reason: To ensure that stakeholders have the opportunity to feed into the budget process in advance of the finalisation of the Financial Strategy 2021/22 to 2025/26.
Cllr Runciman, Executive Member
[The meeting started at 10.00 am and finished at 10.27 am].