Decision details

Members considered a report which provided an overview of progress on Service Plans agreed in January 2006. This report covered service plans for social services and corporate services. Elements of the Corporate Services monitoring were also relevant to the Housing service plans.

The original budget estimate approved by Members was £31.9m. After approval of savings and growth and other items, including insurance and recharge adjustments, the approved budget was £31.7m. This review indicates an overspend of £1,520k (4.8%)  to the approved budget, compared to the first monitor which highlighted a potential overspend of £1,702k. If the actions being taken were achieved, the overspend could reduce to £648k, an increase of 2.2% to budget. 

Members requested an update on the provision of home care services and the difficulties of providing this service. It was reported that as from 4 December the council had ceased to be the provider for long term care and that three providers for three different areas were now the providers. There had been initial problems with some companies that were not successful who did not do a handover of staff but these problems were now diminishing.

Members queried about the number of people expressing an interest in direct payment. Officers reported that they were anticipating around 113 people being interested. Concerns were raised by Members that some people were swapping to direct payment to maintain their current cover arrangements, but some companies were charging more than what the council was paying so people were having to top up their payments.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member for Adult Social Services be advised to

(i)         Note and comment on the progress made in delivering Adult Social Services and Corporate Services plans.

(ii)        Note and comment on the projected overspend on adult social services and the measures taken and planned to reduce this.

Decision of the Executive Member for Adult Social Services

RESOLVED:             That the advice of the Advisory Panel as set out above be accepted and endorsed.

REASON:                  To assure that the objectives for adult social services are being delivered in line with the agreed service plans. To ensure that robust plans are in place to bring expenditure on adult social services much closer to the approved budget.