37 Medium Term Financial Strategy 2014/15 - 2017/18 PDF 105 KB
Additional documents:
Minutes:
The Committee
considered a joint report of the Director of Adults and Communities and Director
of Corporate Resources which provided information on the proposed 2014/15 to
2017/18 Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) as it related to the Adults and
Communities Department. A copy of the report marked ‘Agenda Item 8’ is filed
with these minutes.
The Chairman
welcomed Mr D W Houseman MBE CC, Cabinet Lead Member for Adult Social Care and
Mr R Blunt CC, Cabinet Lead Member for Heritage, Leisure and Arts to the
meeting for this item.
Arising from
discussion the following points were raised:-
General
(i)
The Department was facing unprecedented budget restrictions and
demand pressures arising from an increasing elderly population and more complex
and high cost packages for people with learning disabilities. In response to
this challenge the Department had focussed on:-
·
Reducing demand by investing in early intervention and prevention;
·
Ensuring care is provided in the most cost effective way which
would mean some restriction on choice;
·
Closer working and commissioning of services with partners,
particularly the NHS.
Growth
(ii)
The Committee was advised that the Department had a good track
record of forecasting demand pressures, using data from the Joint Strategic
Needs Assessment, demographic data and service provision trends;
(iii)
Item G12 – Emergency Duty Team – This growth would enable the
service to focus solely on adults;
(iv)
Item G13 - Effective Support efficiency savings – The growth of
£2.5million was to meet the shortfall in the programme;
Adult Social Care - Service
Reductions
(v)
Item S32 – Community
and Day Centre Meals – Whilst noting the need to reduce the subsidy, members
sought and obtained an assurance that individual service users would be
assessed and those who required it would be provided with support in other
ways;
(vi)
Item S33– Limiting service user choice - This would apply to
both new and existing users. In respect of existing users, this would be done
following the annual review of assessed need;
(vii)
Item S34 – New Models of Early Intervention and Prevention Support
– The process would entail a review of existing provision to ensure it was
delivering the priorities of the Department at a lower cost. This would mean
some services currently provided would cease. The Director undertook to provide
a list of providers that were likely to be affected by this proposal (copy
attached);
Communities and Wellbeing – Service Reductions
(viii)
Item S35 – Redevelopment of Snibston - At the request of the Chairman, Mr Voller, Lead Petitioner, addressed the Committee. He
requested the Council to reconsider the current proposal which would see a
refocusing of the Snibston offer on mining and the
scheduled ancient monument. He drew attention to the fact that approximately
48% of the 8047 signatories to the petition resided in the Coalville
area and that Snibston was an important local
facility. He urged the Council to consider alternatives including partnership
options, which would see the retention of Snibston on
the current basis.
The Committee also noted a written submission made by the local
member, Dr T Eynon CC, a copy of which is attached to these minutes.
In reply to questions and comments the Committee was advised as
follows:-
·
The significant financial pressures facing
the County Council had meant that all services of the Council needed to look
critically at how they operated and make a contribution to savings
requirements;
· The proposals to refocus on mining and the scheduled ancient monument and to reduce the current level of subsidy provided to Snibston Museum would be worked up in greater detail over the coming weeks ... view the full minutes text for item 37