Issue - meetings

The Cabinet considered a joint report of the Director of Health and Care Integration and the Director of Adults and Communities concerning the preparation and submission of Leicestershire’s Better Care Fund (BCF) Plan for 2017/18 – 2018/19 and the inclusion of additional resources allocated for adult social care as announced by the Government in March 2017.  A copy of the report, marked ‘10’, is filed with these minutes.

Mr. White CC said that good progress had been made in Leicestershire and integration with partners was improving, as they worked together towards the same objectives.  He said the key area of challenge would be delayed transfers of care, an ongoing issue across the county, and that investment had been specifically targeted to address this in Leicestershire through the BCF. 

RESOLVED:

(a)       That the preparations and governance arrangements for the submission of Leicestershire’s Better Care Fund (BCF) Plan for 2017/18-2018/19 to NHS England be noted;

(b)       That with regard to the additional adult social care grant allocation of £19.7m announced by the Government in the Spring Budget:

(i)         it be noted that this funding is allocated to the County Council for the purposes indicated in the grant conditions, but will be incorporated into the BCF Plan as required by the BCF Policy Framework;

(ii)        the agreement reached with NHS partners on the spending of the grant be welcomed; and

(iii)       the impact of additional grant on the BCF pooled budget from April 2017 be noted;

(c)        That it be noted that the draft BCF Expenditure Plan attached as Appendix A to the report will be submitted to the Health and Wellbeing Board on 22 June 2017 for approval;

(d)       That the timescale for updating the rolling BCF Section 75 Agreement and associated governance arrangements be noted;

(e)       That the County Council’s Medium Term Financial Strategy 2017/18-2020/21 be updated to reflect the additional adult social care grant allocation.

(KEY DECISION)

REASONS FOR DECISION:

The National BCF assurance process requires all local areas to refresh BCF plans in partnership and in line with the BCF Policy Framework and Technical Guidance.

BCF Plans require approval from the local Health and Wellbeing Board prior to submission to NHS England.

Due to the timing of the Chancellor’s March budget statement, the additional £19.7m funding announced and allocated to the County Council for adult social care purposes could not be incorporated  within the Medium Term Financial Strategy for 2017/18 – 2020/21.