Agenda and minutes

The minutes of the meeting held on 8^th November 2016 were taken as read, confirmed and signed.

The Chief Executive reported that no questions had been received under Standing Order 35.

The Chief Executive reported that no questions had been received under Standing Order 7(3) and 7(5).

There were no urgent items for consideration.

The Chairman invited members who wished to do so to declare any interest in respect of items on the agenda for the meeting.

No declarations were made.

There were no declarations of the party whip.

The Committee considered a joint report of the Director of Adults and Communities and     Director of Corporate Resources which provided information on the proposed 2017/18 to  2020/21 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.

In introducing the report the Director and Cabinet Lead Members advised members of the financial challenges facing the Council and the significant demand and cost pressures facing social care services in dealing with an ageing population and an increased number of people with complex disabilities. The Department had over the last few years sought to prevent and delay the need for services by various means aimed at promoting independence and by looked critically at the delivery and cost of services.

In response to questions and comments the Committee was advised as follows:-

Service Transformation

i)             The County Council and District Councils had agreed that the Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) funding would be passported in its entirety to the District Councils on the understanding that any underspends would be returned and be available for use on other health and social care services.

ii)            The funding in connection with Lightbulb Project is yet to be determined.

Proposed Revenue Budget

iii)           The County Council and Departmental approach was not to ‘salami slice’ services but rather to consider the impact of services on individuals and the local community, consider how the delivery of service might be improved and whether the service could be redesigned and recommissioned in a more cost effective way. The County Council had made it a clear priority to support the most vulnerable in society and to that end the Adult Social Care budget was one of the few in the Council to show a year on year increase in spend.

iv)           The additional 2% precept to fund social care was not shown as a specific line in the budget figures as the Council took a holistic approach to the preparation of the budget. The Department was required to have regard to the guidance issued concerning the use of the additional funding and could confirm that the proposed increase in funding to adult social care would be more than the amount raised through the precept.

v)             The budget figures for 2018 onward in the table at paragraph 14 did not include inflation as this was held as a central contingency.  

Growth

vi)           The growth now identified in G3 – Older People Demand was less than that requested in previous years. The Department had undertaken an analysis of the number of people seeking assistance, the size of the care packages and the impact of measures put in place to promote self-care and independence. The result was that demand which had shown growth was beginning to stabilise hence the need for less new resource.

Adult Social Care – Departmental Savings

vii)         The Shared Lives Initiative (AC6) was currently supporting approximately 140 people and had been well received. The Scheme enabled people with additional needs to be paired with families who would provide social support rather than such people being provided support in institutional settings. A detailed report would be made to the Committee on the operation of the Scheme.

viii)         The proposals set out in paragraph 39 regarding a robust review of high cost placements was aimed at looking at the cost  ...  view the full minutes text for item 52.

The Committee considered a report of the Director of Adults and Communities concerning the progress to date and outcome of the decision of the Council to implement pre-paid Direct Payment cards for service users. A copy of the report marked’ Agenda Item 9’ is filed with these minutes.

In response to questions the Director advised as follows:-

i)             Service users were invited to take up Direct Payment cards but where they chose not to do so the previous arrangements were continued;

ii)            The experience to date suggested that service users were using the card responsibly and in many cases were able to purchase services at a lower cost which had contributed to some of the savings. Service Users have expressed satisfaction with the new arrangements as it has empowered them and put them in control of their care needs;

iii)           The Department was able to monitor expenditure patterns and this was important not only to ensure that the money was spent appropriately but also to ensure service users were purchasing the services needed for their care;

iv)           The monitoring of the card would be useful to developing an understanding the choices made by service users in purchasing services to meet their needs and this in turn could be useful in contributing to a more outcomes based approach to services;

v)            That an officer from East Leicestershire Clinical Commissioning Group was leading a project on Individualised Personal Commissioning which would look to bringing together into a single funding stream, personal budgets for social care and personal health budgets.

RESOLVED

That the report and information now provided be noted.

The next meeting of the Committee is scheduled to take place on 7 March at 2.00pm.

It was noted that the next meeting of the Committee would be held on 7^th March 2017 at 2.00pm.