Issue - meetings

Report FSD20082

The Committee considered a report providing the budget monitoring position for 2020/21 for the Adult Care and Health Portfolio based on activity up to the end of September 2020.

The Head of Finance for Adults, Health and Housing advised that the current position of the Adult Care and Health Portfolio was a projected overspend of £679k on the controllable budget, which excluded the impact of COVID-19. However, it was noted that there were areas of underspend within this, particularly in relation to Assessment and Care Management.

It was estimated that the impact of COVID-19 on the Adult Care and Health Portfolio budgets could potentially be around £11m. It was noted that the majority of this would be funded through Government grants or the recovery of hospital discharge costs from NHS England.

The Head of Finance for Adults, Health and Housing advised the Committee that in the next quarter, there should be a significant reduction in the overspend. The CCG had allocated one-off funding of £500k which, if approved, could help offset pressures, and there may be additional COVID grants that could be utilised.

In response to questions received from a Member, the Head of Finance for Adults, Health and Housing said that there were substantial amounts of savings to be delivered. Some savings had already been achieved, and work was continuing in order to achieve further savings. It was noted that this had been impacted by the pandemic – however if a department could evidence this impact, it would not appear as a pressure within their Portfolio budget. In relation to the Mental Health overspend, the Head of Finance for Adults, Health and Housing advised that this was mainly due to the number of new clients entering the service. This would also be considered as part of the 2021/22 budget and four-year forecast.

RESOLVED that the Portfolio Holder:

i)  Note the projected overspend of £679k on controllable expenditure (excluding the impact of COVID-19), based on information as at September 2020; and

ii)  Agree the release of amounts carried forward from 2019/20 as set out in section 3.7 of the report.