Issue - meetings

Report CEF22014

The report provided the budget monitoring position for 2021/22 based on activity up to the end of December 2021.

In response to a question, the Head of Children, Education and Families Finance confirmed that detailed budget monitoring was undertaken at certain points in the financial year and since the December round of budget monitoring there had been no changes to the expected budget position for 2021/22.  There continued to be pressures in terms of demand at the front door, although caseloads had remained static.

In relation to the overspend in SEND Transport, mitigations were in place for the 2022/23 budget and the Director of Education confirmed that the Committee would receive a full report and recommendations in the Summer.

The Committee noted that increasing cost pressures arising from the post-16 reforms were being addressed through the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG), although the possibility remained that recent events in the world may cause costs to fluctuate.

In relation to the contribution from Bromley Clinical Commissioning Group (BCCG), Members noted that for the last 4- or 5-years attributable costs were reviewed on a line by line basis.  The assumption for 2022/23 was that there would be an increase in the contribution from the BCCG.

In response to a question, the Head of Children, Education and Families Finance confirmed that various initiatives to increase in-house fostering and reduce reliance on Independent Fostering Agencies were in place.  Bromley was also working with other London Boroughs to review the way in which places were procured.  The Director of Children, Education and Families highlighted, in respect of the 3 or 4 placements costing £4k a week, that this was a very demanding area and that the children involved had complex needs with very few suitable placements available within the system.  Bromley had developed the New Horizons scheme which was an in-house initiative encouraging foster carers to take on some of the more complex cases.  Meetings had also taken place with providers of residential placements.

The Chairman noted that good progress had been made in respect of increasing numbers of permanent staff and the Assistant Director for Children’s Social Care set out the initiatives that had been utilised, including two new cohorts of student social workers and an increase in the number of oversees applications being received.

RESOLVED: That the Portfolio Holder be recommended to note that the latest projected overspend of £1,987,000 is forecast on the controllable budget, based on information as at December 2021.