Agenda item

To Follow.

Report FSD19009

The Committee considered a report setting out the draft Adult Care and Health Portfolio Budget for 2019/20, which incorporated future cost pressures and initial draft saving options reported to the Council’s Executive on 16^th January 2019.  Members were requested to provide their comments on the proposed savings and identify any further action to be taken to reduce cost pressures facing the Local Authority over the next four years.

The Head of Finance advised Members that a number of pressures would continue to impact the Adult Care and Health Portfolio budget for 2019/20.  This included the challenges of the older demographic of the Borough, the impact of the National Living Wage on the provision of care sector services and the increasing complexity of need of clients presenting to adult social care.  There continued to be significant pressure in the area of Adult Social Care for which the Government had previously agreed non-recurring Improved Better Care Funding of £3.363M in 2019/20 and £1.677M in 2020/21 that would be utilised in agreement with the Bromley Clinical Commissioning Group. 

A Member noted that Chief Officers were exploring savings and income opportunities beyond those outlined within the draft Adult Care and Health Portfolio Budget for 2019/20 and requested further details on any savings or income opportunities identified.  The Member was concerned at references in the draft Budget to projected or planned savings for 2019/20, as anticipated savings may not be realised due to the demand-led nature of services within the Portfolio.  A Member responded by highlighting the robust budget monitoring processes in place to ensure future savings attributed to particular services would be monitored and adjusted throughout 2019/20.  The Interim Chief Executive was pleased to observe that demand-led pressures in the Adult Care and Health Portfolio budget for 2018/19 had been reflected in the increased budget for 2019/20.  In-year mitigation was part of the process of managing cost pressures on the budget, and this would be further supported by a transformation programme to be undertaken across the Local Authority during the first half of 2019 that would include a root-and-branch analysis of every service. 

A Member was concerned at the costs related to the transfer of the Contract Monitoring and Compliance Team from Resources, Commissioning and Contracts Management Portfolio, and underlined the need to monitor the cost of the commissioning process.  The Interim Director: Programmes reported that a full range of budget information was included in all contract reports.  The Head of Finance further noted that any savings realised through commissioned services were reflected in the Portfolio budget and reported throughout the year as part of the regular budget monitoring process.  In response to a query from the Member, the Head of Finance confirmed that a number of information and early intervention programmes would be funded within the Portfolio during 2019/20, including the continuation of long term contracts with Bromley Well and carers support services. 

Another Member queried funding for Public Health services for 2019/20, and the Head of Finance clarified that the redesign of sexual health services in 2018 had realised significant savings, and that funding for Public Health services continued to be ring-fenced to support the delivery of public health schemes.

RESOLVED that:

1)  The financial forecast for 2019/20 to 2022/23 be noted;

2)  Members’ comments on the initial draft Adult Care and Health Portfolio budget 2019/20 as a basis for setting the 2019/20 budget be noted; and,

3)  Members’ comments on the initial draft Adult Care and Health Portfolio budget 2019/20 be provided to the meeting of the Council’s Executive on 13^th February 2019.