Agenda item

Report ACS11006

The Portfolio Holder introduced a report outlining the proposed changes to the Personal Budget and Contributions Policy for Adult Social Care services from 2011 onwards as resolved by the Executive in December 2010.  The Committee was provided with an update on the consultation being undertaken with the wider stakeholder groups.

The Head of Programme Management (LD) outlined the how the consultation had been undertaken and highlighted that 3521 service users had been consulted, and that Bromley Sparks had been engaged to convert the documents into easy read format.  The consultation period would end on 28^th February 2011, and the Portfolio Holder would consider the outcomes of the consultation at a special meeting on 18^th March 2011.

The six main areas of the consultation were outlined in paragraph 3.1.1 of the report.

The Committee thanked Officers for the examples that had been included in Appendix 2 of the report as these had helped clarify the proposals being put forward.

A Member sought clarification regarding whether day services were now included in personal budgets.  The Director ACS outlined the procedure that would be adopted in assessing the costs incurred by individuals.

Responding to a question from a Member, the Exchequer Manager confirmed that the assessments undertaken would take account of rent and mortgage payments.  Advice on the benefits that would be available to service users would also be provided, and once benefits had been reviewed service users needs would be re-assessed.

A Co-opted Member highlighted the support some users might need when making decisions about the services they wanted to access, as if clients made the wrong choices, the Local Authority could face higher long term costs.  The Portfolio Holder reported that he shared the concerns expressed, but underlined the importance of empowering service users and ensuring that they were as informed as possible when making their choices.

Some Members expressed concern surrounding the £10 charge for non-eligible day services.  The Director ACS clarified that the charge for non-eligible day services would only be levied on ineligible users.

The Director ACS confirmed that details of how personal budgets would be calculated and administered would be included in the report presented to the Portfolio Holder on 18^th March 2011.

In response to a question from a Member the Director ACS explained that in future there would be a requirement to ask service users questions around the support they received from family members.  The Committee was reminded that clients who did not receive any support from relatives placed a greater financial burden on the Local Authority.  In the future, assessments would have to consider individuals needs and those needs that could be met by sources other than the Local Authority.  The Director suggested that it was fair to assume that people would help support their relatives however, when this support was not there, the Local Authority would provide services if people were eligible.  The Committee was reminded that it was not possible for the Council to meet the social care needs of all the residents of the borough, and as a result of this, alternative service provision had to be identified. 

A Co-opted Member stressed the importance of ensuring that carers were aware of the support that was available and that adequate signing-posting to support services available was in place for both users and carers.

The Chairman requested that all Members of the Committee were sent a link to the report due to be considered by the Portfolio Holder on 18^th March 2011.

RESOLVED that the

1.  (a) Inclusion within the calculation of Personal Budgets of the full range of services provided to support people remain at home, including day care;

(b)  Introduction of charging and removal of subsidies from holiday breaks, laundry and shopping services;

(c)  New charge rates for personal care visits and directly employed personal assistants;

(d)  Increased charges for Carelink (community alarm), Telecare and other assisted technology equipment;

(e)  Introduction of standard rates for disability related expenditure disregards when calculating personal contributions;

(f)  Introduction of a charge for ineligible service users who use day services;

(g)the consultation being undertaken with the wider stakeholder groups be noted.

2.  Portfolio Holder be recommended to consider the views of the PDS Committee alongside the outcome of consultation prior to deciding on the adoption of the revised Personal Budget and consultations Policy in March 2011 and prior to any changes being implemented.