Issue - meetings

Members of the Committee agreed to accept the supplementary agenda detailing The Adult Social Care (SC) Precept, Funding ASC and Green Paper.

The Director of Adult Services delivered a presentation to the Committee. This gave an overview of the Adult Social Care Precept and options for funding in the future.

In 2018/19, revenue from the 2% Council Tax Precept is estimated at £2.3m and is being used to safeguard the Adult Social Care provision within the Borough.  This Precept helped to mitigate pressures from demographic growth and the increased complexity of needs from both an ageing population as well as the younger adult’s cohort.

To date approximately £6.7 million has been raised from the ASC Precept, of which £4.6 million has been under the extended powers granted in 2016.

The last year for Council’s to take up the precept is in 2019/20.  Thereafter the ASC Green Paper is expected to set out the options and mechanisms for funding in the future.

Other funding for ASC comes from:

·       The Better Care Fund

·       The Improved Better Care Fund

The Committee considered the financial analysis and noted there had been some good news in the fact that there have been short-term injections of funding from Government, a balanced budget and improved performance.

However, this is against other issues such as:

·       the fact that there are more older and disabled people with more complex needs

·       Market failures in some parts of the country and fragility elsewhere.

·       Further savings are still required to close the funding gap; and

·       Due to projections in demographic growth and complexity of need further funding will be needed.

Further events on the horizon will have to be featured in such as

·       Green Paper for Adult Social Care

·       Green Paper on Supported Housing

·       Fair Funding Review

·       National Programmes

·       £20 billion Health monies

·       Integration

·       The Comprehensive Spending Review and

·       The CQC Inspection Regime – System Reviews,

Sustainable social care needs to take a long term approach to funding reform and must recognise the needs of working age as well as older people.  It must address the costs of a sustainable and valued workforce and seek to achieve a stable and responsive provider market.

A fair balance between individuals and families as to how care is funded is needed and members of the public should be made fully aware of the value of social care.

Government has decided to delay the Green Paper and as a result The Local Government Association has taken action to publish its own Green Paper and public consultation.  The consultation closes at the end of September 2018 and the results will be published thereafter.

The Individuals OSSC:

Noted the contents of the presentation.