Agenda item

To consider the Executive’s initial proposals for the 2014-15 Budget as set out in the Meeting the Challenges 2014-15 Budget Consultation document.

The Executive’s initial proposals for the 2014/15 Budget encompassing service reductions and efficiency savings as outlined in the Meeting the Challenges Budget Consultation document were presented for the Committee’s consideration.

The detailed savings proposals put forward by Social Services covering Adult Social Care, Learning Disabilities Services and Children’s Services which were not incorporated in the Consultation document were tabled at the meeting and were explained by the Director of Community. The Director of Community said that the 2014/15 financial year will be an extremely challenging one in budget terms and that the situation has only been ameliorated to an extent by the fact that the consultation and planning process has commenced much earlier. There has been much discussion as regards putting forward proposals which are achievable in order to try to avoid a pattern of overspending especially in respect of Adult Social Care and those proposals are still being discussed and modified. There has been differentiation in the savings targets imposed on services with some services having to meet higher targets than others. There is also an ongoing dialogue with regard to grant funding with the Welsh Government seeking to change the use of grants in way that increasingly advocates more regional working. This change of emphasis can impact upon local agreements. The Officer went on to say that although Social Services have been given greater budgetary protection than some other services, they remain below the savings target and further work is required. In response to a question about greater joint working in relation to the learning disability provision at Bryn y Neuadd, the Director of Community said that the service is highly integrated in terms of management and planning. The work required in this service area is around better housekeeping but given that contracts involve individual clients the approach must be measured and requires that a plan and service expectations be carefully and clearly set out.

The Portfolio Member for Housing and Social Services said that in formulating their savings proposals, the Social Services had carefully scrutinised their statutory requirements and had looked at all other provision on the basis of affordability.

The Chief Officer of Medrwn Môn commented that a reduction in the funding support to the Third Sector has been based historically on a specific sum. The proposals as set out need to be discussed further in terms of their implications for the Third Sector particularly in relation to the follow considerations –

•           Whether it is possible to forward plan to prepare the sector for future reductions

•           Whether it is possible to give an indication of the sector’s funding prospects based on the kind of pattern which the review of contracts has disclosed and in order to enable pre-emptive planning and also in order to identify opportunities.

•           The need for a dialogue on commissioning grants in order to clarify the Authority’s commissioning intentions with regard to the Third Sector.

•           The potential to explore Third Sector capacity to support and contribute to alternative forms of provision in relation to discretionary services thus providing an opportunity for Social Services to safeguard services they regard as important but which are not mandatory.

The Director of Community acknowledged that such a discourse is essential in terms of shaping both Social Services and the Third Sector workforce. Efforts are being made to strengthen commissioning and purchasing arrangements involving closer working with the Health Sector with a view to increasing opportunities for jointly shaping and profiling provision. The Officer emphasised that changeability of the situation and she said that consequently there needs to be an element of trust within the immediate “family” of organisations in terms of recognising that information shared might not be definitive at the point of issue.

The Chief Officer of Medrwn Môn confirmed that the organisation would be responding formally to the Budget consultation. He welcomed the intention to monitor contracts as an opportunity for the Third Sector to demonstrate value for money.

The Director of Community said that she would forward details in relation to the savings to the Chief Officer of Medrwn Môn.

It was agreed to note the Executive’s initial budget proposals with particular reference to the Social Services’ proposals for efficiency savings.

NO FURTHER ACTION ARISING.