Agenda item

Report of the Assistant Director Resources

The Assistant Director, Resources, submitted a report (previously circulated), which invited Members to give consideration to the Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP) for 2024/25 to 2027/28, and forward any views, in particular those in relation to the services and finances which were specifically within the remit of this Scrutiny Committee.

The submitted report stated that the MTFP had been agreed by Cabinet on 5 December 2023 as the basis for consultation, and Members were asked to discuss and consider the overall contents of the MTFP, however, with particular emphasis on those services and finances within the MTFP which specifically related to those areas within their remit, and forward any views to a Special Meeting of the Economy and Resources Scrutiny Committee, to be held on 18 January 2023, for consideration. It was reported that the Economy and Resources Scrutiny Committee would then agree a formal response to Cabinet on behalf of all the Scrutiny Committees, as part of the consultation.   

A briefing was delivered to Councillors on 13 December 2023 which provided an overview and highlighted key points in the plan. It was noted that since the MTFP had been published for consultation, the Council had received notification of the draft financial settlement for 2024/25.

Discussion ensued on the costs associated with children transitioning to Adults Services and the arrangements in place to plan for transitions; the work being undertaken to promote Discretionary Housing Payments, and how best to maximise receipt of this funding to ensure that there is no underspend; the percentage of the Adult Social Care budget spent on statutory services and how this funding is utilised; whether a cost benefit analysis has been undertaken in terms of commissioned services and the scope for the development of an in-house solution (Care Cooperative); the assumptions made around the continuation of the Social Care Grant; the purpose of the £71,000 of non-allocated, non-construction funding attributed to Adult Social Care within the submitted report; the need for greater funding for Mental Health services; and the proposed reduced increase in Council Tax for future years.    

RESOLVED – (a) That the work being undertaken on behalf of the Adults Portfolio Holder on proposals for a Care Cooperative be presented to a future meeting of this Committee in the next financial year.

(b) That the report be noted, and that the Chair of this meeting, in consultation with the Lead Scrutiny Officers supporting this Scrutiny Committee, be given authority to agree the Minutes of this Ordinary Meeting of the Scrutiny Committee, in order to enable the Minutes to be considered at a Special Meeting of the Economy and Resources Scrutiny Committee, scheduled to be held on 18 January 2024.