Issue - meetings

Medium Term Financial Plan – Executive Proposals

 

 

Meeting: 13/09/2011 - Health & Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee (Item 5)

5 Understanding the possible affects of the Council's Medium Term Financial Plan on local Health Services pdf icon PDF 42 KB

To consider a report of the Corporate Director for Corporate and Support Services.

 

At its meeting on 5 September, the Executive will consider the following reports:-

 

(a)    A report from the Corporate Director, Corporate and Support Services entitled ‘Medium Term Financial Plan - Financial Landscape and Forecasts 2012/13 to 2014/15’, and

(b)    A report from the Executive Councillor, Finance entitled ‘ Medium Term Financial Plan – Executive Proposals’

 

The Executive has requested that each scrutiny committee meeting in this cycle should receive a copy of the reports and should have the opportunity to hear from and question the relevant Executive Councillors and Corporate Directors regarding the contents of the reports. A summary of the reports referred to in (a) and (b) above is enclosed with the agenda as are the full copied of these two reports.

 

Following the discussion and presentations by / questioning of Executive Councillors and Corporate Directors, the Scrutiny Committee is invited to comment as appropriate on the financial challenge facing the Council and, in particular, the proposals from the Executive which relate to the Committee’s remit. Comments from all scrutiny committees will be reported to and considered by the Executive.

 

Officer contact: Steve Houston on 474 4000, or email: steve.houston@stockport.gov.uk

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Executive Councillor (Adults & Health) and the Corporate Director, Corporate and Support Services submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) requesting the Scrutiny Committee to consider and comment upon the financial prospects facing the Council and the Executive's proposals for reducing expenditure which are appropriate to the Committee's remit.  The Scrutiny Committee was asked to comment on two reports which had been considered by the Executive at its meeting on 5 September 2011, namely, a) Medium Term Financial Plan - Financial Landscape and Forecasts 2012/13 to 2014/15 and b) Medium Term Financial Plan - Executive proposals.

 

The following comments were made/issues raised:-

 

·        A Member raised concern in respect to the coordination of the second phase of the review aims, specifically in relation to  Neighbourhood Level Community Budgets and how Local Integrated Services would be implemented.

·        Within the area of 'Personalisation' and in particular the six specific proposals, Councillors recognised that there would have to be a shift from traditional service delivery but emphasised their desire for standards of delivery to remain high.. 

·        Monitoring the effects of the streamlining of family services and who would be responsible for managing the streamlining.

·        The definition of a low priority service.

·        Access to the re-ablement Service, concerns were raised when drawing comparison with  other Local Authorities that only 40% of people in the borough who had effective re-ablement treatment would not require long term social care support.

·        A request that the Health and Wellbeing Partnership Board be requested to scrutinise services that overlap and eliminate duplication. 

 

RESOLVED - That the report be noted and comments be referred to the Executive for consideration.

Meeting: 12/09/2011 - Adult Care Services & Housing Scrutiny Committee (Item 5)

5 Medium Term Financial Plan pdf icon PDF 46 KB

To consider a report of the Corporate Director for Corporate and Support Services.

 

At its meeting on 5 September, the Executive will consider the following reports:-

 

(a)       A report from the Corporate Director, Corporate and Support Services entitled ‘Medium Term Financial Plan - Financial Landscape and Forecasts 2012/13 to 2014/15’, and

(b)       A report from the Executive Councillor, Finance entitled ‘ Medium Term Financial Plan – Executive Proposals’

 

It is recommended that each scrutiny committee should receive a copy of the reports and have the opportunity to hear from and question the relevant Executive Councillors and Corporate Directors regarding the contents of the reports.

 

The Scrutiny Committee is recommended to comment as appropriate on the financial challenge facing the Council and, in particular, the proposals from the Executive which relate to those matters within the Scrutiny Committee’s remit.  Comments from all scrutiny committees will be reported to and considered by the Executive.

 

Officer contact: Steve Houston on 474 4000, or email: steve.houston@stockport.gov.uk

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Corporate Director for Corporate and Support Services submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) requesting the Scrutiny Committee to consider and comment upon the financial prospects facing the Council and the Executive’s proposals for reducing expenditure which were appropriate to the Committee’s remit. The Scrutiny Committee was asked to comment on two reports which had been considered by the Executive at its meeting on 5 September 2011, namely, (a) Medium Term Financial Plan – Financial Landscape and Forecasts 2012/13 to 2014/15 and (b) Medium Term Financial Plan – Executive Proposals. 

 

The Executive Councillors (Adults) and (Communities) summarised the proposals as they related to their portfolios.

 

The following comments were made /issues raised:-

 

·         Concern was expressed about the £1.6 million savings identified in the care management budget through the implementation of the reablement programme in 2012/13; in particular the level of support that would be afforded to those persons after the six week intervention period under the scheme if they still required additional support.  In response, the Scrutiny Committee was advised that ‘reablement’ was designed to be a short-term intensive intervention and that current performance had shown that approximately three in ten service users did not require further assistance.

·         A question was raised in relation to the criteria and process for reablement and how the service would target hard to reach groups.  It was subsequently reported that all individuals with substantive and critical care needs would be referred to the reablement programme in the first instance in order that no gaps in service provision would appear.  Reablement may not always be appropriate and these cases would then be referred back.

·         A member recounted the excellent service received by a family member through the reablement scheme, but noted that the service received at the conclusion of this by a private sector provider had not met the same standard. 

·         Implementation plans for the proposals contained within the report should have been provided to the Scrutiny Committee prior to consideration of the proposals to assist in arriving at a judgement.  The Scrutiny Committee was advised that the consultation process was ongoing and the supporting documents would go through a number of iterations during this period, however if members requested this information it would be made available to them.

·         The number of proposed post reductions resulting from the proposals was queried.  The Scrutiny Committee was advised that it was anticipated that there would be a reduction of ten social workers and three managers which would be achieved through voluntary redundancies and holding current vacancies.  There would be a reduction of a further six posts in Quality Management and two posts in the commissioning of support and information management.

·         Supported tenancy provision had been mentioned in the report and in particular the negotiation of staff terms and the redesign of services.  Members asked what this would mean in practice and whether negotiation over staff terms would actually mean a reduction in working conditions.

·         The use of the phrase ‘efficiency savings’ implied that the Council was ‘inefficient’ previously, particularly as such savings were being made without an impact on front line services.  It was further commented that if spending on services was being reduced, did this mean that spending had previously been too high or that it would be too little in the future.  In response, it was stated that efficiency savings had been made by the Council for a number of years, but that instead of using these savings to develop new services, these were now being used to achieve the necessary budgetary reductions.

·         Cost reductions in community meals were proposed in the report and Members asked for further information on how these would be made.  The removal of linen and community meal services would have an impact on those that currently used them, and what provision would be made for those service users in the future.  Members were advised  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5

Meeting: 05/09/2011 - Executive (Item 8)

8 Medium Term Financial Plan – Executive Proposals pdf icon PDF 169 KB

To consider a report of the Executive Councillor (Finance)

 

The proposals contained in the report take as their starting point the Indicative Budget for 2012/13 set out in the report of the Corporate Director, Corporate and Support Services elsewhere on the agenda for this meeting.  Within a range of potential outcomes that report estimates that there will be an ongoing savings requirement of around £13.5m (illustrative case) in 2012/13, rising to £31.6m by 2014/15.

 

The Executive is recommended to:-

 

·         agree the savings proposals for consultation as set out in the report and listed in Appendix Two;

·         ask the Chief Executive and Corporate Directors, in consultation with the relevant Executive Councillors, to undertake the appropriate consultation exercises and to develop implementation plans, including impact and risk assessments, to facilitate the delivery of the proposals set out in this report by April 2012;

·         agree that the proposals be re-submitted for the Executive’s approval at its meeting in December

·         continue with the steps necessary to agree a final balanced budget proposal for 2012/13 and an updated Medium Term Financial Plan to 2014/15 for presentation to the Council budget meeting in February 2012; and

·         report to all scrutiny committees in the next cycle outlining the savings proposals relating to the specific Scrutiny Committee’s remit.

 

Officer contact: Steve Houston, 0161 474 4000, steve.houston@stockport.gov.uk

Minutes:

The Executive Councillor (Finance) submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) inviting the Executive Meeting to consider proposals, arising from the indicative budget as detailed in the previous report, to meet the estimated savings requirement of approximately £13.5m (illustrative case) in 2012/13, rising to £31.6m by 2014/15.

 

Executive Councillors summarised the proposals as they related to their portfolios.

 

RESOLVED – That

 

·         the savings proposals as set out in the report and listed in Appendix Two be agreed for consultation;

 

·         the Chief Executive and Corporate Directors, in consultation with the relevant Executive Councillors, be requested to undertake the appropriate consultation exercises and to develop implementation plans, including impact and risk assessments, to facilitate the delivery of the proposals set out in this report by April 2012;

 

·         the proposals be re-submitted for the Executive’s approval at its meeting in December 2011;

 

·         approval be given to continue with the steps necessary to agree a final balanced budget proposal for 2012/13 and an updated Medium Term Financial Plan to 2014/15 for presentation to the Council budget meeting in February 2012; and

 

·         a report be submitted to all scrutiny committees in the next cycle outlining the savings proposals relating to each Scrutiny Committee’s remit.