“I am proud that after extensive consultation with care providers across the borough, we are proposing an investment of almost £3 million this year. This money will be used to support care providers, further improve the quality of services residents can receive and support our most vulnerable people.”

Councillor Chris Jones introduced a report by the Assistant Director for Integrated Commissioning and Principal Accountant that informed on the outcome of consultation with care providers with regard to the proposed 2018-19 fee rates for services provided for Adults and Older People in Wirral. The report also set out the requirement to deliver a good quality responsive and sustainable care market that reflected resident’s expectations. The report further informed that proposals had been made in the context of continuing significant financial pressures in relation to care costs for both providers and for the Council, whilst having due regard to local market pressures and the actual cost of care.

The Cabinet noted that the consultation covered services provided on behalf of Wirral Adult Social Care and Wirral Clinical Commissioning Group as part of its joint commissioning arrangements for Wirral-wide service provision. The report covered all sectors and provided a comparison of the proposed fee rates for Wirral benchmarked against other North West Councils. These included: Residential and nursing (including Transfer to Assess and specialist services), domiciliary care (including extra care housing support), supported living, shared lives, reablement and mobile night services.

The following pledges were linked to (and supported by) the recommended increases:

·  Older People Live Well

·  People with disabilities live independently

·  Young People are ready for work and adulthood

·  Wirral is a place where employers want to invest and businesses thrive

·  Greater job opportunities in Wirral council

·  Thriving small businesses

·  Workforce skills meet business needs

RESOLVED:  That

(1)  the proposed rates and fees recommended by officers within the report be approved;

(2)  it be RECOMMENDED TO THE COUNCIL that the increased cost of £2.9m be met by the Social Care Precept element of Council tax;

(3)  the uplift fees to providers from 1 April 2018 be approved;

(4)  the intention to work in collaboration with the Liverpool City Region (LCR) and the supported living sector to pilot test and phase in a sustainable new model of care be noted; and

(5)  the intention to work with partner organisations and the independent sector to develop a new model of domiciliary care provision be noted.