The Director of Adult Social Services advised members that the council had agreed a major Transformation Programme for Adult Social Care in Wirral.  That programme included the revision of many services and structures and would have a significant impact on the council’s workforce.  The report considered the impact of the Home Assessment and Reablement Team (HART) and the implications of reviewing the staffing within the Department.

The purpose of the report was therefore to:

·  Update Cabinet on developments and seek approval for the use of the corporate efficiency fund for the development of the Home Assessment and Re-enablement team (HART)

·  Inform members of the Early Voluntary Retirement (EVR) requests that had so far been received and to request Cabinet’s approval to progress a number of Early Voluntary Retirement(EVR)/Voluntary Severance(VS)

·  Seek approval to waive call in on the EVR issue so as to enable employees to plan their lives

Resolved (unanimously) - That

(1)  the contents of the report be noted;

(2)  an allocation of £1.5m be made from the Corporate Efficiency Investment Budget to enable investment in the development of Home Assessment & Re-enablement Team (HART) service in 2008/09;

(3)  an estimated figure of £1,519,464 in respect of EVR/VS be funded from the Departmental revenue budget

(4)  it be noted that these changes allow for a reduction in expenditure to meet existing efficiency targets and does not allow for any additional savings.

(5)  the call in for this matter be waived and the Council be advised accordingly.