Matthew Gotts, Principal Accountant introduced the report of the Director of Finance and Investment (S151) that set out the financial monitoring information for the Adult Care and Health Overview & Scrutiny Committee. The report provided Members with detail to scrutinise budget performance for this area of activity. The financial information covered the final position for 2018/19 and the financial information as at Quarter 1, 2019/20.

Information had been drawn from the relevant sections of the most recent Cabinet revenue and capital monitoring reports and combined with additional relevant service information to produce a bespoke report for the Adult Care and Health Overview & Scrutiny Committee. The report included the following:

·  2018/19 Outturn Information.

·  Performance against the revenue budget (including savings).

·  Performance against the capital budget.

A Member sought clarification regarding a £200k deficit within the pooled fund with Wirral CCG at the end of 2018/19.  The Committee was informed that this had been caused by £1.0m unbudgeted cost pressures in the CCG, mitigated by a budget surplus of £0.8m in the Better Care Fund (BCF), and as per the legal agreement between the two parties, the net deficit was shared equally between the two partners, i.e. £0.1m for Wirral CCG and £0.1m for Adult Care & Health. The Director of (Adult) Care and Health informed that the budget line for Continuing Healthcare included individuals with complex healthcare needs and those with social care packages based on need – and the structure of the pooled fund meant that these costs were shared equally by the CCG and the Council.   

A Member then sought clarification on reference to ‘managing demand’ for services and did that equate to rationing? The Principal Accountant informed that managing demand referred to adapting services to move people home, or keep them at home, and/or provision of assistive technology – significantly more cost effective than some alternatives or past practice.

In response to a question on savings targets, the Principal Accountant explained that work was ongoing to provide continued monitoring of service against the commissioned contract, ensuring targets were achieved, without detriment to service users.

The Director (Adult) Care and Health then apprised the Committee on the key areas of the budget allocations with specific reference to Wirral’s spending in support of people with learning disabilities, older people and helping to support people in their own homes.

A Member questioned the Officers on the reported budget underspend regarding the Better Care Fund (£0.8m) stating that given demand on the service, she would have expected 100% spend. The Director of (Adult) Care and Health informed that information regarding why BCF money could not be used in its entirety i.e. areas of slippage against contract, would be provided to Members in a briefing note following the meeting.

Resolved – That the report be noted.