Shaer Halewood, Director of Resources, introduced a report which provided a summary of the financial impact for Wirral Council as a result of the Government Spending Review for financial year 2021/22. The information contained within this report did not change the requirement for budget savings, as set out in the “draft revenue budget 2021/22 – proposals for consultation” paper considered by the Committee on 18 December 2020 (minute 32 refers).

Shaer Halewood emphasised that the figures in the report were based on the draft settlement received from Government in December, the final settlement would not be known until the end of this month or early February. She elaborated on the detail within the report and referred to a correction to the report with regard to the Social Care Grant at paragraph 3.20, which was an increase of £3.34m (as shown in Table 1 in the report) and not £2.4m. This additional monies was being earmarked for additional pressures on children’s and adults’ social care for next year, 2021/22.

Resolved – That this Committee notes the items impacting Wirral Council as a result of the national spending review announcement.