Councillor Chris Jones introduced a report by the Head of Transformation and Commissioning that set out the outcome of consultation with care providers with regard to 2016-17 fee rates for services provided for Adults in Wirral Council.  The report summarised local requirements to deliver a sustainable care market within the Care Act requirements, with a quality of care that reflected local expectations.  The Cabinet was informed that officers had worked collaboratively with an independent agency to benchmark, consult and engage with the sector, and had provided an independent oversight and objective review of processes.  Proposals had been made in the context of significant financial pressures in relation to care costs for both providers and the Council.

The consultation had covered services provided on behalf of Wirral Adult Social Care and Wirral Clinical Commissioning Group as part of its joint commissioning arrangements with service provision Wirral Wide in all wards.

The report covered all sectors: Residential and Nursing (including Intermediate Care and specialist services), Domiciliary Care and Supported Living.

The Cabinet noted that funding required to meet recommended increases was in excess of what the Council had budgeted for in 2016/17 and would require the transfer of £1.5 million from the revenue budget contingency plus an additional £1.5 million of balances to be used for 2016/17 to fill the gap with the commitment to build this into the 2017/18 Budget. To put this into context the Cabinet noted that the 2% Adult Social Care precept raised £2.3 million and was already being used for Adult Social Care.

The Cabinet was informed that 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

The report also included the following appendices providing the detail for each sector:

  Appendix 1 – Interim Rates

  Appendix 2 – Benchmarking Data

  Appendix 3 – Summary of Feedback Receive

Councillor Phil Davies informed that he welcomed the proposal to invest £3 million additional funding and made reference to the Living Wage, one of the Council’s key priorities.  The Council was enabling Care Homes to pay this.  Councillor Davies also made reference to the Council’s chronic under funding and the need for proper funding to meet the needs of elderly people.  He informed that given the financial challenges the Council was facing, this was a good settlement.

RESOLVED; That

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

(2)  the Council be RECOMMENDED to meet the increased cost of £3 million by £1.5 million from the revenue budget contingency and the £1.5 million from balances during 2016/17;

(3)  the proposal that payments to providers be back dated to 1 April 2016 be approved;

(4)  the forward work plan with the independent agency to develop a new costed care model for specialist residential and nursing be approved; and

(5)  the forward work plan to develop an outcome based model via the LCR model of care for the Support Living Sector be approved.

Councillor Stuart Whittingham left the meeting.