Agenda and decisions

Salford City Council - Record of Decision

I, Cllr Boshell, Statutory Deputy City Mayor, in exercise of the powers contained within the City Council constitution do hereby:

Recommend:  That the proposals outlined in section 4 of the report are accepted. The financial impact will be approximately:

1.     £2 million each year to address the structural deficit in the Learning Disabilities budget, with partnership work undertaken to minimise the long term budget pressure.

2.     £1 million each year to recruit to permanent posts from those outlined in the proposals below, with sustainability plans to be developed beyond the life of the current pooled budget.

3.     £900K each year for 2018-20 to remove zero hours contracts if needed. This will depend on negotiations with providers around how to manage without zero hours contracts and any funding options that come from the GM transformation fund bid.

4.     £600K 2017-18 for temporary posts from the overall proposals which can be extended if resources are not needed for the zero hours contract priority, plus resourcing of specific needs such as purchase of equipment

5.    £300K 2017-18 for specific support for quality of care homes such as refurbishment and equipment.

The Reasons are:

In the Chancellor’s Spring Budget 2017 Council’s received significant additional non recurrent funding for the purpose of meeting adult social care needs, and reducing pressures on the NHS and stabilising the social care market.

Commissioners in Adult Social Care in collaboration with Divisional Directors Adult Social Care (SRFT) have developed proposals for expenditure. These proposals support the commissioning intentions set out in the Service and Financial Plan (approved in November 2016) and relate to improving staff levels in assessment services in social work, occupational therapy, market management roles and reducing zero hours contracts. 

Assessment of Risk: Implementing the full range of proposals without certainty of longer term funding pending the Green Paper would mean that overall there is a recurrent risk at the end of the 3 year life span (31.3.2020) of the Grant. 

 The risk largely relates in part to staffing costs associated with the proposals and proposals for meeting zero hours contracts, however a task and finish group will be established to full understand the financial impact of these proposals and in accordance with the Section 75 risk share agreement between the the Council and Salford Clinical Commissioning Group

The source of funding is Adult Social Care Grant (Improved Better Care Fund)

Legal Advice obtained  N/A

Financial Advice obtained  Chris Hesketh, Strategic Finance Manager.

Procurement Advice N/A.

The following documents have been used to assist the decision process.

(if the documents disclose exempt or confidential information, they should not be listed, but the following wording shall be inserted : "(The relevant documents contain exempt or confidential information and are not available for public inspection)":-

Contact Officer:       Jennifer McGovern            Tel No 0161 793 2202