This decision is to seek approval of a strategy to withdraw from the Empower Card by 31 March 2014. Empower is the Council’s prepaid social care personal budget card product, launched in early 2010, to deliver direct payments to customers in order to enable them to have choice and control in meeting their care needs. The cards are held by either the customer, their representative or the care provider.
The card does not, however, provide a true Direct Payment or personalisation solution and as a result there are some risks in terms of resources held, payments and contractual liabilities. Since its introduction the ability to pay by way of a traditional direct payment via an individual bank account has been introduced and the numbers of users of the Empower Card have steadily reduced.
Withdrawing from the card will be a change in the payment mechanisms only, with a transition to a new and improved way of facilitating Direct Payments providing increased opportunities for choice and control. This together with the legal guidance around the definition of a true Direct Payment and the time imperative associated with a corporate change of Council banker, means that a decision needs to be made in order to safeguard Council and customer funds and support the 240 remaining users to alternatives by the end of March 2014.
Approval has been sought under the Constitution’s General Exceptions to waive the 28 day notice period for key decisions being notified on the Forward Plan in order to enable the withdrawal to be managed by the end of March 2014.
Decision type: Key
Decision status: For Determination
Wards affected: (All Wards);