Agenda item

To respond to the budget consultation.

The committee received a report on the Medium-Term Financial Strategy for 2022/23 – 2025/26. As part of the consultation process the committee was asked to provide comments and feed back to the Corporate Policy Committee on proposals related to the responsibilities of the committee.

It was noted that the provisional settlement from Government referred to items over a number of years, but the detail of allocations to individual local authorities only related to the 2022/23 financial year. It was noted that whilst the Council must continue to plan for the medium term the settlement creates limited scope for sustainable changes.

Feedback and comments were noted in respect of the following: -

Councillor J Clowes requested that it be noted that it would have been helpful to have the results of the wider budget consultation process, to inform the consideration of the proposals by the committee.

Investment in Adult Social Care

Clarity was sought in respect of the profile of the additional investment in Adult Social Care which was lower in the 2023/24 financial year than for other years in the proposals for 2022-2026.

Care Fee Uplifts

Building in care fee uplifts for social care partners in the private sector was noted.

Proposals that are rolling forward from the MTFS 2021-25

Clarity was sought in respect of what progress had been made in the capital investment proposals previously made, that would create increased provision in supported living accommodation and help to enable the needs of individuals currently with high-cost care packages out-of-Borough to be met within Cheshire East more cost-effectively.

Councillor Gardiner raised a question seeking clarity on the amounts Service budgets being spent on the different forms of Social Care. It was agreed that a written response would be provided outside of the meeting.

Councillor Gardiner raised a further question in respect of whether capital monies could be used to assist in reducing the revenue budget requirement. It was noted that capital resources would not directly be able to help with revenue expenditure such as salaries or other day-to-day costs; they must be used for spending on items that would last longer than one year, for example on buildings or equipment, which may in turn help deliver day-to-day services.

Questions were raised in respect of the increases in the Adults Social Care budget relative to budget changes other services. It was noted that the information referred to was within the Budget Engagement document, and as such did form part of the balanced budget proposals for 2022-2026; and that it was the case that spending on Adults Services was increasing as a proportion of the Council’s net revenue budget.

 RESOLVED (unanimously)

1. That the committee noted the MTFS 2022 to 2026 consultation Document (Appendix 1 of the report).
2. That the following proposals rolling forward from the MTFS 2021-25 relevant to the committee (as part of Appendix 1(Appendix A of the report) be noted

9) Continuing Healthcare Reviews

12) Reduce Base budget assigned to Community Grants

48) Productivity and Efficiency in Adult Social Care

61) Direction of travel for the Communities Team

63) Day Opportunities, Redesign, Strategy and Savings

64) Mental Health Services Review

67) Electronic Call Monitoring Reclamation

73) Learning Disabilities Future Service Development and Review

3. That the impact of the local government financial settlement as provided at Appendix 2on the MTFS Consultation Document be noted.
4. That the minutes of the meeting form the consultation response of the Committee, for consideration by the Corporate Policy Committee, including the comments with regard to:

a.    It being helpful for the results of the budget consultation process to be made available to each committee to inform consideration of proposals, for future reference

b.    The delivery of the invest to save proposals in respect of supported living accommodation