Agenda item

To receive a report to scrutinise the progress of the Adult Social Care Transformation Plan.

The committee received a report on the progress of the Adult Social Care Transformation Plan.

Members received an update from Chris Benham, Director of Finance (Deputy S151), on the Financial Review 3 (FR3) period and the latest MTFS position. It was agreed that a written briefing for all committees would be provided.

It was noted that for FR3 the Adults and Health Committee was showing an improvement in financial position from FR2 and was now showing a net pressure of £24,000. Increased in costs had been mitigated by staffing costs. It was noted that in terms of the MTFS, the latest position would be presented to the Council’s Finance Sub-Committee on Friday 30 January 2026. It was noted that the provisional government settlement was the outcome of the three-year settlement process and a fundamental review of how central government continued to fund local authorities. It was noted that there had been a significant movement of grants into the core spending budget. It was noted that over the next four year and Adults and Health Committee would reduce costs as a result of its transformation programme, but some of the initiatives may require initial pump priming.

It was noted that FR3 reflected where the committee believed that it would be at the year end. It was noted that there had been an increase in hospital admissions, but the position was more comfortable than where it was this time last year.

Members were updated that there were a large number of self-funders who were returning to the Council due to increases in care home fees resulting in personal resources becoming depleted more quickly, and that the borough was seeing a lot of pressure from local, and out of area, hospitals. Members were updated that levels of flu in the borough had stabilised.

It was noted that the current pressure was a small margin, and that funding from the transformation reserves would be necessary to support any additional staffing which may be required. It was noted that additional staff had been funded via the Better Care Fund to support the increase in staff working directly with hospitals.

The committee were updated that there were several different workstreams within the transformation programme. It was noted that the Shared Lives business case would increase the number of Family Carer placements by twenty two by 2028, with the aim of enabling better outcomes for service users and financial savings for the Council. The Supported Living project had initially assumed a saving of around £5,300 per user, but it was looking as though the project may exceed its savings goals. The Prevent, Reduce, Enable pilot in Macclesfield was showing good results, and would be extended to Crewe shortly. Members were updated that there would be a number of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) brought to the next committee meeting in relation to transformation for Members to review. It was noted that there was a need to redesign Adult Social Care as a whole, and there were wider pressures related to safeguarding concerns, Deprivation of Liberties Safeguarding (DoLS), and hoarding referrals.

It was noted that a Prevent, Reduce Enable Project £10 million savings target had now increased to an £18 million “stretch target”. Officers were sufficiently assured by the pilot in Macclesfield to believe that it may be possible to achieve savings greater than £10 million, however this would need to be tested at every stage, as there are many assumptions, and the figures would be subject to annual revisions as part of the MTFS. There was an aim to recruit an additional 35 staff in adult social care over the next two years, onboarding four staff per month. The investment for these staff would be met by the transformation plan contingency, but by the time the posts were fully delivered, this would not need to be built into the Adults and Health Committee budget. 

It was noted that there would be a continued need for growth within the Adults and Health Committee due to increases in costs and the national living wage.

Members were updated that it was difficult to understand the margins which providers were working to, and work needed to be carried out to understand this, and how officers can work with them through the transformation programme. It was noted that there was a need to ensure that sufficient capacity was retained to meet the needs of the population. Financial advice for providers had been commissioned to ensure that they were operating in the most efficient way.

It was noted that in some cases there had been unease from service users with a learning disability and a lack of understanding of the transformation process, and how any changes may impact them. It was noted that the primary concern was the care of service users, and there was a need to ensure that clients who wished to work were being provided with the training and support to find meaningly work, and to work with carers, social workers and support service users to enjoy an ordinary life.

Members were updated that the Council’s accommodation strategy would be critical in ensuring that the council was working to develop the right housing for users instead of adapting existing accommodation which was not fit for purpose. 

RESOLVED:

That the Adults and Health Committee:

1.          Note the content of the report, and note that further papers will be brought to Adults and Health Committee when there are significant decisions to be made.