Agenda for Joint Commissioning Board on Monday, 28th July, 2008, 5.00pm
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Agenda, decisions and minutes
PDF 218 KBVenue: Council Chamber, Hove Town Hall. View directions
Contact: Caroline De Marco, Democratic Services Officer
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Procedural Business (a) Declarations of Interest by all Members present of any personal interests in matters on the agenda, the nature of any interest and whether the Members regard the interest as prejudicial under the terms of the Code of Conduct
(b) Exclusion of Press and Public - To consider whether, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted, or the nature of the proceedings, the press and public should be excluded from the meeting when any of the following items are under consideration.
NOTE: Any item appearing in Part 2 of the Agenda states in its heading the category under which the information disclosed in the report is exempt from disclosure and therefore not available to the public.
A list and description of the exempt categories is available for public inspection at Brighton and Hove Town Halls. Minutes: 8a. Declarations of Substitutes
8.1 There were none.
8b. Declarations of Interests
8.2 There were none.
8c. Exclusion of Press and Public
8.3 The Committee considered whether the press and public should be excluded from the meeting during the consideration of any items contained in the agenda, having regard to the nature of the business to be transacted and the nature of the proceedings and the likelihood as to whether, if members of the press and public were present, there would be disclosure to them of confidential or exempt information as defined in Schedule 12A, Part 5A, Section 100A(4) or 100 1 of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended).
8.4 RESOLVED – That the press and public be not excluded from the meeting. |
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Minutes of the previous meeting Minutes: 9.1 RESOLVED – That the minutes of the meeting of the Joint Commissioning Board held of 16 June 2008 be approved and signed by the Chairman. |
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Cabinet Member's Communications Minutes: 10.1 There were none. |
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Public Questions No public questions have been received.
Minutes: 11.1 There were none. |
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Financial Performance Report - Month 2 Report of the Director of Finance (PCT) (copy attached). Decision: RESOLVED – (1) That the conclusion of the audit of the PCT financial statements, which includes information about the section 75 agreement, be noted, and the proposal to prepare a balance sheet for 2008/2009 be approved.
(2) That it be noted that Board members have considered the 2008/2009 budgets; noted the ongoing review work in respect of the mental health ‘baseline’ and considered the proposed risk share arrangements in respect of the provider pools – both of which arise from the move towards Foundation Status of Sussex Partnership Trust.
(3) That the forecast break-even outturn at Month 2, including the ongoing discussions around the application of the prior year underspend, be noted. Minutes: 12.1 The Board considered a report of the Director of Finance (PCT) that set out the results of the year end audit of the pooled joint commissioning budgets, and matters arising. It also provided details of the budgets for 2008/2009, and developments in respect of the financial management implications for the move to Foundation Trust Status of the Sussex Partnership Trust, expected during 2008/2009 (for copy see minute book).
12.2 Janice Robinson raised the issue of the 30% increase in continuing care payments. The Director of Finance (PCT) explained that there was an increase across the country but in Brighton & Hove the increase was about 30%. Officers were looking at trends and it was possible that this figure could be slightly reduced. The Director of Adult Social Care and Housing, Brighton & Hove City Council, stressed that it was early in the year and there were changes in trends. A number of continuing care cases had been carried forward to this year. There was also an unpredicted demand in the area of both physical and learning disabilities. There were higher costs and greater needs and the Partnership needed to gain a firm grip on these figures.
12.3 Richard Ford welcomed the risk share arrangements detailed in paragraph 3.8 of the report. In relation to the Month 2 Forecast outturn detailed in paragraph 3.10, he stressed that it was difficult to predict future figures. The budget would become clearer in the next few months.
12.4 RESOLVED – (1) That the conclusion of the audit of the PCT financial statements, which includes information about the section 75 agreement, be noted, and the proposal to prepare a balance sheet for 2008/2009 be approved.
(2) That it be noted that Board members have considered the 2008/2009 budgets; noted the ongoing review work in respect of the mental health ‘baseline’ and considered the proposed risk share arrangements in respect of the provider pools – both of which arise from the move towards Foundation Status of Sussex Partnership Trust.
(3) That the forecast break-even outturn at Month 2, including the ongoing discussions around the application of the prior year underspend, be noted. |
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Learning Disabilities service Financial Recovery Plan 2007/2008 Report of the Director of Adult Social Care & Housing (copy attached). Decision: RESOLVED - That the progress on the Financial Recovery Plan be noted. Minutes: 13.1 The Board considered a report of the Director of Adult Social Care & Housing which provided an update on Financial Recovery Plan progress for the Learning Disability Service in 2008/09 (for copy see minute book).
13.2 The report explained that the Learning Disability Service continued to experience significant demand pressures with additional costs and budget overspends projected in the current year and in future years. The Service had responded by identifying measures in the Financial Recovery Plan likely to reduce expenditure. This process had achieved a significant improvement in the budgetary position. However, whilst the financial recovery process produced significant savings last year and work streams had been identified to close the deficit, there was a real risk that some of the savings would not be delivered this financial year. The work streams necessary to achieve such ambitious targets within short timescales could only be sustained in the short term. In the longer term the financial recovery progress would arise out of the revised Commissioning Strategy and address the underlying issues of high unit costs.
13.3 Councillor Lepper referred to paragraph 3.3 of the report and asked how many service users placed out of area had moved back into new schemes in the city. The Head of Housing Needs and Social Inclusion reported that the reference to these service users moving back to the city last year was an error in the report. The report should have referred to new schemes in the future. The intention of the Lead Commissioner was to have new schemes in the city with better accommodation than at present. Negotiations were taking place for a new scheme in the Lewes Road area with a private landlord. There were currently 120 services users placed out of area in Sussex.
13.4 Councillor Caulfield informed the Board that officers were investigating the possibility of adapting the general housing stock for service users who wanted to return to the city.
13.5 John Dearlove referred to the table in paragraph 3.5 and highlighted the need to produce a balanced budget. Councillor Caulfield stressed that there was a stringent check on the budget and there was a three year strategy which would look at the budget in the long term. Year on year savings were being achieved. The Director of Adult Social Care & Housing stressed that the council was required to make a 3% efficiency saving each year, whilst absorbing growth in demand.
13.6 John Dearlove drew attention to the high cost of care in Brighton & Hove, compared with other authorities. Councillor Caulfield replied that officers were working with East & West Sussex to try to drive unit costs down.
13.7 The Director of Finance (PCT) informed the Board that he would have expected to see details in a table of the targeted savings for different areas, compared against what was actually achieved. The Chairman concurred.
13.8 Richard Ford stressed the need to sustain the quality of care and to ensure that the needs of staff were properly considered. The Head of Housing Needs and Social Inclusion replied that savings had been achieved without affecting front line services. There had been no redundancies. The Director of Adult Social Care & Housing agreed that the quality of care was important. Meanwhile, staff would be involved with the revised Learning Disability Commissioning Strategy.
13.9 RESOLVED – That the progress on the Financial Recovery Plan be noted. |