There were no apologies for absence, all committee members were present.

To receive details of any member nominated to attend the meeting in place of a member of the committee.

There were no substitutes.

To receive any declarations of interests in respect of schedule 1, schedule 2 or other interests from members of the committee in respect of items on the agenda.

Agenda item 7 (minute 26) - 2020/21 adults and wellbeing budget and corporate plan proposals

Councillor David Summers, other interest, Council appointed governor on the NHS Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust Council of Governors.

Councillor Sebastian Bowen, other interest, declared during the meeting due to potential future involvement in a community land trust.

To approve and sign the minutes of the meeting held on 18 October 2019.

Resolved:

That the minutes of the meeting held on 18 October 2019 be approved as a correct record and be signed by the chairman.

To receive any written questions from members of the public.

For details of how to ask a question at a public meeting, please see:

www.herefordshire.gov.uk/getinvolved

The deadline for the receipt of a question from a member of the public is Tuesday 12 November 2019 at 5.00 pm.

To submit a question, please email councillorservices@herefordshire.gov.uk

No written questions had been received from members of the public.

To receive any written questions from councillors.

The deadline for the receipt of a question from a councillor is Tuesday 12 November 2019 at 5.00 pm.

To submit a question, please email councillorservices@herefordshire.gov.uk

No written questions had been received from councillors.

To seek the views of the adults and wellbeing scrutiny committee on the budget proposals for 2020/21 as they relate to the remit of the committee and on the draft corporate plan.

The chairperson explained that the three scrutiny committees would be reviewing the budget and corporate plan proposals in sequence, with meetings scheduled in November 2019 and again in January 2020.  This agenda item sought views on the proposals as they related to the remit of the adults and wellbeing scrutiny committee and the committee would make recommendations to the general scrutiny committee; the general scrutiny committee would then submit final recommendations from the three scrutiny committees to cabinet.

The chief finance officer was invited to deliver the presentation ‘Budget 20/21 and corporate priorities (2020-2024)’.  The key points are summarised below.

a.         The committee had been supplied with an early version of the proposed budget, including draft capital investment business cases, to provide the opportunity to question and challenge the work in development.

b.         An overview was provided of the council’s ‘ambition for Herefordshire’, key themes, and public engagement activity.

c.         The net revenue budget 2020/21 had been informed by the government’s spending plans, announced in September 2019, but the local government settlement would not be confirmed until after the UK parliamentary general election.  Consequently, assumptions had to be made, such as the level of rural services delivery grant.

d.         The total net budget was £156m, with an assumed 4% increase in Council Tax.

e.         An overview was provided of the base budget, known pressures (including contract inflation, fee uplift, increment, and savings) and additional pressures (looked after children, social care pool, legal structure, edge of care, and improving social care services).  The base budget requirement of £154.8m reflected that the council could balance its budget without having to make additional savings.

f.          The adults and communities directorate was commended for delivering within its budget and for making the best use of resources.

g.         The base net budget requirement for the adults and communities directorate showed a savings requirement of £0.6m and it was expected that the savings would be delivered.  Pressures of £2.7m were identified, reflecting contract inflation and demographic pressures.

h.         An overview was provided of the 2020/21 assumptions, including 4% increase in Council Tax (2% general and 2% adults social care), anticipated continuation of Improved Better Care Fund (£5.7m) and Public Health grant (£9.2m) funding, and 200 additional new homes above assumed growth in new homes.

i.           A graph showed savings achieved of £93m from 2010/11 to 2019/20.

j.           The position with earmarked reserves was outlined.

k.         Till receipts, showing charges per month for an average Band D property, for 2019/20 and 2020/21 were displayed.

Questions were invited from committee members on the budget and corporate plan in general.

The chairperson commented on the following:

·                Tribute was paid to the efforts of the council’s directors and their departments in managing the budgets in challenging financial circumstances.

·                Inconsistencies were identified in the use of terminology which could be confusing for the public, e.g. rural sparsity delivery grant (agenda page 29) and rural services delivery grant (agenda page 69).

·                Clarification was sought about the creation of a social care pooled  ...  view the full minutes text for item 26.

To consider the committee’s work programme.

The chairperson drew attention to the deferral of some health related matters until the conclusion of the pre-election period.  It was proposed that: an item on the temporary winter closures of minor injuries units be considered at the 13 January 2020 meeting; due to the items identified for the 9 December 2019 meeting relating to updates on progress and direction rather than specific scrutiny activity, this meeting in public be withdrawn and replaced with an informal workshop for committee members; and an additional meeting be arranged in 2020.

A committee member commented on the need for awareness about potential new arrangements for the delivery of mental health services in Herefordshire from 1 April 2020.  It was suggested that a briefing note be requested initially to inform committee members about the position.

Resolved: That

(a)       the work programme, as amended at the meeting, be endorsed, with the spotlight on urgent care to be considered at the 13 January 2020 meeting;

(b)       the meeting in public scheduled for 9 December 2019 be withdrawn and replaced with an informal workshop for committee members;

(c)       an additional committee meeting be arranged in 2020; and

(d)       a briefing note be requested on the future arrangements for the delivery of mental health services in Herefordshire.

The next scheduled meeting in public is Monday 16 December 2019 at 9.30 am.

With the withdrawal of the committee meeting in public on 9December 2019, the next scheduled meeting was Monday 13 January 2020 at 2.30 pm.