To receive a verbal update on adult social care budget outturn.

The committee received a verbal update on the Adult Social Care budget outturn item.

The principal points of the subsequent discussion are summarised below:

1. The Corporate Director Community Wellbeing reported that the 2025/26 revenue budget outturn for Community Wellbeing was a net overspend of £3.7 million, after applying a contribution from the budget resilience reserve. This included £0.9 million of undelivered savings, while the principal amount of the overspend was increased demand across domiciliary care, residential care and nursing care, including increased need among people leaving hospital.

2. It was noted that demand for formal care and support had increased significantly during the first half of 2025/26 and had only partly reduced during the second half of the year. The committee heard that early indications for 2026/27 were more positive, with weekly demand broadly in line with the budget provision and below the levels experienced during the previous year.

3. The Corporate Director Community Wellbeing advised that there is an increased focus on supporting people at home and through supported living, where appropriate, rather than relying on residential and nursing care. It was also reported that delivery of the 2026/27 savings programme was underway, with first-quarter savings profiled for delivery having been achieved, and the value of undelivered savings from the previous year reduced by £300,000.

4. The committee was advised that the directorate has established structured process for budget oversight, savings delivery and challenge. These included dedicated workstreams and monthly meetings involving the directorate leadership team, finance colleagues and the Cabinet Member.

5. In response to a question about whether expenditure is achieving better outcomes, the Corporate Director Community Wellbeing stated that the service sought to support people in their own homes or supported living settings where this best met their needs. It was noted that feedback was collected through the People’s Voice survey following assessment and support-planning interactions, and that this information was used to identify both improvement opportunities and positive outcomes.

6. In response to a question on the quality of domiciliary care, the committee heard that feedback was sought from people receiving care and that the council’s quality and review team undertook spot checks and spoke to providers and residents. Where safeguarding concerns arose, work was undertaken by safeguarding and quality teams to address concerns relating to individuals and providers in a timely manner.

7. The committee discussed the cost of people who had previously funded their own care falling below the capital threshold and becoming eligible for council support. The Corporate Director Community Wellbeing advised that this normally created a cost pressure of around £0.5 million, which was considered during budget-setting. It was reported that work was underway to improve the offer to self-funders, enabling earlier engagement, more timely assessment and better planning for continuity of care.

8. The Cabinet Member Adults, Health and Wellbeing noted work to increase awareness of technology-enabled care through stands at community hospitals. It was reported that events had been held at Leominster and Bromyard, with further events planned. The purpose was to help residents, families and staff understand how technology could support people to remain safe and independent at home for longer.

9. The committee considered how the outcomes of technology-enabled care would be monitored. It was advised that referral forms recorded how individuals had heard about the service. It was noted that this information could help establish whether technology had reduced or delayed the need for formal adult social care support and build an evidence base for its effectiveness for particular cohorts and conditions.