Agenda item

To consider schedules detailing impact of Worcestershire County Council funding cuts to develop a consultation response from the Borough Council.

(Report attached)

Members were reminded that the purpose of including this item on the agenda was to enable a discussion to take place on the impact of the proposed Worcestershire County Council budget cuts.  This would enable a consultation response from the Borough Council to be compiled.

The Committee considered the schedules of information provided by officers. At this stage it was stressed that some of the impact upon Borough residents was unclear as full details of funding proposals were not available from the County Council.

Clearly the Committee were extremely concerned at the potential impact of the budget cuts planned by the County Council. Two areas of particular concern were Community Services and Housing.

It was noted that the proposed reduction in funding for Assistive Technology would impact on the Council’s Lifeline Service as the budget contributed significantly to the service through the Supporting People Grant. This would result in a loss of £202,000 to RBC. At present 1,129 of current users were assisted through the Supporting People funding. There was likely to be an increased demand for this service in future as the proportion of elderly people within the population grows.  

Members felt that there would be a need to consult with users of the Lifeline Service on an individual basis to determine the future of the service should there be such a reduction in County Council funding. The consultation would need to include options in respect of levels of service and the likely costs. Officers acknowledged this possibility and undertook to bring back to the Executive further details around costs and likely impact of changes on the service.

There was discussion in relation to the impact on Housing Services in particular St David’s House which would result from the reduction in Supporting People Grant and Social Care funding. Officers confirmed that discussion was on going with the County Council to understand the exact implications and to identify how the service could continue to be delivered.

Housing support for young people and other vulnerable groups was another area of concern as Members were aware that cuts to services in this area would be likely to have a significant impact of the demand for other services provided by the Borough Council and other public bodies.

Members emphasised that across the whole range of services it had been demonstrated that early and effective intervention could prevent much more severe and indeed costly problems at a later stage. Intervention at the right time was the key. Whilst the funding position of the County Council was acknowledged, the cuts proposed by that Authority were short sighted in that they would only increase the likelihood of further difficulties and an increase in demand for future services.   

It was felt that whilst this Council had attempted to increase efficiency and cut costs thorough a systems thinking approach and a concentration on the needs of the residents, the County was adopting a much less structured approach of severe cuts which would impact on the most vulnerable.

Following the detailed debate it was

RESOLVED

1)         that officers be instructed to respond to Worcestershire County Council within the respective consultation period(s) on the impact of the proposed cuts on behalf of the Executive Committee; and

2)         that the final response be endorsed by the Leader and Chief Executive Officer.