Agenda, decisions and minutes

To receive any Declarations and advise Members accordingly.

None.

None.

(a)       That the Committee support the overall budget strategy;

(b)       That the Committee re-affirm the Council’s position on local taxation policy;

(c)        That the Committee support the Council’s expectations of Governments, as outlined within the presentation provided;

(d)       That the Social & Health Care cost pressures, as outlined within the report, be noted;

(e)       That no further cost efficiency areas be proposed by the Committee to be explored further; and

(f)        That the Committee expresses its thanks to all Officers involved in the preparation of the budget so far.

The Chief Executive and Strategic Finance Manager (Financial Strategy and Insurance) introduced the first budget stage report which detailed the forecast and the cost pressures which would make-up the total budget requirement.

A report to Cabinet in October had provided an update on the financial forecast for 2021/22 and the following two financial years.  A full review of the forecast had been undertaken to build an accurate and robust baseline of cost pressure which needed to be funded.  The review had taken into account the ongoing impacts of the emergency situation including the speed of recovery of income against set targets.

This report set out the limited solutions available to fund the cost pressures with the funding strategy highly dependent on sufficient national funding for local government.  The details of the cost pressures for Social & Health Care were included in the report.

The Chief Executive and Strategic Finance Manager (Financial Strategy and Insurance) gave a detailed presentation which covered the following areas:-

• Financial Forecast for 2021/22;
• The Future – What we advised back in February;
• Summary Totals of Cost Pressures;
• Three Part Solutions and Risk-Taking;
• National Position and Funding;
• Potential Funding Scenarios;
• Budget Timetable;
• Support and Challenge Today

Additional details around specific Social Services cost pressures were provided by the Principal Accountant as part of the presentation.

The Chair commented on the cost pressures showing for the expansion of Marleyfield Residential Care Home and asked whether this pressure related to additional staff costs.  The Chair also asked if the role of the Missing from Home Coordinator also involved working with children who were missing from school.  The Senior Manager (Integrated Services, Lead Adults)explained that the cost pressure for the expansion of Marleyfield Residential Care Home included staffing costs to support the additional beds but would also include the funding for additional cleaning, food and utility costs required.  The Senior Manager (Children and Workforce) explained that the Missing from Home Coordinator was a prescribed role with clear criteria outlining what constituted a missing child.  Their role would include visiting a child who had returned to their home/placement to better understand why the child had been missing and share information with the Police to better understand patterns where children were at risk of being exploited.  There would be a link with education, if a child was missing in the evenings and also not attending school.  The Chief Executive added his support to the creation of this post which had been highlighted as a regional issue by North Wales Police to ensure greater resilience.

            Councillor Dave Mackie thanked officers for their work in preparing the budget report and his comments were echoed by a number of Members of the Committee.  He commented on the summary of cost pressure and asked what percentage of the overall budget this equated to and why out of county placements had not been included as a cost pressure at this stage.  He also suggested that further information around the consideration to treat some risks as ‘Open Risks’  ...  view the full minutes text for item 19.

The Chief Executive provided a short update on the emergency situation.  He advised that the incident rate had reduced slightly from the previous day with daily cases generally lower than a few weeks ago.  The advice received was that it would take around 3 weeks from the start of the firebreak to see a full impact trend and it was hoped that the overall picture for Wales would be much improved.  The First Minister had indicated that a review of the position would be taken two weeks after the end of the firebreak in order to see if the figures remained stable and avoid another intervention until the New Year at the earliest.

            The Council were on track to double Test, Trace and Protect capacity, and all affected services had resumed on 9 November as planned.  All attention was currently on the resilience of health and social care across the winter months and a vaccination plan for North Wales was in place in readiness for one of more vaccines as they became available.  A further Member briefing paper would be circulated later in the week. 

            Councillor Gladys Healey raised concerns around the possibility of intensive care nurses having to look after more than one patient across the border in England and sought assurance that this would not be implemented in hospitals in Wales.  The Chief Executive said that whilst scrutinising the BCUHB Quarter 3 Plan, he would enquire on safety and staff ratios.  

The Chief Officer (Social Services) reported that the Social Care Accolade Awards had been held on 10 November, 2020 where Flintshire Services had won both first and second place awards.  NEWCIS had successfully won the first place award for Community Support, with HfT coming in a very close second place.  Representatives from both services would be invited to attend the County Council meeting on 8 December to allow for formal congratulations.  The Chair asked that the Chief Officer pass on the thanks and congratulations of the Committee to all staff involved. 

In commemoration of Armistice Day the Committee observed a two minute silence at 11.00 am. 

There were no members of the press or public present.