Return to Agenda

SUPPORTING PEOPLE COMMISSIONING BODY 15 DECEMBER 2006

ADDENDA  

5. Development of Annual Plan 2007/08

Oxfordshire Supporting People Provider Representative – Inflationary uplift

Background

At the Core Strategy Group Meeting on 29 November 2006, a paper covering proposals for inflationary uplift awards to SP funded services was presented. Issues were then presented to the Provider Forum on 11 December and a representative of the Providers, Matthew Wigglesworth was asked to forward concerns and comments relating to the proposal. Mr Wigglesworth Area Business Manager, Oxford, Reading & West Berkshire Area Office, will address the meeting with the following concerns prior to discussion at this item:

"Provider concerns

Having gathered views from a range of Provider Agencies, it is requested that the Commissioning Body take into account the following points:-

    • Whilst Providers are equally keen to keep down costs of service delivery, Providers have absorbed all costs of RPI linked inflation since the inception of the Supporting People programme.

    • No uplift has been awarded since 2002 and only then in relation to selected "legacy funding" streams.

    • Providers find it increasingly difficult to manage business alongside incremental erosion of income due to inflation.

    • Strategic Review timeframes have slipped in some cases to September 07 and others to January 2008 and it is proposed that these services will not receive uplift in April 2007, with further impact upon budgets and financial planning for Providers, particularly if further slippage occurs. Many services would therefore continue with current funding beyond the end of 2007.

    • If across the board inflationary uplift was available in April 2007, the per annum increase would amount to less than 1%, given the number of years with no increase forthcoming.

    • An across the Board increase in 2007 of 3.6% would be more equitable and sustainable.

    • A process through which inflationary uplift could be allocated and agreed for services within the ceilings set in the Eligibility Criteria would at least alleviate erosion of income in "real terms" without rupturing budgeted ceilings.

    • A process where Providers are invited to make case-by-case submissions would absorb management and administrative time in Provider Agencies and the Supporting People Team with costs incurred to analyse and recommend uplifts on that basis.

    • Staff recruitment and retention has been affected in some cases across a range of Providers due to erosion due to inflation since 2003.

    • The 3.6% figure proposed could be revised downward to include services targeted for recommissioning in 2007/8.

    • The recent Floating Support Review initially recommended that services above a £25/hour benchmark could make a case if specific configurations of service supported a case, and the Inflation Proposal now aims to uplift services only if they are below that ceiling.

Whilst not wishing to delay the process further, Providers felt strongly that these comments are taken into consideration when considering the Inflationary Uplift proposal".

10. Date of Next Meeting and Future Meetings

Please note that the next meeting will take place at County Hall on Friday 23 March 2007.

Please also add Friday 21 March 2008 to the meetings scheduled for 2007/08, which are listed on the Agenda.

Return to TOP