Issue - meetings

Cabinet Member: Adult Social Care

Forward Plan Ref: 2014/191

Contact: Natalia Lachkou, Commissioning Manager Tel: 07881 500344

Report by Director for Adult Social Services (CA8).

Housing related support services have largely been protected from cuts for the past four years, but the scale of financial challenge facing the County Council now has required action to be taken to reduce the budget by 38% in line with the actual funding available.

On 29 May 2014 the members of the Health Improvement Board agreed a proposal for how to implement the reduction of funding for housing related support services to go forward to consultation with other stakeholders.

This report outlines the findings from the public consultation that ran from 26 June to 17 September and sets out the proposed way forward following that consultation. This proposed way forward has been subsequently considered and approved by the members of the Health Improvement Board on 20 October 2014 and of the Health and Wellbeing Board on 13 November 2014.

The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to approve the proposed plan for re-commissioning of housing related support services as revised following the consultation and set out in this report. 

Recommendation agreed.

Housing related support services have largely been protected from cuts for the past four years, but the scale of financial challenge facing the County Council now has required action to be taken to reduce the budget by 38% in line with the actual funding available. On 29 May 2014 the members of the Health Improvement Board agreed a proposal for how to implement the reduction of funding for housing related support services to go forward to consultation with other stakeholders.

Cabinet had before them a report that outlined the findings from the public consultation and which set out proposals on the way forward following that consultation and consideration and approval by the members of the Health Improvement Board on 20 October 2014 and of the Health and Wellbeing Board on 13 November 2014.

Councillor Price, Shadow Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, stated that she was glad that the consultation had been extended. She welcomed the use of public health funding to allow the reduction to be phased over two years. She referred to the ongoing work looking at the domestic abuse service and urged Cabinet to lobby the Police & Crime Commissioner for a contribution to this service. She welcomed further pooling and input from District Councils.

Councillor Heathcoat, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, introduced the contents of the report stressing the openness of the process followed. The proposals had been discussed at the Health Improvement Board and at the Health & Wellbeing Board and the Districe Council representatives had been fully engaged. She thanked the Chief Executives and the Oxfordshire Councils Leaders Group and Natalia Lachkou for their hard work in delivering what was a good outcome.

RESOLVED:                        to approve the proposed plan for re-commissioning of housing related support services, as revised following the consultation.