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SOCIAL SERVICES NORTH WEST
MEETING ON 15 DECEMBER 2000 AT BLACKPOOL
REPORT OF THE CO-ORDINATOR
KEY SERVICES / FINANCIAL PRESSURES
1. Matter for Consideration:
The final version of the responses of the North West Region's authorities to the survey conducted by Social Services
North West on the subject of Financial Pressures.
2. Introduction:
Members will recall that at the previous meeting of SSNW at Bolton on 11 October, the preliminary results of the
above survey were reported. The final synopsis is now available and attached for members' information.
3. Information:
3.1 All 22 member authorities of ADSS (NW) -including the 19 members of SSNW -were able to respond to the trawl
carried out by officers of SSNW. Key points which members will wish to note from the attached synopsis are as
follows:
¨ 18 authorities are spending above their Standard Spending Assessment for social services, ranging from 0.6% above SSA to 26.58% the average being 9%.
¨ A majority - 11- overspent their budgets in 1999-2000.
¨ 15 overspent on their children's services and 8 on their adult services.
¨ There is a high risk of overspending in many authorities in the current year, with 16 continuing to overspend on children's services.
¨ 9 authorities are expecting to experience problems with delayed discharges.
¨ 20 authorities report having to alter the way they work to meet budget pressures by such means as the tightening of eligibility criteria.
¨ As previously reported to SSNW, Specific Grants create complications within the corporate process and can subject mainstream budgets to increased pressure. The long term future of services funded by these grants is source of real concern
¨ The efficiency gains expected by the Department of Health, Best Value and local authority corporate processes are placing heavy demands on capacity to maintain services.
3.2. The ADSS has carried out a brief Budget Pressures Survey, following a special meeting in August 2000 to discuss
the Government's NHS Plan and response to the Royal Commission on Long Term Care. Major concern was expressed
about budget problems being experienced by many local authorities midway through the financial year 2000/2001,
hence the survey. The findings reflect those of SSNW's own survey, the pattern being broadly consistent nationally.
The key findings for the ADSS, on the basis of 71 responses (out of a possible 150) by Directors - with 11 from
the SSNW Region - include :
¨ the average mid year budget over commitment is 2.1% (ranging up to 7.5%), necessitating tough remedial action in twelve authorities, impacting most on children's services and those for older people and people with disabilities;
¨ the major area of over commitment is attributable to children's services, being nearly twice as much as expected from the proportion of spend on these services (the costs of placement s for children being looked after and rising numbers are the main factors here). Services for older people ( growing numbers and greater frailty/dependency) and people with learning disabilities are also affected in a large minority of authorities;
¨ When comparing the position with the same time last year and their prospects for next year 72% of authorities said it was worse, and 68 % expected worse for next year.
3.3 Informal discussions have taken place amongst members and officers within the region since the Government's
announcement of the local government settlement for 2001/02. These suggest that, despite an above-inflation increase
for local government generally, specific extra resources for social services, and a 'floor' to the loss of grant
in authorities experiencing falls in SSA, the difficulties in many authorities revealed by the above surveys will
persist into next year.
3.4 Accordingly, the Chair and Deputy Chair have requested a quick trawl of member authorities, to gain an up-to-date
assessment of the impact of next year's settlement on social services across the region. The outcome of the trawl
will be reported to the meeting.
4. Recommendation:
4.1 That this report be noted
4.2 That members consider whether to take any further action on this report and the tabled report on the impact
of the 2001/02 local government settlement.
NB A copy of the full report referred to can be obtained by contacting the Social Services North West Office
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