Issue - meetings

The Board gave consideration to a report seeking approval of the budget and savings proposals for 2024/25. The report advised that the financial context was difficult and work had been ongoing for a number of months to address the budget gap that had been identified.

Decision

The Integration Joint Board –

1.     noted that the HSCP was seeking approval for its budget for spend of £329m which relied upon financial recovery, in-year savings and/or brokerage via NHS Highland totalling £2.7m;

2.     agreed to amend the budget and savings plan for 2024/25 as outlined in the submitted report by:

a)    removing the £160k saving within Older Adult Day Services for 2024/25, to be funded by increasing the allocation of Pension Fund Savings by £160k; and

b)    revising the proposed review of Older Adult Day Services to emphasise that this would be led by engagement with staff, service users, their families and wider communities, and would not have any associated assumption of savings, service closures, or direction of users to alternative provision;

3.     noted that Equality Impact Assessments had been completed for relevant savings proposals and that these were publicly available;

4.     noted that the Social Work Budget was partly funded by non-recurring pension fund savings to be held by Argyll & Bute Council for this purpose and for transformation;

5.     noted that the HSCP expected to be operating on a financial recovery basis in 2024/25;

6.     noted that there may be a requirement to develop and implement additional service reduction plans urgently, and that these were likely to involve service cuts. Any such proposals would be brought back to the IJB and subject to full public consultation, with a process to be agreed through the Finance and Policy Committee;

7.     noted that opening offers and directions were being finalised with partners and were expected to align with the budget; and

8.     noted that the HSCP was proposing to utilise non-recurring funding to support services and that future funding gaps were substantial.

(Reference: Report by Head of Finance dated 27 March 2024, submitted)