Agenda item

Report of the Corporate Director People

The Board received a report which detailed Harrow Council’s Draft Revenue Budget 2020/21 to 2022/23, as reported to the Council’s Cabinet on 6 December 2019.  It was noted that the budget and MTFS would return to Cabinet in February 2020 for final approval and recommendation to Council.

An officer introduced the report and drew particular attention to the key points relevant to the Health and Wellbeing Board including the continued financial challenges to the health and social care sector with future funding pressures identified by modelling reflected in table 2 of the report.  The pressures were linked to future funding announcements and the MTFS currently did not assume any additional support over and above that received for 2020/21.  In particular the commissioning activity could not be implemented until there was some surety of additional funding.  The 2020/21 Adults budget assumed that funding for the Protection of Social Care through the Better Care Fund would remain at the agreed 2019/20 level of £6.112m.

In response to questions it was noted that:

·                     the transformation above £2m for transport was to identify how it could be undertaken differently in order to fund within the envelope;

·                     the first two lines for Social Care was the previously agreed GMT which was built in but not the bottom line (page 187);

·                     the matrix built in the shift in funding and the effect of existing cases.

The CCG Managing Director stated that the budget would be monitored at every Board meeting and that it would be helpful to have discussions on a plan around BCF which recognised the limited funding and ring fence that could be taken into account at the February or March A&E Delivery Board subject to it being decided whether this was the most suitable forum.  The Director of Strategy and Deputy CEO, NWH NHS Trust, suggested the formation of a smaller group regarding conversations around assumptions and initiatives. Harrow Council welcomed the opportunity to share the conversation.  It was advised that the A&E Delivery Board included Ealing and Brent in addition to Harrow.  The Chair referred to the benefit of collaboration on some targets in order to mitigate sudden spikes and expressed interest in the outcome of the talks. It was agreed that it would be helpful to set up a BCF Board in Harrow as good governance around these issues.  The Director for Adult Services would take this forward with colleagues from the Acute Trust and the CCG.

RESOLVED:  That the report be noted.