Agenda item

Report to follow.

Officers presented the 2016/17 Budget Planning Report for Children, Young People and Learning Services. This was the first opportunity to consider issues relating to budget planning for 2018/2019 and the report focussed on the broader financial position of the Council and signposting major issues within Children, Young People and Learning Services budgets.

Officers explained that another report would be presented to the POC in January 2018 which would set out detailed budget proposals. These proposals were due to be presented to Cabinet in December 2017.

The following key points were made in discussion:

·         The current forecast for 2017/18 was for a Council savings requirement of £22.2 million.

·         There was positive progress being made. The Council remained in a strong position to deal with the challenges ahead.

·         The Council had a good track record of coming in or under budget each year and had retained balance of 38.7m by the end of 2016/17, although 14.5 m of that was expected to being drawn down from 2017/18 to smooth the impact of Government funding reductions.

·         The development of savings fell into five broad themes including service transformation, effective procurement, income generation and commercialisation, preventing demand and zero based reviews.

·         Social worker recruitment continued to be a national challenge. There had been success in overseas recruitment and converting agency contracts into permanent contracts. There had also been success at a senior level recruitment with many permanent contracted positions now being filled.

·         Although there had been significant improvements in residential placements, the Looked After Children population was expected to grow and the service was dealing with more complex cases.

·         The number of Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children was reducing and this would impact the amount of funding the Council received from the Home Office.

·         Home to School Transport services were being reviewed and the Council had employed EDGE consultants to undertake a transformation of the service.

·         As the Children and Social Work Act 2017 was imbedded into practice, there would be an impact on the cost of service. This is due to the fact that the Act made a number of changes to the way in which the Council provided support and advice to care givers.

·         There are pressures on school funding and there is an increase in the demand of high needs placements providing support for those children that have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP).

·         The introduction of the 30 hour free child care entitlement starts on 1 September 2017 however it is discretionary for providers. The Council is working with providers to ensure that there is a reasonable level of capacity.

·         There are projects underway to expand local schools in the Borough. There is an increased demand for school places and it was forcasted that the number of SEN children would also increase.

·         The Committee asked for further information on how the Fair Funding Formula would affect the Borough's individual schools when it becomes live next April

RESOLVED -

1.    That officers be thanked for the comprehensive overview of the budgetary situation that had been provided to the Committee.

2.    That the report be noted.