North Yorkshire Council

Health and Wellbeing Board

18 July 2025

Approval of delegation of the approval of the Better Care Fund monitoring return for 2025/26 to Corporate Director for Health and Adult Services, Richard Webb

Report of the Director of Public Health

1 PURPOSE OF REPORT

1.1 To seek approval to:-

Delegate the approval of the Better Care Fund quarterly monitoring return for 2025/26 to the Corporate Director for Health and Adult Services, Richard Webb.

2          BACKGROUND

The Better Care Fund 2025/26 Quarterly Monitoring returns

2.1       During the Better Care fund planning process, the quarterly monitoring returns in 2025/26 stated that there would be a requirement for the Health and Wellbeing Board to sign off and approve these before submission. Subsequently, confirmation has been received from the national Better Care Fund team to clarify that the quarterly monitoring returns can be signed off on a delegated authority basis. This will allow the utilisation of the full length of the submission timeline, which should provide more accurate forecasting of the information provided.   

2.2       If approval if given, the Better Care Fund quarterly returns will therefore be reported after the delegated approval and submission has occurred at the next available Health and Wellbeing Board.

3          LEGAL IMPLICATIONS

3.1       In terms of monitoring, it is also a requirement that the Quarterly Returns are approved by the Health and Wellbeing Board (HWB) which can be delegated.  

4          FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

4.1       The following minimum funding must be pooled into the Better Care Fund in 2025/26:-

BCF Schemes – 2025/26

· 2025/26 total BCF funding is £85.1m (LY £84.3m).

· The ICBs’ BCF NHS Minimum Contribution in 2024/25 is £57.3m (LY £51.5m) of which £20.0m is transferred to NYC for Adult Social Care (LY £19.2m);

· NYC iBCF allocation of £17.3m transferred to the new LA Better Care Grant (LY £17.3m).

· The total ASCDF, (Additional discharge funding) for North Yorkshire is £9.1m; NYC £4.1m and ICBs £5.0m. The LA Adult Social Care Discharge funding has of £4.1m has been transferred to the new LA Better Care Grant and the ICBs’ Adult Social Care Grant has been amalgamated within the NHS Minimum Contribution.

· LA Better Care Grant £21.4m (iBCF £17.3m and LA ASCDF £4.1m)

· DFG, (Disabled Facility Grant) for NYC is £6.4m

5          EQUALITIES IMPLICATIONS

5.1       There are no direct equalities implications but attainment of the priorities in the Plan will, for example, enable more people to live safely and independently.

6          CLIMATE CHANGE IMPLICATIONS

6.1       An initial climate change assessment form has been completed and that indicates that there are no direct climate change implications.

7          CONCLUSIONS

7.1       Monitoring of the Fund helps ensure the priorities are being achieved

8          REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATION

8.1       The content of the request has been agreed with partners.

9          RECOMMENDATIONS

9.1       a) approve the delegation of the Better Care Fund quarterly monitoring return for 2025/26 to Corporate Director for Health and Adult Services, Richard Webb.

Author

Saskia Calton, Head of Finance – Public Health

Saskia.Calton@northyorks.gov.uk

Presenter

Louise Wallace, Director of public Health

Louise.Wallace@northyorks.gov.uk

BACKGROUND DOCUMENTS relied upon in the preparation of this report – Better Care Fund Policy Framework and Planning Requirement 2025/26

NOTE:  Members are invited to contact the author(s) in advance of the meeting with any detailed queries or questions.