Issue - meetings

Recommendations:

That Executive Members note:

a)     The latest position for the County Council’s 2021/22 Revenue Budget, as summarised in paragraph 2.1.2.

b)     The position on the GWB (paragraphs 2.4.1 to 2.4.3)

c)      The position on the ‘Strategic Capacity – Unallocated’ reserve (paragraphs 2.4.4 to 2.4.7)

d)     The funding set aside to explore the implications of the Resources and Waste Strategy as detailed in paragraph 2.2.14 above

e)     The position on the County Council’s Treasury Management activities during the second quarter of 2021/22

f)       Refer this report to the Audit Committee for their consideration as part of the overall monitoring arrangements for Treasury Management.

In addition, Executive Members are asked to recommend to the Chief Executive Officer that using his delegated powers, he:

g)     Approve the refreshed Capital Plan summarised at paragraph 4.2.3; and

h)     Agree that no action be taken at this stage to allocate any additional capital resources (paragraph 4.5.7)

Considered –

A joint report of the Chief Executive and Corporate Director - Strategic Resources, bringing together key aspects of the County Council’s performance on a quarterly basis.

County Councillor David Chance introduced the section on Quarter 2 performance, which provided an in-depth focus on ‘Every adult has a longer healthier and independent life’.  He drew attention to the strong performance and leadership across a range of areas, as detailed in the report, and provided an overview of the strengths and challenges in performance across all of the Council’s ambitions.  This highlighted:

·            The establishment of an Executive Implementation Board and team to oversee local government re-organisation, together with a number of focussed work streams;

·         Ofsted’s endorsement of the Authority’s Children’s’ Social Care Services, noting their further development;

·         A reduction in the number of children in care;

·         The joint work with District Councils to re-house Afghan refugees;

·         The continuing success of the YorBus pilot;

·         The below national average number of schools in the County with good and outstanding Ofsted reports;

·         An increase in volume of cyber attacks during the second quarter;

·         An increase house prices in rural areas, with a possible adverse effect on certain areas of the workforce, particularly in the hospitality and care sectors;

Specifically in regard to the ambition of ‘Every adult has a longer healthier and independent life’ County Councillor Michael Harrison confirmed that HAS was still firmly in the midst of the pandemic.  He also noted:

·           A 42% rise in the County Council’s assessment work as a result of the Government’s revised pathway put in place to cope with hospital discharges during the pandemic;

·           The fierce competition in the care labour market, resulting in high vacancy rates;

·           The level of provider failure and a high number of unsourced domiciliary packages requiring the Authority to act as a provider of last resort, and its impact on wider service delivery, particularly the delivery of respite and reablement services;

·           The requirement that care sector workers needed to be double vaccinated, resulting in the loss of 200 employees across the whole care sector in North Yorkshire (1% of the total);

Richard Webb, Corporate Director for Health & Adult Services noted there had a step change in adult social care since the re-opening of the economy in July 2021, with fierce competition in the labour market, in line with other areas of the country.  He confirmed those awaiting care were being triaged and supported, and drew attention to the significant recruitment campaign underway. Finally, he recorded his thanks to colleagues across Adult Social Care and Public Health, NHS colleagues, the CSOs, and the voluntary sector, for their continued efforts to respond through the ongoing pandemic.

Following a number of questions on healthy and independent living from Scrutiny Board Members, Richard Webb confirmed:

·         The current pathway for hospital discharges was introduced early in the first lockdown and for it to continue long term, it would require additional funding/resources in Adult Social Care;

·         The funding for the Stronger Communities team  ...  view the full minutes text for item 670