Issue - meetings

The Board received a report on reductions to the Pooled Drug Treatment Budget. It was noted that reductions to this budget had been influenced by a requirement for the Department of Health to make efficiency savings by 2010/11 and by changes in the funding formula. The Board was advised that the reduction would have a direct impact on services, and that further discussions with providers would be necessary to consider how to manage services. Discussions were taking place to see if additional funding could be drawn down from external organisations. The Board acknowledged that the reduction in budget was likely to have a long term impact on the whole community.

The Board discussed the impact of the budget reduction on services for specific community issues such as the use of khat in the Somali community and cannabis and skunk in the African Caribbean community, and expressed disappointment that projects such as the successful pilot project to tackle khat would be discontinued. The Board noted that Cllr Canver had contacted Vernon Coaker regarding the issue of the classification of khat and it was agreed that further lobbying on this issue was needed, along with additional research. It was suggested that earlier work on developing a khat action plan within the Somali community be revived, and that contact should be made with community leaders to co-ordinate this work. It was also suggested that there might be a role for Enforcement in addressing the issue of khat at point of sale.

RESOLVED

i)                    That it be noted that Cllr Canver has written to Vernon Coaker, Parliamentary Undersecretary of State for Policing, Security and Community Safety outlining the concerns regarding these reductions.

ii)                  That it be noted that a paper is going to Haringey Council’s Chief Executive Management Board in early 2009 on drugs/alcohol commissioning to consider any opportunities for mainstreaming some of this work.

iii)                That it be noted that the 2008/09 annual drug treatment needs assessment will include a specific section on the impact of these reductions and identify ‘unmet need’.

iv)                That it be noted that this will be reflected in the development of the drug treatment plan for 2009/10.

v)                  That it be noted that the SCEB Performance Management Group will investigate and consider the scope for meeting some of this unmet need.