Issue - meetings

The Chair welcomed those present to the meeting and noted that the session was being used as an opportunity to discuss proposals with respect to the NHS and Public Health White Papers and the financial challenges facing public sector organisations following Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR). (Items 5 and 6 were discussed together).

At the previous meeting there had been agreement that it would be useful to have a discussion around the establishment of the new statutory Health and Well Being Board, which Local Authorities were obliged to have in place by April 2012, with local GPs and other colleagues from the Local Authority and NHS Haringey.

Prior to discussion the Chief Executives of the Local Authority and NHS Haringey gave an overview of the financial position and challenges that each organisation faced.

Local Authority

The Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR) set out in October had given an overview of the level of funding that would be received by Public Sector organisations during the next three financial years. The CSR had reflected the Government’s commitment to reducing Public Sector spending. This was followed in late December by notification of the Formula Grant Settlement (FGS).

A complex calculation was used to determine the level of FGS received by Local Authorities. In previous years this had been supplemented by range of grants, which recognised particular needs of individual Boroughs; however, these had now been rolled into the FGS and as a result

The savings required had been ‘front loaded’ which meant that approximately £46m for 2011/12 had to be identified for 2011/12. In addition a further £20m for 2012/13 and £12m would have to be identified in subsequent years.