Partners to provide a verbal update on the key issues affecting their organisation.
Minutes:
Given the impact that the recent Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR) the Chair proposed that this item should be brought forward and discussed at the start of the meeting. There was agreement that this was sensible and an update was provided by each partner:
Council
Under the CSR it had been announced that the Area Based Grant (ABG) would not continue in its current form after the current financial year. It was anticipated that there would be further substantial reductions in funding over the next three year period, which would necessitate a wholesale review of the services were delivered.
At present all budget holders were being asked to review spending and identify where any savings could be made with a view to reducing spending as much as possible.
It would be possible to provide a clearer picture at the January meeting once the Council’s grant settlement from central Government was known.
NHS Haringey
There was a significant deficit for the current financial year that NHS Haringey was working to reduce. Although the PCTs were not being formally disbanded until 2013 the Strategic Health Authority (SHA) had indicated that they should begin to merge wherever possible with the savings created being put aside to support the transition to GP Commissioning.
There was a general consensus amongst many health professionals that the raft of changes announced by the coalition Government represented the biggest changes to the NHS since its conception.
The transferral of responsibility for Public Health would require Local Authorities to produce a Public Health Plan for the Borough. Work on this would be led by the jointly appointed Director of Public Health who would transfer to the Local Authority.
In terms of the resources and approach that would be taken to tackling drug and alcohol problems the Board was advised that this would sit within the central Public Health budget and consideration would need to be given to what proportion of this would be allocated to addressing this.
The Chair noted that change across all Public Sector organisations was happening rapidly and as a consequence they were having to react and make decision with based on partial knowledge. Several members of the Board echoed these concerns and the impact that ad hoc decisions might have in the long term.
Fire Service
The grant received by the Fire Service from central Government constituted 50% of the overall funding it received. Over the next four years there would be a 50% reduction in this funding and this would be back loaded. The final grant settlement would not be known until late November or early December and the Board was advised that it would be possible to provide further information at the January meeting.
In order to achieve the savings required much of the community based work carried out by Fire officers would be reduced. This included work with many vulnerable groups such as the elderly and children via the work undertaken with schools.
MET Police
The Board was advised that a 20% reduction in funding was likely over the next three years. At present a review was being carried out of back office functions with a view to reducing the costs attached to these wherever possible.
It was anticipated that there may be a move towards a regionalised structure and there were concerns that this may result in a loss of local autonomy that would have a negative impact on the forces ability to respond to local issues.
A review of partnership working had been undertaken and this had focussed on the impact of withdrawing from certain aspects of this upon the delivery of targets with respect to frontline policing, strategic provision and the political repercussions upon the reputation of the force. It was unclear at present what this would mean locally; however, by January the picture should be clearer.
The Board was advised that the process of recruiting a new Borough Commander was underway and that the timescale around this had been shortened with a view to making an appointment before Christmas.
Metropolitan Police Authority
The funds ?? check with Sam
Probation Service
The overall budget for the Ministry of Justice had been reduced by 23% and the Probation Service would see a reduction of 10% over the next four years. Although this was a smaller reduction than other colleagues faced it was anticipated that a greater demand would be placed on the service as the Government moved towards a reduction in prison numbers.
A reorganisation of the service was being undertaken and a new Service model would be adopted in June 2011.
HAVCO
It was difficult to measure the total impact that the cuts would have at present. However, it was clear that the loss of the ABG meant that there would be a significant reduction in the level of grants awarded to Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) organisations.
In addition to this NHS Haringey had carried out a review of the VCS groups it funded and it had been agreed that there would cease to received funding a the end of this financial year. Although this affected a relatively small number of organisations it added to the cumulative impact upon the sector.
A report had been submitted to the Council’s Cabinet in the summer that set the impact upon the sector that significant financial cuts would have upon the sector and this had concluded that it would not be able to function if there was an overall reduction above 25%.
A Voluntary Sector strategy was being produced by the Council and this was due to be published on the Council’s website for consultation on 16 November. this would focus on commissioning and as a part of this the decommissioning of services.
The Council was in the process of reviewing the use of its premises by VCS organisations and as a consequence some organisations had been given notice. Several organisations had registered concerns with HAVCO around the way this process had been managed and had also contended that the timelines attached to the review did not adhere to the Compact agreement.
It was noted that the Community Link Forum (CLF) was planning to hold a conference in January to look at this issue and to share information generally around how the cutbacks were affecting the sector.
The Board was advised that there may be additional funding available from the Home Office to tackle violent crime amongst ten to sixteen year olds. It was noted that at present further details were not in the public domain once more information was available the Board would be advised.
RESOLVED:
That the updates provided by each partner be noted.