Agenda item

To receive and consider an update from the Director of Public Health on the Council’s 2015/16 Public Health budget and the Department of Health’s consultation around options for implementing an in-year budget reduction.

The Head of Scrutiny and Member Development submitted a report to introduce a further update from the Director of Public Health regarding the Public Health budget  for 2015/16 (i.e. the current year). 

Appended was the Financial Health Monitoring report presented to the Executive Board at its meeting on 23 September 2015. This detailed some of the proposed actions to meet the in-year budget reduction, once formally announced.

The following were in attendance for the discussion:

·  Cllr Mulherin (Executive Board Member for Health, Wellbeing and Adults)

·  Ian Cameron (Director of Public Health) – Public Health, Leeds City Council

The Executive Board Member for Health, Wellbeing and Adults addressed the Scrutiny Board and provided the background and context for the discussion.  The Director for Public Health outlined that a formal announcement from the Department of Health had still not been made; therefore the level of the budget reduction remained unconfirmed.

It was suggested that the reason for the delay in the Department of Health’s announcement was due to the overall level of responses to the consultation; the possible threat of judicial review; and the different formula for reductions proposed by Manchester.

Members of the Scrutiny Board considered and discussed the information presented and raised a number of matters, including:

·  The inadequacy of the Department of Health proposals and its associated consultation process.

·  Confirmation that concern had been expressed by Councillor Nash regarding the continuation of the ‘Skyline Service’ in Leeds that provided support to those suffering from HIV.

·  The Council faced some very significant challenges and unpalatable, difficult decisions implementing the proposed budget reductions.

·  Addition savings of £600,000 would still need to be made to meet the anticipated level of budget reduction.  Members queried how this would be achieved.

·  Concern that it had not been confirmed whether or not the reduction would be a ‘one-off’ or recurrent for future years.

In addressing the Scrutiny Board and responding to the comments and concerns expressed by members, the Executive Board Member for Health, Wellbeing and Adults and Director of Public Health made the following comments:

·  Confirmation that this represented a very significant and unexpected in-year challenge, with £600,000 still to be identified.

·  The Council was committed to support work around ‘Best Start’, including the Family Nurse Partnership, Health Visitors and Children’s Centres.

·  In identifying potential reductions the approach had been to seek to minimise the impact of the people of Leeds and on areas where activity had been planned but not yet implemented.

·  A number of contacts, including that held by the Skyline Service, were due to end in March 2016 and it was necessary and standard practice to review contracts and the services they provide.

In summarising the discussion, the Chair expressed a view that the Council as a whole should look to shoulder some of the burden of this unexpected in-year challenge.  It was also important for the Council to ensure its message to the public and service providers was that the reductions were necessary to meet the Department of Health in-year demands.

RESOLVED –

a)  That the details presented in the report and highlighted at the meeting be noted.

b)  That, the Director of Public Health continues to keep the Scrutiny Board updated on developments as work progresses, including how the savings are to be achieved.