Decision details

The Cabinet Member considered the report of the Strategic Director - Social Care and Well-Being that sought approval of a review of Sefton's charging policy for non-residential services.

The report detailed the current maximum charges for non-residential services in Sefton; the results arising from a consultation exercise, approved by Cabinet on 30 September 2010, seeking views on six proposed changes to the charging policy; and summarised the responses to each of the proposals, together with details of the impact of each proposal on the Council's finances and on service users.

The report also detailed the proposal to implement a new structure to deal with appeals arising from the new charging policy.

RESOLVED:

(I)       That Cabinet be recommended to approve:

          (1)      that in principle all service users who have in excess of £23,250 (current threshold) in capital or those who refuse to divulge their financial details are charged a maximum amount, to be determined, towards the actual cost of their day centre place and other care services provided by the Council;

          (2)      that the percentage of disposable income charged against as part of the financial assessment be increased from 65% to an amount to be determined;

          (3)      that couples will only be offered two calculations either as a single person based on their own income, or as a couple based on their combined income;

          (4)      the removal of the £5.00 per week transitional protection;

          (5)      that service users are charged for their reserved day centre and reserved transport place whether or not they use either facility;

          (6)      that the highest rate of Attendance Allowance and the care component of Disability Living Allowance is taken into account as income for those service users who receive night-time services; and

          (7)      the amendments to the appeals process in relation to the revised charging policy;

(II)      in respect of (1) and (2) above, a further report be submitted to a Special Meeting of the Cabinet Member - Health and Social Care and the Cabinet at its meeting to be held on 3 March 2011 to:

(i)agree the maximum amount to be charged for day centre placements and other care services provided by the Council;

(ii)agree the increase in the percentage of disposable income from 65%; and

(iii)consider the financial implications of (i) and (ii) above to the budget target saving of £650,000 and

(III)     it be noted that the proposal was a Key Decision but, unfortunately, had not been included in the Council's Forward Plan of Key Decisions.  Consequently, the Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee - Health and Social Care had been consulted under Rule 15 of the Access to Information Procedure Rules of the Constitution, to the decision being made by the Cabinet Member/Cabinet as a matter of urgency on the basis that it was impracticable to defer the decision until the commencement of the next Forward Plan because the savings targets contained within the report are a component in achieving the setting of the Council's balanced budget for 2011/12.  The item was not included on the Forward Plan because of the timescales dictated by the Transformation Agenda to achieve significant budget savings across the Council.