Decision details

Rates payable and charges levied for Children's Services in 2015-16

Decision Maker: Leader and Cabinet Member for Health Reform

Decision status: Recommendations Approved

Is Key decision?: Yes

Is subject to call in?: Yes

Purpose:

Approval of the revision of the rates payable and charges levied by Kent County Council for children’s social care services. The proposed rates payable and charges levied are considered annually, with any revisions normally introduced at the start of each financial year. The rates and charges payable for 2015/16 will be introduced the week commencing 5th April 2015. 

 

This decision will help the County Council’s BS4K objectives of:

·   Support the transformation of health and social care in Kent.

·   Improve services for the most vulnerable people in Kent.

 

Financial Implications:

This will enable the Council to raise funding, as required by Parliament, to help meet the cost of providing social care services to the people of Kent. The increase in payments that these changes will bring have been included in the 12 February 2015 County Council agreed budgets for the services affected.

 

Legal Implications:

The accompanying recommendation report distinguishes between those rates and charges over which Members can exercise their discretion, and those which are laid down by Parliament.

 

Equality Implications:

None

 

The matter is referred to in the directorate Business Plan/Medium Term Capital Programme, and Uplift of Rates & Charges is also included in the Budget.

 

 

 

Decision:

 

As Leader of the Council, I

 

a)           AGREE

             i.       To increase the Foster Care Maintenance element to:

2015-16

All Placements under 2

£146.44

All Placements 2-4

£150.78

All Placements 5-8

£168.00

All Placements 9.10

£168.00

All Placements 11-15

£190.61

All Placements 16-17

£224.00

All Placements 18+

£224.00

 

            ii.       The Foster Care Reward element to remain at:

    Non related placements  0-8 yrs - £107.80

            Non related placements 9-16 yrs  - £204.75

           iii.       The Foster Care Skills based payment to remain at:

            Level 2 - £20.23

            Level 3 - £50.54

           iv.       The Single placement supplement to remain at:

            Age 0-8 yrs  - £215.60

            Age 9-16 yrs  - £409.50

 

               v.       To increase the Therapeutic Fostering Supplement to £633.50 which reflects the change in maintenance element for this allowance.

 

              vi.       To increase the Local Authority Charges for Children’s Services for:

a.            Assessment hourly rate to  £67.74 per hour,

b.            Administration Fee to £10.36

c.             Residential Respite Services to £331.99

 

b)           NOTE

 

i.   The Inter-Agency Charges which are included in the recommendation report. These are reviewed annually in July by the British Association for Adoption and Fostering and rates, agreed in July 2014 remain in place.

 

ii   Foster Carer payments set out above are weekly amounts. The increases have also included marginal adjustments so that all figures are divisible by 7 to enable daily payments to be made where necessary.

 

c)         AGREE that the Corporate Director of Social Care, Health and Wellbeing, or other suitable delegated officer, undertake the necessary actions to implement this decision.

 

 

Publication date: 19/03/2015

Date of decision: 19/03/2015

Effective from: 27/03/2015

Accompanying Documents: