Minutes:
(1) The Leader updated the Council on events since the previous meeting.
(2) Mr Carter referred to the Council’s overspend in the current financial year and said that it was anticipated to reduce by £2 million, subject to a report to Cabinet. He stated that part of the budget reduction was as a result of the un-met asylum costs which had reduced from £4.6 million to £3.6 million. He stated that the anticipated share of the business rate pilot for Kent County Council was expected to increase by £2 million. The reduction of £1 million on the un-met asylum costs was as a result of receiving two government grants. One of the grants received was from the Home Office and one of the grants was from the Ministry of Housing Communities & Local Government, worth £600,000 to the County Council. Mr Carter said that the grant was paid to all Local Authorities across the country to allow capacity to grow. Mr Carter stated that the additional benefit to make the figure up to £1 million was that the Home Office was processing asylum cases much faster than usual which meant that a number of the 18+ Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking young people were entitled to receive housing benefits, which reduced the financial pressure on accommodation costs for those 18+ Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking young people.
(3) Mr Carter referred to the recent extreme weather conditions in Kent and said that costs would be managed through the winter reserve. He commented on the detrimental impact that the bad weather had on roads in Kent and said than in addition to the provisional £2.4 million that had been allocated for road maintenance and drainage repairs, it was intended that an additional £2 million would be invested into the budget. Mr Carter stated that Kent-based civil engineering companies had been appointed to undertake the repair work that was required on Kent roads on a district-by-district basis. Mr Carter stated that the progress that had been made in regard to road repairs in Kent would be reflected on in June, as well as the adequacy of the budget. Mr Carter expressed the view that the work being undertaken on Kent’s roads needed to be of a good standard.
(4) Mr Carter said that a date had not yet been set for a meeting with the new Minister of State for Immigration to discuss the remaining £3.6 million shortfall in Kent. He said that many other authorities in the country were bearing the financial burden in un-met costs of asylum. The shortfall of £3.6 million was concerning and of significance compared to the totality of the Home Office budget. Mr Carter emphasised that Government needed to reimburse all sectors of Local Government based on the actual costs of supporting Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking young people in their communities.
(5) Mr Carter expressed his view that the Government should not expect upper-tier authorities across the country to fund the shortfall in the costs of expanding existing schools and providing new schools for the substantive rise in school populations across the country. Mr Carter referred to the County Council Budget meeting in February 2018 and said that Kent had £120 million capital shortfall predicted over the next 3 years. £50 million worth of additional borrowing had been put in the revenue budget, but this fell significantly short of the £120million that was required. Mr Carter stated that he intended to meet Kent MP’s to encourage them to put pressure on Government to meet the shortfall to ensure that Government funded the expansions of their secondary of their secondary academies as the bulge in population moved from primary to secondary.
(6) In conclusion, Mr Carter referred to the integration of Health and Social Care which had been discussed at Health Reform and Public Health Cabinet Committee meetings. Mr Carter stated that whilst Adult Social Care provided help and support, it was important to recognise that all providers, including the third sector, helped and supported services to GP’s. Mr Carter said that the first workshop would be held next week and would bring providers together with many of the GP’s, to discuss targets and how people in Kent can help to ensure that the good workforce of providers is supported to support better health care and social care outcomes.
(7) Mr Bird, the Leader of the Opposition, started by thanking all staff for their efforts in continuing to provide key services in Kent during the difficult weather conditions.
(8) Mr Bird referred to the un-met asylum costs and said that the additional funding was welcomed. He said that the national government needed to recognise that Local Authorities would not be able function to the best of their ability without adequate financial support in place.
(9) Mr Bird mentioned the reference made by Mr Carter to potholes, and sought an assurance on the quality of repairs.
(10) In conclusion, Mr Bird referred to the Sustainability Transformation Plan and the establishment of clusters, he said that resources were a significant driver of the plan, including staffing. He said that it was important for Kent to ensure that appropriately qualified staff were in post to maintain the Social Care services which were being provided to Kent residents.
(11) Mr Farrell, Leader of the Labour Group, thanked Members and staff for their resilience and dedication to keep core services open within Kent during the recent extreme weather conditions.
(12) In relation to the issue of potholes in Kent, Mr Farrell welcomed the additional funding available to address the issue of potholes across Kent and reduce the current backlog.
(13) Mr Farrell referred to the Sustainability Transformation Plan and said that the emphasis that the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care placed on protecting adults at risk of abuse or neglect was vital, and the steps to improve the execution of safeguarding through the new operating model were welcomed.
(14) Mr Whybrow, Leader of the Independents Group referred to the Chancellor’s Spring Statement and asked Mr Carter if he could provide a financial update.
(15) In relation to the issue of potholes, Mr Whybrow said that Kent must ensure the roads were resurfaced to a good standard, rather than patched. Mr Whybrow also stated that the utilities companies fixing Kent roads should be held accountable when roads were not fixed well.
(16) Mr Whybrow referred to funding within Social Care and said that single parents and vulnerable people with disabilities could be at the most risk by 2021-2022, because of austerity.
(17) In replying to the other Leaders’ comments, Mr Carter referred to social care integration and said that the additional funding was required to ensure that new financial benefits and outcomes could be delivered whilst pressures reduced.
(18) Mr Carter responded to concerns regarding quality control of pothole repairs and explained the quality control that was in place and said that the additional £2 million would start to be invested into road maintenance.
(19) Mr Carter stated that he had hoped to receive additional money for road maintenance and social care from the Bellwin Scheme but Kent was above the eligibility threshold.
(20) Mr Carter referred to the Fair Funding Review and stated that the mileage and usage of roads in Kent was high. He said that the increasing number of HGV’s on roads was detrimental to the life expectancy of those roads.
(21) Mr Carter referred to comments made on the Chancellor’s Spring Statement and stated that a spending review would take place prior to 2020 which would set out the departmental expenditure of the public exchequers investment in the delivery of public services.