Agenda and minutes

The Chair welcomed all attendees to the meeting and explained the emergency evacuation procedure.

Key background documents for this item are:

1. Medium Term Financial Plan and Capital Strategy, as considered at the 31 October Full Council

ModernGov - bristol.gov.uk

2. Previous Resources Scrutiny/Finance Task Group comments as submitted to the 31 October Full Council

FTG submission for Full Council - 31 Oct 23.pdf (bristol.gov.uk)

3. Budget 2024-25 consultation as published on the Ask Bristol consultation and engagement hub

https://www.ask.bristol.gov.uk/budget-2024-25

In this session, the Resources Scrutiny Commission will consider the following issues:

a. Transformation programme (up to 60 minutes)

Update and opportunity for questioning on delivery of the ‘top 4’ transformation programme.

Key reference document: update report submitted to the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board on 4 December 2023

https://democracy.bristol.gov.uk/documents/s90216/Transformation%20Portfolio.pdf

b. Children and Education & Adult Social Care (up to 60 minutes)

Budget proposal reference points:

- Relevant shortlisted Invest to Save (capital) proposals

- Adult social care budget proposals as included in list of 25 budget proposals

Key questions/areas of scrutiny interest as identified in advance of this meeting by Resources Scrutiny members:

1. What is the confidence level around actual delivery of each of these proposals, and how will this be tracked?

2. Can these measures be taken whilst also ensuring individuals still receive the care they need?

a. Transformation Programme

Officers presented a slide-deck overview/update of the transformation portfolio of the “Top 4” programmes (Adult Social Care; ‘Our Families’ (Children and Education); Council’s property estate; Temporary Accommodation) underway across the Council, as previously discussed by the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board on 4 December.

Summary of key points highlighted:

1. Context under which the Transformation programme was being taken forward:

- The Council continued to face a range of very significant financial challenges, as identified in the Medium Term Financial Plan, including required General Fund savings of £37m in 2023/24, with additional in-year risks and budget pressures. The four programmes accounted for 62% of the £37m savings required in the current financial year.

- The Council also faced unsustainable demand for some services, which was a further key driver for transformation.

2. The Adult Social Care programme was developing a sustainable model of care that built on community assets and would improve outcomes whilst delivering within budget as part of a financially stable corporate position.  The programme was being taken forward at pace in partnership with Peopletoo as the Council’s delivery partner.

3. The Our Families programme involved designing effective and sustainable services with, and for, children, young people and families; efficiency of delivery would improve as a result through a whole system change.  Key elements of the programme included introducing a new operating model, improved demand management and specific interventions around home-to-school transport, cost of placements and increasing the number of foster carers.  

4. The Property programme would deliver revenue savings and capital receipts (generated through the capital disposal programme) by reducing the size of the Council’s property estate and maximising utilisation of retained sites. The programme would also implement a corporate landlord model to enable sustainable management of the estate in the long-term.  In addition, the programme would examine which properties within the estate could be utilised to support the Our Families and Adult Social Care programmes.

5. The Temporary Accommodation programme would address the subsidy loss caused by the increase in homelessness that had been experienced.  The reduction in subsidy loss would enable a balanced budget, contributing to the Council’s financial sustainability.

The programme would also deliver an increase in supported housing from registered providers, so that more people could be placed in accommodation meeting their support

needs; it would also secure more suitable temporary and emergency accommodation for those who need it, reducing reliance on the use of hotels.  Other, new sources of funding were being examined, with a view to bringing forward additional capacity for a longer-term solution.

6. In terms of assurance, particularly around benefits realisation, progress on the top 4 programme had been independently reviewed by PWC; their report had now been received and would be key in building the next iteration of the transformation work.

Summary of main points raised/noted in discussion of this item:

1. A number of questions were asked around the confidence levels in terms of the achievability of the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 23.