News

Councillors in Poole will be examining options for the Council's services next year as details of rising costs and prospects for Government funding in 2003/2004 are discussed at a meeting of the Executive Committee later today (November 5).

Cllr Brian Clements, Leader of the Council, said: "In planning for services there are a number of alarm bells ringing this year. We are concerned that new proposals for Government funding due to be introduced this year could mean an average 4 - 5% increase in Council Tax bills just to maintain existing levels of service without even thinking about increased costs outside our control. These include the cost of insurance which is going up due to events throughout the world, increasing pension and National Insurance contributions. All of these mean that we have less to spend on services each and every year."

Currently the Government makes decisions which affect 60% of the Council's budget. There are fears that changes to the funding formulae, aimed to make the system of local Government funding "fairer, simpler, more intelligible and more stable", will lead to increases in Council Tax bills, particularly in the south of England.

Cllr Brian Clements, added: "I am concerned that the Government may introduce a system of funding which rather than seeming fair only costs local people more in Council Tax. I urge the Government to re-consider the formulae to ensure Poole residents receive a fair deal."

In areas such as Social Services, with low funding and a demand for services currently £1.088million over budget this year, the pressure is on. Some predictions for overspends in the 2002/2003 budget include:

£295,000 - due to an increase in demand on home care services

£28,000 - in increased costs of transporting people to day centres

£80,000 - due to Bournemouth permanently withdrawing 12 of its service users from Borough of Poole services at Seaview Day Centre

£400,000 - due to a high number of looked after children and a lack of foster care

£100,000 - due to increase costs of agency staff to care for residents at Mitchell House

£60,000 - costs for statutory joint inspection of Social Services

As part of the budget process, Councillors are being asked to agree that any overspend in the Social Services budget next year should not be met by the Council, but instead be carried forward into the Social Services budget in 2003/2004. In addition, suggested savings to help reduce the predicted overspend to £558,000 include:

£125,000 additional income from increased demand for home care

£280,000 delays in recruiting posts

£125,000 through supporting people who prefer to remain in their own homes rather than in residential or nursing care

Proposals for coping with budget pressures next year which will be considered by the Executive include:

reviewing the charging and provision of services to users from Bournemouth and Dorset who use Day Centres in Poole

cutting 6 posts in Social Services and holding up to 21 posts vacant

carrying out a review of the future role and organisation of Mitchell House

increasing charges for transportation to day centres for those receiving mobility allowance

closing Fourways Day Centre and providing those with high levels of personal care needs services within Poole Day Centre or Seaview and providing services and activities for other users in other accommodation such as community centres.

Since it was built in 1979 Fourways Day Centre has provided facilities, care and a wide range of activities for people with physical disability, sensory impairment or those recovering from mental illness. Open 5 days a week and able to cater for around 150 people each day, the numbers of people attending the day centre have steadily dropped over the last 5 years from 88 per day in 1997 to 63 per day in 2002. The design of the building means that heating and maintenance costs are significantly more than for other day centres which cannot be reduced without major expense to introduce energy efficiency measures.

Cllr Jane James, Executive Spokesperson for Tackling Disadvantage, said: "Fourways has traditionally provided services not only to those in Poole but also to residents in Bournemouth and Dorset. Over the last few years, as in Poole, other Councils have had to assess their budgets and how they provide this kind of care. This has led to a gradual reduction in those attending our day centres and we cannot continue funding centres which are no longer fully used. Whilst we have been planning for this, as shown by the closure of Lodge Hill day centre last year, it means that we face some really difficult decisions about how care will be provided for people in Poole."

In 1997, 135 residents from Bournemouth and 182 residents from Dorset used day centre services in Poole. In October, Bournemouth removed 12 users from Seaview resulting in a predicted income loss of £80,000 this year. By April 2003 Dorset County Council will transfer 15 residents from Wareham, who currently attend Fourways, to a new purpose built facility, resulting in approximately £70,000 loss in income in Poole. The maximum number of residents from outside Poole using the Borough's day centres by April 2003, is expected to be 24 from Bournemouth and 28 from Dorset.

Currently 263 Poole residents are registered at Fourways. Of those registered, 74 people have high levels of personal care needs and attend the centre three or more days a week and 88 attend one day a week. Under the proposals, everyone from Poole currently attending Fourways with high care needs, will continue to receive personal care from Poole Day Centre or Seaview. Ways of providing accommodation for those who attend for social activities is being examined.

Cllr Jane James, Executive Spokesperson for Tackling Disadvantage, said: "In the face of more appalling funding from the Government it is crucial that we work to meet the needs of all vulnerable people in the best way we can. This will give us some very difficult decisions but upper most in our minds must be the provision of safe services that people want and need. Day centres provide not only vital physical care but also valuable friendships which are crucial to many people. The solutions we provide must ensure these can be maintained and supported. Poole is not alone in facing continuing financial pressures in Social Services, both locally and across the country levels of demand have increased and expectation risen. We must continue to improve the quality and effectiveness of our services but will struggle to do so with such a lack of support from the Government."

The Government announcement on funding levels and the impact on Poole is expected in early December 2002. Residents will have the opportunity to take part in the debate and consider the proposals at Area Committee meetings to be held across the Borough in November.

Cllr Brian Clements, said: "The uncertainty over government funding and the potential impact of significant pressures on cost of services makes it vital that we act to address this difficult situation. We are giving clear messages to our managers to look to reduce costs within their budget projections for next year. We are proud of our record on service delivery on the back of the lowest Band D Council Tax in Dorset and we will fight to see this position maintained."

Area Committees will be taking place across the Borough in November, details as follows: