Proposals for cuts to council services

Rochdale Borough Council needs to save close to £39 million over the next two years and at a meeting of the Council Cabinet on Monday (12 September) it was agreed that savings proposals should go forward for public consultation.

The leader of the Council, Councillor Richard Farnell, stressed that no savings decisions have yet been made. He said: "Public opinion is key. Changes affect our residents, so we want their views."

Residents can give their views of the savings proposals from Thursday (15 September) via the Council website at:

• http://www.rochdale.gov.uk/savings

The public consultation is open until 31 October. A final decision will be made on 1 March 2017.

Proposals

Re-model of supported living offer for people with learning disabilities

1. Overview of proposal
   Remodel the supported living offer for people with learning disabilities to develop a wider range of care and support options at reduced costs.
2. Overall impact of proposed change
   A review of the number of group homes within the Rochdale Borough and an increase in alternative types of care and accommodation to meet the needs of people with learning disabilities.
3. Impact on affected service users
   Care needs met through new wider range of care and support options, including learning disability extra care and residential care.
4. Savings total 
   £200,000 in 2017/18, £727,000 in 2018/19. Total savings £927,000.

Changes to adult care charging policy 

1. Overview of proposal
   Changes are proposed to the adult care charging policy from April 2017.
   These changes will bring the charging policy in line with national changes to benefits and pension payments.
   It is proposed to link the minimum income guarantee (the amount of income we ‘protect’ from charges) to an individuals’ pensionable age rather than their actual age.
   It is proposed to stop disregarding the higher rate of Disability Living Allowance (DLA) as part of the financial assessment. This is linked to changes to DLA for service users of non-pensionable age and the move towards the Personal Independent Payment instead. It is proposed to remove the cap on charges for non-residential care and support.
2. Overall impact of proposed change
   Some service users will be expected to pay more for their non-residential care and support and some will pay less for their residential care, of the net impact of this change is £195,000 per annum.
3. Impact on affected service users
   Service users who are 60 years plus but not yet at pensionable age could be required to pay more for their non-residential care and support and less for any residential care, subject to a means test and the value of their care and support. Service users receiving the higher rate of Disability Living Allowance could be required to pay more for their care and support, subject to a means test and the value of their care and support.
   Service users who receive services following a detainment under the Mental Health Act could be required to start paying for their care and support where these services do not relate to the reason for the detainment.
4. Savings total
   £141,000 in 2017/18 and £54,000 in 2018/19. Total Saving £195,000.

Remodelling of the educational welfare service 

1. Overview of proposal
   It is proposed that the service provided to schools by the education welfare service is remodelled.
2. Overall impact of proposed change
   The impact from this proposal is to ensure that support to schools to improve attendance is targeted to schools and families where there is the greatest need to improve.
3. Impact on affected service users
   The Council will still be fulfilling its statutory duty to support good attendance, the universal support to schools beyond this would be reviewed.
4. Savings total
   The total saving from this proposal would be a £60,000 in 2017/18.

Proposed cessation of mobile play team 

1. Overview of proposal
   The proposal is to cease operating the mobile play team. The mobile play team visits locations across the borough, in each of the four townships on a revolving six week basis, between June 2016 and 1 August 2016, the mobile play team has delivered 36 play sessions with 352 individual children attending (some a number of times).
2. Overall impact of proposed change
   The proposal will mean that the Council no longer provides any out of school, open access play provision for children aged between four and 11 years of age.
3. Impact on affected service users
   There will be a removal of council funded, organised free play opportunities for children in the borough.
4. Savings total
   The total saving from this proposal would be £44,000.

Rationalisation of the additional funding for child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) 

1. Overview of proposal
   To rationalise the additional support currently provided by the Council for child and adolescent mental health services recognising that young people identified as having issues with mental health would access support through conventional means.
2. Overall impact of proposed change
   There will be no direct access to the CAMHS service for young people involved with children’s social care, through the social work team currently based in CAMHS, however access to the overall service will still be available through conventional means. Additional service provision to support emotional wellbeing of young people is also now available through healthy young minds service which is part of the recently commissioned transformation programme.
3. Impact on affected service users
   There should be no impact on service users who will still be able to access the healthy young minds service.
4. Savings total
   The total saving from this proposal would be £350,000 in 2018/19.

Reshape of Children’s Social Care delivery 

1. Overview of proposal
   To re-shape children social care services to achieve a saving of £350,000 over two years, in response to continuing reduction in demand and focus on provision of early help.
2. Overall impact of proposed change
   Reshaping of children’s social care over 2017/18 and 2018/19 will provide sufficient services for children who need the service.
3. Impact on affected service users
   If demand continues to reduce there should be no impact on service users. If the current downward trajectory was to change, service users would be impacted as caseloads would increase. Mitigation is in place to reduce the risks of this.
4. Savings total
   £200,000 in 2017/18 and £150,000 in 2018/19. Total saving £350,000.

Review of Youth Offending Service 

1. Overview of proposal
   To review the youth offending service across Rochdale and Bury in light of legislative and demand changes.
2. Overall impact of proposed change
   A rationalisation of the service to meet future demand and respond to changes in legislation.
3. Impact on affected service users
   There should be no impact on the service users.
4. Savings total
   The total saving in Rochdale from this proposal would be £80,000 per annum.

Remodel and Review the Contact Service 

1. Overview of proposal
   Remodel and review the delivery of the contact service to provide a saving of £70,000.
2. Overall impact of proposed change
   Review is likely to result in a change to the approach to delivery of contact service in light of service needs and role of services and others in the process.
3. Impact on affected service users
   The expectation and duty will remain for each cared for child to have an individual contact plan (as per current policy and procedures) which will be subject to regular review as part of the statutory review process. Potential changes will be managed to minimise any disruption to our cared for children and their families.
4. Savings total
   The total savings from this proposal is estimated at £70,000 per annum.

Review of funding for play schemes 

1. Overview of proposal
   The proposal is to cease grant funding for holiday play scheme provision in the borough. This is funded currently through a grant and is used to support, develop and fund voluntary run holiday play schemes across the borough.
2. Overall impact of proposed change
   The proposal will mean that the Council no longer provides any funding to support voluntary run holiday play schemes in the borough, for children aged between four and 14 years of age. However, the current grant recipient, as an independent organisation, does have the ability to apply for other sources of grant funding.
3. Impact on affected service users
   There could be a reduction of play opportunities for children in the borough after school in term time and during school holidays.
4. Savings total
   £24,000 in 2017/18, £16,000 in 2018/19. Total saving £40,000.

Review the delivery of legal advice, welfare, debt and housing support 

1. Overview of proposal
   To review the legal advice, welfare, debt and housing support to deliver services in a more cost effective manner.
2. Overall impact of proposed change
   The specification for the new service from 1 April 2017 is reviewed and efficiencies achieved whilst delivering agreed outcomes for residents – any provider will be required to deliver to the revised specification.
3. Impact on affected service users
   There is a risk that the level of funding available may not meet sufficient to allow any provider to meet the specification – this will be managed to minimise any negative impact.
4. Savings total
   The total savings from this proposal would be £85,000 per annum.

Review of community centre grant funding 

1. Overview of proposal
   Review of community centre grant funding.
2. Overall impact of proposed change
   Rationalisation of the funding available to support community centres with the reduced level of funding linked to the direct impact and benefit to the community.
3. Impact on affected service users
   Depending on the outcome of the review there could be an impact on service users who use the existing community centres.
4. Savings total
   The level of saving attached to this proposal is £75,000 per annum.

Continued provision of school crossing patrols at a charge to schools 

1. Overview of proposal
   For schools to fund school crossing patrols in their areas.
2. Overall impact of proposed change
   The Council will provide the service at the level that schools wish to purchase.
3. Impact on affected service users
   The Council will continue to provide the service to schools where they wish to purchase the service – where a school does not want the Council to provide this service they could make their own arrangements.
4. Savings total
   The income from this proposal would be £272,000 per annum.

Removal of buy with confidence scheme 

1. Overview of proposal
   The proposal is to cease the operation of the buy with confidence scheme due to the minimal use by businesses, therefore the cost does not provide value for money to residents.
2. Overall impact of proposed change
   The scheme would no longer be provided.
3. Impact on affected service users
   The impact on local traders and customers of cessation of the scheme would be minimal as only two local businesses are currently signed up to the scheme.
4. Savings total
   The total savings from this proposal would be £35,000 per annum.