Issue - meetings

15.1     The Committee considered a report by the Director of Adult Social Care and Health providing an update on the Care Act implementation priorities for 2015/16.

15.2     In response to questions about the impact of the Department of Health’s decision to defer the implementation of the care cap to 2020, officers explained that:

·         The care cap was due to be implemented in April 2016 so significant work had already been carried out in anticipation, including the development of new policies and systems to deal with the new responsibilities, for example, the deferred payment scheme. Development of and recruitment for these new systems has now had to stop.

·         The postponement of the implementation of first party top-ups will have no effect on clients as the current care system does not offer this service.

·         The postponement removes significant risk from the ASC budget; however, this is likely to be offset by the introduction of the national living wage.

·         The Department of Health has not yet indicated whether it will continue to provide local authorities with the payment for implementing the care cap and other measures. The July and August tranche of the payment has been made, and it is unlikely that this money will be clawed back.

15.3     The Committee RESOLVED to note the report.