Agenda item

21.1     The Director of Adult Social Care and Health (ASCH) introduced the report which incorporated the recent RPPR Cabinet report which provided an update on the policy context, the Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP), capital programme, and the Council’s response to significant financial pressures. The report presented a further opportunity for the Committee to ask questions on the planning context and to request any additional information required for the RPPR Board in December.

21.2     The Director of ASCH outlined that pressures continued to be significant and ASCH’s priorities to respond to these challenges remained unchanged.

21.3     The Director of Children’s Services (CSD) outlined the key pressures in CSD, including rising demand for services and an increase in complex needs, growth in special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and demand for Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), which in turn increased Home to School Transport (HTST) costs. National reforms, including the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, the Giving Every Child the Best Start in Life strategy and the awaited Schools White Paper, which was anticipated to include significant reforms to SEND, were focussed on early intervention and prevention and this would continue to drive the Department’s response to these pressures and meeting need.

21.4     The Chief Finance Officer outlined the financial position of the Council as detailed in the report, including the stark financial challenge, with a revenue deficit of £55m, an update on the capital programme, and the insufficient reserves needed to meet the deficit. The report also set out key information awaited from Government, with a Policy Statement expected imminently in response to the Fair Funding Review 2.0. The report outlined the next steps to set a balanced budget, including preparations needed to apply for Exceptional Financial Support and a request to seek further savings. The CIPFA review had provided assurance of good financial management and governance in the Council and noted a clear understanding of the challenges across Members and officers.

21.5     The Committee asked the following questions:

• Crowborough site funding: The Committee asked about funding implications if the Home Office proposal to house asylum seekers at a former army training camp in Crowborough proceeds, particularly in regard to safeguarding responsibilities. The Director of ASCH confirmed no discussions on funding had taken place and any local funding would be for the Home Office to agree with district and borough councils. Statutory duties would mostly be limited to Public Health and infection prevention and control, with minimal anticipated Care Act responsibilities. The welfare, care and support of individuals was the responsibility of the Home Office to resource on site. Although the Council had a responsibility to safeguard vulnerable adults, recent experiences of housing asylum seekers in hotels in the county suggested there would be robust internal safeguarding procedures in place.
• Service costs – The Committee sought assurance that efforts were being made to keep costs of services down, particularly for services experiencing inflated costs due to high demand and low competition. The Director of CSD responded that work was underway regionally and nationally to manage the care market and ensure value for money, including through the regional care co-operative. The Director of ASCH reiterated a similar approach in ASCH and commented that for older people’s care the Council was able to publish its own rates and for working age adults, a care funding calculator was used to support with fee negotiations. There was also work underway across Sussex to grow the market for adults with complex needs with the aim of reducing costs and providing quality care locally.

21.6     The Committee noted the information that was awaited from Government and agreed to hold a further discussion when more detail would be available at its RPPR Board in December.

21.7     The Committee RESOLVED to note the information in the attached RPPR Cabinet report of 11 November 2025.