Agenda item - Budget - Update on OPC representations

BUDGET - OPC actions re: Budget Proposals

• P&R 3rd December - with details of cuts to ASC of £20 million over next 4 years

• Chair - pulled draft together of Equality Impact Assessments of areas affecting older people. Equality Impact Assessments on OPC website www.olderpeoplescouncil.org

• 9th December - OPC wrote to Head of Adult Social Care - with detailed points with regard to the impact on older people of the proposed cuts to a range of ASC services.

• OPC issued a press release - identifying areas of concern to be:

Home Care - cuts of £500,000 over 4 years

Public Toilets - cuts of £200,000 over 4 years

Community Meals - cut of £34,000 - 171 people currently have hot meals

Day Centres - Tower House Day Centre

Bus Passes - restrict use until after 9.30 in morning & 11.00 at night

Libraries - as well as Hove library, Westdean & Hollingbury affected

• Article in The Brighton & Hove Independent on 18th December “Older People’s Council speaks our over cuts” outlines the impact of the budget proposals on older people.

• Response from Denise D’Souza - current client numbers of ASC =

1,100 residential and 2,111 care in the community. Asked for her to attend January meeting for further discussion about budget impacts

• The Argus sent press release - no response. Drafted a note why bus pass changes would be bad for older people and for aims of reducing social isolation - which was circulated.

• OPC members raised issues about budget & bus passes in a variety

of forums - including AFC Forum, Bus Watch, U3A, Senior Housing tenants, PPG, Healthwatch and other community groups.

• Head of ASC attended OPC January meeting - she confirmed that the precept money would be most likely to be used to fill some of the adult social care budget gaps

• Vice Chair & Secretary went to meet users of Tower House to

understand their views on two occasions. OPC have argued that they needed more time to explore opportunities to cross subsidise the service and explore whether CCG could use facilities.

• Wrote to all 3 political parties raising our concerns about the budget and seeking support

• Meeting with Council Leader on 2nd February where we went through

the issues outlined in the letter sent to all political parties. Given to

understand that there may be some change re bus pass concessions and

public toilet funding. This has now been confirmed by papers to P&R on

11th February.

• P&R 11th February - withdrawal of proposals on bus passes and £50,000

of proposed savings on public toilets put back into budget.

• Budget Meeting of Council - on Thursday 25th February at 4.30 at

Sussex County Cricket Ground , Eaton Road, Hove. Some further changes

to the budget possible at this meeting.