Issue - meetings

To adopt the proposed changes to the council’s charging policy to be applied from April 2020 and to note the responses on the consultation.

RESOLVED:

Decisions of the Cabinet

1.  That the information contained in the report and its appendices be noted.

2.  That it be agreed to adopt the proposed changes to the council’s charging policy which are as follows includes the following:

·  Simplify the Fairer Contributions Policy document (FCP) to make our approaches to residential and non residential financial assessments clearer

·  Increase the minimum contribution towards social care costs from £3 to £5

·  Specify a charge of £200 for the council to arrange care for full cost service users assessed to require non-residential care excluding alarms

·  Use light touch assessments for those receiving alarm services only

·  Promote deferred payment agreements and charges on property as a way of paying for residential care

·  Implement a review trigger where allowances exceeding £20 per week on DRE (disability related expenditure) are claimed from April 2021

3.  That the proposed changes to be adopted as outlined in Appendix 1 be agreed. The FCP to be applied from April 2020.

4.  That the responses to the consultation on the proposed changes to the FCP as set out within the report and in Appendix 2 be noted.

5.  That the equality and impact analysis set out in Appendix 3 of the report be noted.

Decision of the Leader of the Council

6.  To the final decision on the future of the direct debit discount scheme be delegated to the cabinet member for children, schools and adult care following a further consultation on this process.