Issue - meetings

Questions raised during the public participation session at the Bradford on Avon Area Board on the 17^th March 2010

Question 1:

At the Bradford-on-Avon Area Board meeting in January 2010 the residents of Bradford-on-Avon voted increasing funding for the care of older people as a priority. As Britain has a population with an increasingly higher proportion of older people this funding area will increase over the foreseeable future.

 Despite this, as shown in the Wiltshire Council’s Council Tax leaflet issued to residents, Wiltshire Council has decreased expenditure on front line services, not only for older people and the physically impaired, but also for those with learning difficulties and mental health problems, whilst increasing expenditure on central and core service which includes items such as Chief Executive costs, procurement and HR.

I am deeply concerned that the views of Bradford-on-Avon residents have been ignored in the budget calculations, but further would appreciate detailed justification for a) the cuts in the front line services mentioned above and b) the Council’s willingness to increase core and central services costs at a time when its budget is showing a reduction in the amount spent on care for older people, which is an area which will grow over the years due to the shift in demographics.”

Wiltshire Council Response:

The 2010-11 budget contains growth of nearly £19 million. Whilst some of this is being used to support corporate services such as essential ICT infrastructure, the majority of this relates to front line services. Adult care services including the elderly have had growth of over £4million.

Efficiency savings of nearly £25 million have all been achieved from back office functions from measures such as continuation of the One Council for Wiltshire savings as the second year of the business case, further efficiencies arising from the Business Management Programme, procurement efficiencies and a range of other measures to reduce management and administration costs. 

Diane Teale request for further clarification:

Regarding the other question on the budget, the response does not appear to address the points raised.

Regarding the other question on the budget, the response does not appear to address the points raised.

Whilst overall adult services may have increased - it is not possible to establish this based on the numbers I have received - nevertheless, my question specifically related to older people, those with the physically impaired and those with learning difficulties and mental health problems where the booklet supplied by Wiltshire Council shows expenditure has decreased.

Furthermore, whilst the budget does indeed show an increase in ICT, I did not raise a question on that increase - instead I queried the increase in Core and Central Services: ICT costs are shown separately.

Wiltshire Council Response:

The budget for 2010/11 was prepared to allow for some growth in Adult Care Services, in the region of £4m, for example to help manage the increase in the population of Older People. 

However, like the whole of the Council, Adult Care Services have also developed plans to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 34