Plans to generate income from selling public services
Hounslow Council is planning to invest an extra £1.8 million on adult care services next year, and says it is well on course to meet its £12 million savings target.
A sum of £4.2 million is earmarked to be saved through developing and improving services, including plans to generate income from public services and other customers by selling them to other councils.
This would include money-saving objectives such as using new residential places at the Sandbanks centre to save money on paying for private residential and nursing beds. It will also include selling spare spaces in respite care to other councils, working with partner councils to share costs of some respite services, savings resulting from the wheeled bin trial, savings from the shared parking contract etc.
The plans were discussed and agreed at the cabinet meeting, (5 Nov) and include a reiteration of the council’s commitment to protecting front line services.
Among the savings, more than £4 million has been identified from unspent budgets, thanks to tougher spending controls and careful financial management, according to the Council.
Councillor Jagdish Sharma, leader of the council, said: “The £12 million saving figure is a substantial sum, but we’ve worked hard to put together these proposals to minimise the impact on residents. Government cuts to our funding have meant we have had to make some difficult decisions.
“We are investing wisely in areas like adult social care to improve services and to deliver savings. The council is becoming more efficient through transforming services, focusing on partnership working and getting better value from our contracts. If only the same could be said of central government. The Minister responsible is most welcome to visit Hounslow to see how it is done.
“At the same time we are investing in the areas like community care to support residents to live independently in their own homes, and making sure care workers are paid a fair wage.”
The full report on the planned savings is available here.
November 7, 2013