Argyll and Bute HSCP Finance and Policy Committee held on 16 September 2025
Argyll and Bute Council · 19 November 2025
Back to Argyll and Bute HSCP Integration Joint Board (IJB) — 19 November 2025 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
Page 1
MINUTES of MEETING of ARGYLL AND BUTE HSCP FINANCE AND POLICY COMMITTEE held BY MICROSOFT TEAMS on TUESDAY, 16 SEPTEMBER 2025 Present: Graham Bell (Chair) Karen Leach Kenny Matheson Councillor Dougie McFadzean Councillor Gary Mulvaney Fiona Thomson Attending: Evan Beswick, Chief Officer, Argyll and Bute HSCP Fiona Broderick, Staffside Lead, Argyll and Bute HSCP (Health) Charlotte Craig, Interim Head of Strategic Planning, Performance and Technology, Argyll and Bute HSCP Eilidh Gallagher, Head of Primary Care, NHS Highland David Gibson, Head of Children, Families and Justice, Argyll and Bute HSCP Nicola Gillespie, Head of Service, Complex Care and Registered Services, Argyll and Bute HSCP James Gow, Head of Finance, Argyll and Bute HSCP Hazel MacInnes, Senior Committee Officer, Argyll and Bute Council Alison McGrory, Associate Director of Public Health, Argyll and Bute HSCP Angela Tillery, Principal Accountant, Argyll and Bute Council 1. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE Apologies for absence were received from Tracey White. 2. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST There were no declarations of interest intimated. 3. MINUTES The Minutes of the meeting of the Argyll and Bute HSCP Finance and Policy Committee held on 24 June 2025 were approved as a correct record. 4. BUDGET MONITORING – 4 MONTHS TO 31 JULY 2025 The Committee gave consideration to a report providing an early indication of the financial performance for the first four months of the 2025/26 financial year and summarising the financial position and forecast to the year end. Decision The Finance and Policy Committee – 1. noted that the HSCP is reporting that it has overspent its budget by £1.5m as at M4; 2. noted an overspend of £1.5m is forecast and that management are working to bring spend back in line with budget; 3. noted recovery restrictions remain in place; and
Page 2
4. noted savings of £4.9m had been delivered, 56% of target. (Reference: Report by Head of Finance dated 16 September 2025, submitted) 5. BUDGET OUTLOOK AND MEDIUM-TERM FINANCIAL PLANNING 2026/27 TO 2028/29 The Committee gave consideration to a report providing an updated budget outlook for the 2026/27 financial year and the two following years. Decision The Finance and Policy Committee - 1. considered the budget outlook for 2026/27 to 2028/29 and noted the risk and uncertainty in respect of funding settlements; 2. noted the forecast budget gap of £18.2m for 2026/27; 3. noted that work on the savings plan was continuing in partnership with the Council and NHS Highland; 4. considered the scale of service reduction that was likely to be required to achieve financial balance and agreed that there was a requirement to fully understand the obligations for financial and statutory services; 5. noted that oversight of the budget process would continue to be undertaken by the Finance and Policy Committee and agreed that a Special meeting of the Committee be convened to consider this further prior to the ordinary meeting of the Committee on 18 November 2025; and 6. noted expenditure control measures and financial recovery actions continue to be implemented. (Reference: Report by Head of Finance dated 16 September 2025, submitted) 6. FINANCIAL RISKS 2025-26 The Committee gave consideration to a report summarising the key perceived financial risks facing the Health and Social Care Partnership in the current year. Decision The Finance and Policy Committee – 1. noted the 2025/26 financial risks identified; and 2. noted the mitigations. (Reference: Report by Head of Finance dated 16 September 2025, submitted)
Page 3
7. RESERVES POLICY The Committee gave consideration to a report providing the Reserves Policy for review and approval on behalf of the Integration Joint Board. Decision The Finance and Policy Committee – 1. approved the Reserves Policy attached at Appendix 1 to the submitted report; and 2. noted that general reserves were currently below the 2% aspirational target. (Reference: Report by Head of Finance dated 16 September 2025, submitted) 8. FAIR ACCESS AND THRESHOLD OF CARE POLICY PROPOSAL The Committee gave consideration to a report providing a broad community and professional response to the information collated from the public consultation on proposed changes to the delivery of Care at Home services. Decision The Finance and Policy Committee – 1. noted the report and agreed to make a recommendation to the Integration Joint Board that the number of hours per week Care at Home threshold be set at 28 hours; 2. requested that officers bring forward an estimate of deliverable savings for this proposal to the Integration Joint Board on 17 September 2025, taking into account the increased expectation of social work governance in respect of this; 3. noted that the policy proposal was supplied for approval based on the threshold being reviewed annually and noting a requirement for the Integration Joint Board to support an option; 4. noted the risk in year if an option was not supported; 5. noted the potential for increased risk to care delivery/unpaid carers for those with highest need that requires to be monitored; and 6. noted the supplementary actions generated by the consultation. (Reference: Report by Head of Finance and Interim Head of Strategic Planning, Performance and Technology dated 16 September 2025, submitted) 9. TRANSFORMATION UPDATE The Committee gave consideration to a report providing an update on the transformation agenda including the recommencement of the Integration Joint Board Transformation Board on 18 September 2025. Decision
Page 4
The Finance and Policy Committee – 1. noted the update; and 2. noted the recommencement of the Integration Joint Board Transformation Board. (Reference: Report by Interim Head of Strategic Planning, Performance and Technology dated 16 September 2025, submitted) 10. DATE OF NEXT MEETING The date of the next meeting was noted as Tuesday 18 November 2025.