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5. Financial Monitoring Report Mth3v1 FINAL

North Ayrshire Council · 20 August 2026
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Integration Joint Board
20th August 2026
Subject: 2026-27 – Month 3 Financial Performance 
Purpose: To provide an overview of the IJB’s financial performance as at
Month 3 (June). 
Recommendation: It is recommended that the IJB: 
(a) notes the overall integrated financial performance report for
the financial year 2026-27 and the current overall projected year-
end overspend of £5.146m;
(b) notes the progress with delivery of agreed savings; 
(c) approves the budget reductions in para 2.10; and 
(d) notes the remaining financial risks for 2026-27. 
Direction Required to
Council, Health Board or
Both 
Direction to: - 
1. No Direction Required X
2. North Ayrshire Council 
3. NHS Ayrshire & Arran 
4. North Ayrshire Council and NHS Ayrshire & Arran 
Glossary of Terms 
NHS AA NHS Ayrshire and Arran
HSCP Health and Social Care Partnership
MH Mental Health
MDT Child & Adolescent Mental Health Services
BRAG Blue, Red, Amber, Green
UNPACS UNPACS, (UNPlanned Activities) – Extra Contractual Referrals
NRAC NHS Resource Allocation Committee
PAC Performance and Audit Committee
MHOF Mental Health Outcome Framework
MDT Multi-Disciplinary Team
1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 
1.1 The report provides an overview of the financial position for the Partnership and
outlines the projected year-end outturn position informed by the projected
expenditure and income commitments; these have been prepared in conjunction with
relevant budget holders and services.   It should be noted that, although this report
refers to the position at the end of June further work is undertaken following the
month end to finalise projections, therefore the projected outturn position is as current
and up to date as can practicably be reported.

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1.2  The projected outturn is a year-end overspend of £5.146m (1.4%). 
1.3  From the core projections, overall, the main areas of pressure are: residential
placements for children and supplementary staff in wards including within the lead
partnership for mental health.  There remains a significant risk of delivering the
financial savings required from the change to social care eligibility criteria and this
remains the substantive plan for further financial recovery. 
1.4 The projected IJB outturn position has been adjusted to reflect the impact of Lead
Partnership services. The overspend in relation to North Lead Partnership services
for Mental Health is not fully attributed to the North HSCP as a share has been
allocated to East and South HSCPs, similarly the impact of the outturn on East and
South led services has been shared with North, both on an NRAC basis in line with
the agreed risk sharing mechanism.  There is a requirement for the 3 IJBs to be
aware of the position for Lead Partnership services and plans to deliver services from
within allocated budget. 
2. CURRENT POSITION 
2.1 The report includes an overview of the financial position including commitments
against the available resource, explanations for the main budget variances and an
update on progress in terms of savings delivery. 
2.2 FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE – AT MONTH 3 
At month 3 against the full-year budget of £360.587m there is a projected year-end
overspend of £5.146m (1.4%).  The Integration Scheme outlines that there is an
expectation that the IJB takes account of the totality of resources available to balance
the budget in year. Following this approach, an integrated view of the financial
position should be taken, however it is useful to note that this overall position consists
of a projected overspend of £5.042m in social care services and a projected
overspend of £0.104m in health services.   
Appendix A provides the financial overview of the Partnership position. The sections
that follow outline the significant variances in service expenditure compared to the
approved budgets. 
Appendix E provides information on the costs of bank and agency staff. 
2.3 Health and Community Care Services 
Against the full-year budget of £111.624m there is a projected underspend of
£0.121m (0.1%) and the main variances are: 
Care home placements – net projected underspend of £0.459m. This includes an
underspend on placements of £0.330m and an income recovery from charging

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orders and gross funded placements which is projected to be £0.130m over
recovered. This income is challenging to predict as it depends on the length of
the legal process and time taken to sell the property that the charging order is
registered to and access to the funds or estate of service users. 
The budgeted number of permanent placements was 765 and at month 3 there
were 760.  The underspend is due to lower placement numbers and less gross
funded cases than in previous years. A further 25 Placements have been funded
via Whole Systems Funding monies which will be cost neutral and reflected in the
month 4 projection where the funded placements will increase to 790. 
b) Care at home is projected to be £1.221m underspent. The underspend reflects
the full year impact of the action taken to reduce the overall level of provision to
reduce the 2025/26 overspend. The level of vacancies in the service has
increased and whilst favourable it is coupled with continued levels of unmet need.   
c) Physical Disability Services – projected overspend of £0.285m split as follows:
£0.818m over in residential placements, £0.215m under in direct payments due
to increased clawbacks and £0.318m under in community care packages.   
d) Integrated Island Services is projected to overspend by £0.079m across various
service areas. 
e) Specialist Rehab wards – projected overspend of £0.361m (Redburn ward
£0.097m overspend and Douglas Grant £0.264m overspend).  The overspend is
due to cover costs for vacancies as well as supplementary staffing for patients
who require one to one support. 
f) Wards 1 and 2 – Projected overspend of £0.680m. The overspend is due to
increased use of supplementary staffing. All rehabilitation wards are operating at
100% occupancy supporting a high level of patient needs/complexity, which
places pressure on staffing levels and the use of bank and agency staff to support
additional patient observations.  The number of patients is being managed in the
wards in line with ward formal admission criteria to maximise opportunities to
reduce the overspend in-year. 
2.4 Mental Health Services 
Against the full-year budget of £126.517m there is a projected overspend of £0.402m
(0.3%) prior to the re-allocation of the Lead Partnership variance to East and South
HSCP.   
The main variances are:
• Learning Disabilities are projected to overspend by £0.362m.  This covers
Children and Adults - residential placements, community packages, direct
payments, property costs and an under recovery of charging income.

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• Community Mental Health services are projected to underspend by £0.004m.
The main reason for underspend in community packages is the availability
and capacity of adult community providers to deliver new packages of care.
• There is a projected underspend of £0.353m in relation to the unused funds
arising from the Hospital Based Complex Continuing Care (HBCCC) service,
this reflects the impact of change in provision for these services.   
• The Lead Partnership for Mental Health is projected to be £0.393m
overspent and the main variances are as follows: 
• Adult Inpatients – projected overspend by £1.454m due to very high
levels of occupancy, patient mix and complexity and levels of
continuous intervention which require additional supplementary staff
and enhanced observations (1:1, 2:1 and 3:1) and use of bank staff.
Absence levels are also impacting this area. 
• The UNPACS (Unplanned Activities) budget – projected overspend of
£0.375m) based on current placements. UnPACS placements are for
individuals with very specific needs that require a higher level of
security and/or care from a staff group with a particular skill
set/competence.  There are no local NHS secure facilities for women,
people with a learning disability or people with neurodevelopmental
disorder. This can necessitate an UNPACs placement with a specialist
provider which can be out-of-area.  The nature of mental health
UNPACs spend is that it is almost exclusively on medium- or long-term
complex secure residential placements which are very expensive so a
small change in placements can have a high budgetary impact. Due to
the complexity and risk involved, transitions between units or levels of
security can take many months. Applications to approve a placement
are made to the Associate Medical Director for Mental Health who
needs to be satisfied that the placement is appropriate and unavoidable
prior to this being agreed.   
• Learning Disability Services – projected to underspend by £0.161m. 
The underspend relates to saving made until the new service to replace
Ward 7A commences offset by legacy costs of the Ward 7A staff who
have still to be redeployed. 
• Elderly Inpatients – projected overspend of £0.332m due to the use of
supplementary staffing.  The elderly mental health wards continue to
operate at full occupancy with waiting lists, with several patients who
are on enhanced observations and bank costs remain high. 
• Eating Disorders – projected to be £0.100m overspent.  This service is
currently being reviewed and options considered.

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• Enhanced Mental Health Outcome Framework (EMHOF within
CAMHS) – projected underspend of £0.253m.  This is the balance of
the remaining funding from the 25/26 review.
• Psychiatry – is projected to overspend by £0.318m across all
specialities including some agency locum costs. A wholescale
workforce review has been commissioned to determine longer term
solutions for sustainability. 
• MH Pharmacy/Substitute Prescribing – is projected to underspend by
£0.368m. This is partly due to a rebate and expected drug price
increases are not evident at month 3. 
• The turnover target for vacancy savings for the Lead Partnership is held
within the Lead Partnership as this is a Pan-Ayrshire target.  There is a
projected over recovery of the vacancy savings target of £0.452m in
2026-27.  Further information is included in the table below: 
Vacancy Savings Target (£1.250m)
Projected to March 2027 £1.802m
Over/(Under) Achievement £0.452m
2.5 Children and Justice Services 
Against the full-year budget of £46.913m there is a projected overspend of £2.893m
(6.2%) and the main variances are: 
a) Care Experienced Children and Young People is projected to overspend by
£2.891m.  Some of these costs are offset by the contribution from the Home Office
for Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking Children which is detailed below. 
The main areas within this are noted below: 
• The children’s residential placements are projected to overspend by £2.794m
based 37 placements in month 3. There are several factors leading to this
challenging position:
o We have 32 places available in our internal children’s houses, due to
demand these have been operating at 100% occupancy or over for some
time, leading to increased use of external placements where residential
care is required.
o There remains an acute shortage of foster carers leading to residential
care being necessary in emergency placement situations. 
o The requirement to support Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking Children
(UASC) under the National Transfer Scheme and to support trafficked
young people who have been identified in North Ayrshire.

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o A number of young people in residential care have requested Continuing
Care, whereby a young person can remain in their placement until age
21.
o Where appropriate young people are placed to meet their educational
needs, the cost of Residential School Placements in the most cases is
shared 50/50 with Education services. 
o Contractual inflation has still to be agreed for 1 provider. If this is higher
than the assumed contractual inflation and it is likely that this will increase
the projected costs of residential places which is outwith the control of the
service.
o Delays with the opening of Boyle Street supported accommodation
development which has in turn delayed planned moves from placements
for young people. 
A full report on the ‘Brighter Pathways’ Programme will be presented to the October
2026 IJB, this will include more detailed information on the operational and financial
impact and progress with plans. 
Note that the costs associated with mobilising Boyle Street are being finalised and
will be funded by the Service Redesign Funds in the earmarked reserves. 
• Looked After and Accommodated Children (fostering, adoption, kinship etc)
is projected to be £0.238m underspent. 
• Employee costs – are projected to overspend by £0.267m largely due to
staffing levels in the children’s houses. 
• Care Leavers – projected underspend of £0.022m in rent costs. 
• Section 29 Payments (all Teams) are projected to overspend by £0.075m. 
b) Head of Service – is projected to overspend by £0.006m. This consists of a
projected overspend of £0.144m in relation to the previous staff reconfiguration
saving in the children’s houses which was not achieved and this is offset by the
grant funding in relation to Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking Children (UASC),
which is projected to amount to £0.143m and which contributes to costs incurred
across a number of C&F service areas.   
c) C&F Health Team – is projected to underspend by £0.057m mainly due a
seconded post that has not yet been backfilled.   
d) Lead Partnership – Children’s Services – projected overspend of £0.017m within
the immunisation budget. 
2.6 ALLIED HEALTH PROFESSIONALS (AHP)

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The non-employee costs element of the AHP services are projected to be on-line. 
All underspends in employee costs have contributed to payroll turnover. 
2.7 CHIEF SOCIAL WORK OFFICER 
This is projected to underspend by £0.018m.
2.8 MANAGEMENT AND SUPPORT 
Management and Support Services are projected to overspend by £2.172m and the 
main areas of variance are: 
• There is projected slippage on the LD and MH transition funding of £0.315m
due to delays in children transitioning into adult services and updated costing
of care packages. This involves complex planning by services with service
users and families and can change over time based on assessed need when
moving into adult services.
• There is also a balance of overachieved savings of £0.052m. 
• The 2026/27 budget included additional approved savings to contribute
towards the 2025/26 overspends that would continue into 2026/27.  These
savings were £1.4m for social care and £0.245m for non-lead health services.
This shows as a total underspend of £1.645m.
• As outlined in para 2.9 there remains £4.628m of social care eligibility criteria
savings to be achieved and these are reported as a projected overspend
under management and support.   This figure will be updated and reduced
each month to reflect the outcome of re-assessments.
• An over-recovery of payroll turnover of £0.165m for social care services and
an over-recovery of £0.207m for health services as outlined in the table below.   
The turnover targets and achievement for the financial year for Health and Social
Care services outwith the Lead Partnership is noted below: 
Social Care Health
Vacancy Savings Target (£3.507m) (£1.628m)
Projected to be achieved by March
2027
£3.672m £1.835m
Over/(Under) Achievement £0.165m £0.207m 
The areas contributing to the health and social care vacancy savings are spread
across a wide range of services with vacancy savings being achieved in most areas.  
As part of the recovery plan, the vacancy scrutiny group has been enhanced with the
Heads of Service and professional leads attending.  Each post is scrutinised and
filled only where deemed necessary with a recruitment freeze now implemented for
all non-essential posts. 
The turnover target for the North Lead Partnership for Mental Health services is
detailed separately within the Lead Partnership information at section 2.4.

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2.9 Savings Progress 
The 2026-27 savings are detailed within Appendix C.   The savings are RAG rated
informed by an overall assessment of the ease of delivery and the impact on services,
indicating an overall risk of deliverability. 
The savings are split into:
• Previously agreed savings 
• Adjustments (payroll turnover and recharges)
• Operational savings
• Policy – Models of care or efficiency
• Policy – Service reduction or cessation 
The approved 2026-27 budget included £2.816m of savings that were not related to
the eligibility criteria saving. 
BRAG Status Position at
Budget Approval
£m
Position at
Month 3
£m
Red - 0.043
Amber 0.141 0.564
Green 2.675 0.640
Blue - 1.569
TOTAL 2.816 2.816   
Any shortfall in relation to the red and amber rated savings are already reflected in
the projected outturn. 
In relation to the Eligibility Criteria Review savings the progress achieved at month 3
is: 
Full Year
£m
Part Year
£m
Target (5.828) (5.828)
Achieved at month 3 1.481 1.200
Still to be Delivered (4.347) (4.628) 
The part year saving to be achieved of £4.628m is reflected as an overspend in the
month 3 projections. 
There remains a significant risk of delivering the financial savings required from the
change to social care eligibility criteria and this remains the substantive plan for
further financial recovery. Progress is being monitored through the programme
board, with a more detailed progress update planned for the IJB in October 2026. 
2.10 Budget Changes

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The Integration Scheme states that “either party may increase its in-year payment to
the Integration Joint Board.  Neither party may reduce the payment in-year to the
Integration Joint Board nor Services managed on a Lead Partnership basis….
without the express consent of the Integration Joint Board.” Appendix C highlights
the movement in the budget position following the initial approved budget. 
Reductions Requiring Approval: 
Ref Description  Amount 
(£’m)
1 Primary Care prescribing CRES 1.464
2 Primary Care 26/27 Savings 0.507
3 Training Grade adjustment 0.008
4 Reduced Working Week – transfer to pan Ayrshire posts 0.018
5 Transfer to East and South re pan Ayrshire pressures 0.028 
2.11  Pan Ayrshire Lead Partnership services and Large Hospital Set Aside 
Lead Partnerships: - There is a requirement for the 3 IJBs to be aware of the
position for Lead Partnership services and plans to deliver services from within
allocated budget. 
Full detail on the Lead Partnerships is given in the report in appendix F. 
Set Aside: - Work has been undertaken with partnerships to progress and develop
set aside arrangements to fully implement the legislative requirement.  This includes
arrangements in relation to the use of Directions, Joint Commissioning Plans and
overall progression towards fair share allocations of resources.       
Further work has been undertaken through the Ayrshire Finance Leads group to
establish baseline resources for each partnership and how these compare to the
NRAC “fair share” of resources. Ayrshire Finance Leads have now agreed a
baseline methodology for set aside budgets which involves using the four full years
prior to the pandemic, 2016/17 – 2019/20 inclusive.  
The HSCPs require to agree their final share of the baseline with each other,
however the aggregate will remain unchanged. The table below shows the cost of
the historic baseline at 2024/25 prices. The 2025/26 actual usage information is not
known until later in the year.   
IJB 2024-25 Activity at 2025-26 prices
inflated by 2% for 2026-27
East 34,003
North 42,670
South 34,844

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Total 111,517
The annual budget for Acute Services is £520.5m.  The directorate is overspent by
£3.3m after 3 months. 
There is a material underlying deficit caused by:
• Length of Stay (LoS) and emergency admission rates in NHS Ayrshire and Arran acute
hospitals are above the Scottish average.
• High expenditure on medical and nursing agency staff, high rates of absence and vacancies
causing service pressure.
• Delayed transfers of care and high acuity of patients.
The IJBs and the Health Board work closely in partnership to maintain service and
improve performance.
2.12 FINANCIAL RISKS 
There are a number of ongoing financial risk areas that may impact on the 2026-27
budget during the year, these include: 
• Growing demand for services.
• Staff recruitment and retention challenges across a number of service areas.
• The expectation that performance will continue to be maintained or improved
despite the significant resource challenges.
• Ongoing delivery costs of Scottish Government policy directives, particularly
where these are not fully funded or inflation proofed.
• Unearmarked reserves are minimal, there is limited scope to absorb in-year
variances, with any overspends requiring additional funding from partners.
• The ongoing review of the Integration Schemes, where there is a focus on
financial arrangements and risk share. 
• The wider system financial challenges and impact across the whole system,
for example the financial position of NHS AA and the decisions taken to reduce
the Board’s deficit may have impacts on other parts of the health and care
system. 
• The overall sustainability of commissioned care providers 
• The recurring underlying levels of overspend which may impact on the
Partnership’s ability to continue to sustain service levels in the future.
• The use of supplementary staffing for enhanced observations across a
number of service areas and the use of high-cost agency staff to support
frontline service delivery in areas where there are recruitment challenges.
• Agenda for Change Pay Reform programme – including Nursing Band 5-6 re-
grade, protected learning time and reduction to the working week. 
• Risk related to NHS Reform investment being allocated by Scottish
Government on a payment by results basis and in arrears.

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• A risk of delivering an online position at the year-end set against continued
increased demand for services, inflationary impacts on the cost of care and
the more difficult decisions which are required to reduce spend.
• Scarcity of residential placements for children which is being raised on a
national level. 
These risks will continue to be monitored. 
2.13 RESERVES 
The IJB opening reserves position are summarised in the table below. 
General Fund
Reserve   Earmarked Reserves
Total  
Unearmarked   External
Funding   HSCP 
£m   £m £m £m
Balance – 1 April 2025 0   2.381 0.780 3.161
Drawdowns 0   (2.381) (0.459) (2.840)
Transfer in – underspend 0.696   0 0 0.696
New earmarking 0   1.805 0 1.805
Balance – 31 March 2026 0.696   1.805 0.321 2.822 
If the IJB ends the financial year with an overspend the Unearmarked Reserves will
be drawn down first to offset any overspend position. 
2.14 Financial Recovery Plan 
The Integration Scheme describes the required approach where there is a projected
overspend on the IJB integrated budget, which includes the requirement to agree a
recovery plan to balance the overspending budget.  Only if the recovery plan is
unsuccessful will the Health Board and Council consider making available interim
funds.   
Despite being in a projected overspend position additional financial recovery action
is not recommended at this stage as the focus remains on achieving the remaining
savings relating to the eligibility criteria, if this is successfully delivered year-end
financial balance would be delivered, as illustrated below: 
TOTAL Health/  
NHS AA
Social
Care/NAC
Projected Overspend @ mth 3 5.146 0.104 5.042
Assumed eligibility savings still to be
achieved (4.628) 0 (4.628)
Residual Projected Overspend 0.518 0.104 0.414

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Unearmarked GF Reserves (0.696)  
Net Projected Overspend (0.178)   
It is anticipated that the management and recovery actions developed in previous
years will continue into 2026-27.  This includes: 
• Review of temporary posts and robust vacancy management/approval.  The
vacancy scrutiny group now has representation from all of the Heads of
Service, and a recruitment freeze will be implemented for all but essential
frontline posts.
• Restrictions on all but essential overtime working.
• Ongoing review of future year savings or transformation programmes to
identify scope for acceleration.
• Continued focus through the ‘Finance Working Group’, chaired by the IJB
Chair or Vice Chair. The Director and Heads of Service are members of the
group. It meets monthly to facilitate increased oversight and scrutiny of the
financial position and transformation programme as well as detailed budget
planning for future financial years. 
• Recruitment delay – there will be a recruitment drag with vacancy scrutiny
approved vacancies being held for four weeks before they are advertised to
create more payroll turnover.  This will be for all vacancies except clinical or
registered services vacancies or those which will incur cover costs.
• High-cost care package group – the remit of this group expanded to include
care packages for children with a disability and all UNPACs placement
requests.
• Oversight group for looked after and accommodated children in residential
care – this group meets fortnightly to actively review all placements.
• All care packages (outwith in house care at home and older people
placements agreed via CARG) will be considered for approval by the high-
cost care package group. 
3. PROPOSALS 
3.1 Anticipated Outcomes 
Continuing to closely monitor the financial position will allow the IJB to take corrective
action where required to deliver services in 2026-27 from within the available
resource, thereby limiting the financial risk to the funding partners. 
The transformational change programme, along with the revised eligibility criteria,
will have the greatest impact on the financial sustainability of the partnership, the IJB
require to have a clear understanding of progress with the delivery of the
transformation plan. 
3.3 Measuring Impact 
The final outturn will be reported to the IJB.

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4. IMPLICATIONS 
4.1 Financial
There is a projected overspend of £5.146m (1.4%). The report outlines the main
variances for individual services.   
4.2 Human Resources
The report highlights vacancy or turnover savings achieved during the year. Services
will review any staffing establishment plans and recruitment in line with normal
practice when implementing service change and reviews as per agreement with the
IJB.  Tight vacancy scrutiny management arrangements are in place for the HSCP. 
4.3 Legal
None. 
4.4 Equality/Socio-Economic
None. 
4.5 Risk
Para 2.12 highlights the financial risks.
The report falls in line with the agreed risk appetite statement which is a low-risk
appetite in respect to adherence to standing financial instructions, financial controls
and financial statutory duties and a high-risk appetite in relation to finance and value
for money.
The ‘financial viability of the HSCP’ risk is on our strategic risk register. 
4.6 Community Wealth Building
None. 
4.7 Key Priorities
The ability to deliver on our strategic priorities may be compromised due to the
greater financial risk faced in 2026-27 and the increased focus required on financial
rather than service improvement. This will be kept under close scrutiny throughout
2026-27. If we are unable to successfully develop a financial recovery plan to achieve
financial balance, consideration may be given to revising the strategic commissioning
plan. 
5. CONSULTATION
5.1 This report has been produced in consultation with relevant budget holders and the
Partnership Senior Management Team.

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5.2 The IJB financial monitoring report is shared with the NHS Ayrshire and Arran
Director of Finance and North Ayrshire Council’s Head of Finance after the report
has been finalised for the IJB. 
Caroline Cameron, Director
Author – Eleanor Currie, Chief Finance Officer [eleanorcurrie@north-ayrshire.gov.uk]

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2026-27 Budget Monitoring Report–Objective Summary as at 30th June 2026                                                            Appendix A
Budget Outturn  
Over/
(Under)
Spend
Variance
Budget Outturn
Over/
(Under)
Spend
Variance
Budget Outturn 
Over/
(Under)
Spend
Variance
£'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000
COMMUNITY CARE AND HEALTH 89,140 87,997 (1,143) 22,484 23,506 1,022 111,624 111,503 (121)
: Locality Services 34,685 34,469 (216) 6,191 6,190 (1) 40,876 40,659 (217)
: Community Care Service Delivery 48,761 47,656 (1,105) 0 0 0 48,761 47,656 (1,105)
: Rehabilitation and Reablement 2,316 2,365 49 0 0 0 2,316 2,365 49
: Long Term Conditions 978 1,037 59 11,458 12,499 1,041 12,436 13,536 1,100
: Community Link Workers 426 417 (9) 0 0 0 426 417 (9)
: Integrated Island Services 1,974 2,053 79 4,835 4,817 (18) 6,809 6,870 61
MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES 44,760 45,122 362 81,757 81,797 40 126,517 126,919 402
: Learning Disabilities 34,760 35,122 362 864 864 0 35,624 35,986 362
: Community Mental Health 7,469 7,465 (4) 1,912 1,912 0 9,381 9,377 (4)
: Addictions 2,531 2,535 4 2,138 2,138 0 4,669 4,673 4
: HBCCC 0 0 0 353 0 (353) 353 0 (353)
: Lead Partnership Mental Health NHS Area Wide 0 0 0 76,490 76,883 393 76,490 76,883 393
CHILDREN & JUSTICE SERVICES 40,331 43,265 2,934 6,582 6,541 (41) 46,913 49,806 2,893
: Irvine, Kilwinning and Three Towns 3,690 3,706 16 0 0 0 3,690 3,706 16
: Garnock Valley, North Coast and Arran 3,833 3,852 19 0 0 0 3,833 3,852 19
:Intervention Services 2,186 2,188 2 0 0 0 2,186 2,188 2
: Care Experienced Children & Young people 25,178 28,069 2,891 0 0 0 25,178 28,069 2,891
: Head of Service - Children & Families 1,510 1,516 6 0 0 0 1,510 1,516 6
: Justice Services 3,493 3,492 (1) 0 0 0 3,493 3,492 (1)
: C&F Health Team 441 442 1 5,700 5,642 (58) 6,141 6,084 (57)
: Lead Partnership NHS Children's Services 0 0 0 882 899 17 882 899 17
CHIEF SOCIAL WORK OFFICER 2,140 2,122 (18) 0 0 0 2,140 2,122 (18)
PRIMARY CARE 0 0 0 53,830 53,819 (11) 53,830 53,819 (11)
ALLIED HEALTH PROFESSIONALS 0 12,379 12,379 0 12,379 12,379 0
MANAGEMENT AND SUPPORT COSTS 2,410 5,317 2,907 4,774 4,039 (735) 7,184 9,356 2,172
OUTTURN ON A MANAGED BASIS 178,781 183,823 5,042 181,806 182,081 275 360,587 365,904 5,317
TOTAL
Partnership Budget - Objective Summary
Council Health
2026/27 Budget

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Budget Outturn  
Over/
(Under)
Spend
Variance
Budget Outturn
Over/
(Under)
Spend
Variance
Budget Outturn 
Over/
(Under)
Spend
Variance
£'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000 £'000
Return Hosted Over/Underspends to East 0 0 0 0 (132) (132) 0 (132) (132)
Return Hosted Over/Underspends to South 0 0 0 0 (122) (122) 0 (122) (122)
Receive Hosted Over/Underspends South 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Receive Hosted Over/Underspends East 0 0 0 0 83 83 0 83 83
OUTTURN ON AN IJB BASIS 178,781 183,823 5,042 181,806 181,910 104 360,587 365,733 5,146
Partnership Budget - Objective Summary
2026/27 Budget
Council Health TOTAL

Page 17

2026-27 Savings Tracker         Appendix B 
Council 
NHS 
(non
lead) 
NHS
(lead) TOTAL
BRAG
Deliverability
Status 
BRAG
Deliverability
Month 3  Description
Adjustments and
Previously Agreed Savings:
Inflate Payroll Turnover 107,348    60,150   90,225   257,723    Green Green Increased target to reflect the pay award
Recharge to East for Ward 2
beds -           25,000   -        25,000     
Green Blue
Increased charge to reflect the pay award
Financial Inclusion Review 32,500      -        -        32,500      Green Blue Full year impact of the 2024/25 saving
Social Care Model at
Trindlemoss House -           175,000 -        175,000   
Green Green Moving from a nursing led model to a social care
led model
139,848    260,150 90,225   490,223   
Operational
Council 
NHS 
(non
lead) 
NHS
(lead) TOTAL
BRAG
Deliverability
Status 
BRAG
Deliverability
Month 3  Description
Social Care Fees and
Charges 5% increase 100%
included 120,000    -        -        120,000   
Green Green
Increased income to reflect the 2026/27 charges
LES Payment - Buckreddan
Care Home 43,000      -        -        43,000     
Green Red Service will be ither cease or be funded by the
care home
LES Payment - Toddhill 22,000      -        -        22,000      Green Blue Service will cease
Third Sector Capacity
Building 34,000      -        -        34,000     
Green Blue
Reduction of a post
Business Admin - Phase 1 -
Quick wins 251,979    -        -        251,979   
Green Blue
Reduction in 6.8 WTE posts
Moving and Handling post 55,000      -        -        55,000      Green Blue Reduction of a post
Business Admin Team -
senior structure -           40,000   -        40,000     
Green Blue Saving following a retiral and resultant revised
structure
Carers UK Annual
Subscription 3,500       -        -        3,500      
Green Blue
Cease the subscription
NADARS NHS non staffing
budget -           26,771   -        26,771     
Green Blue
Saving in non staffing costs
Pan Ayrshire Alcohol & Drug
Services Management Team -           16,478   16,478   32,956     
Green Blue
Saving in staffing costs
Removal of SW Trainee Post 54,000      -        -        54,000      Green Blue Removal of a SW trainee post
Child Health Assessment - 
Charge for Out of Authority
cases -           6,000     -        6,000      
Green Amber
New charge for Out of Authority health
assessments
Children and Families
Throughcare Review 87,000      -        -        87,000     
Green Green
Reduction in staffing
Support Services outwith
business support 100,000    -        -        100,000   
Amber Amber
Reduction in staffing (WTE TBC as it is a target)
770,479    89,249   16,478   876,206

Page 18

Policy - Model of Care or
Efficiency Council 
NHS 
(non
lead) 
NHS
(lead) TOTAL
BRAG
Deliverability
Status 
BRAG
Deliverability
Month 3  Description
Roslin House - shared
respite/residential model
300,000    -        -        300,000    Green Amber Moved to respite and residential model. 
Assumes 4 external placements will move to
Roslin House
Trindlemoss - review of care
delivery model
116,989    -        -        116,989    Green Amber Review of care delivery model.
Budget reduction regarding
the Pan Ayrshire Prevention
& Service Support Team
-           -        40,817   40,817      Green Blue Saving in non staffing costs
Phase 1 - Children and
Families -quick wins re:
retirements, WLB and vacant
posts
250,000    -        -        250,000    Green Blue Reduction in staffing (7 WTE)
Phase 1 - Psychology -           -        231,138 231,138    Green Blue Reduction in staffing (2.5 WTE and a reduction in
grade for 1 post)
666,989    271,955 938,944   
Policy - Service
Reduction/Cessation            
(all agreed with East and
South HSCP) Council 
NHS 
(non
lead) 
NHS
(lead) TOTAL
BRAG
Deliverability
Status 
BRAG
Deliverability
Month 3  Description
DBI - Distress Brief
Intervention service -           -        157,500 157,500   
Green Blue Cessation of the Distress Brief Intervention
service (7mths assumed)
MH Innovation Fund
(reduction of posts)
-           -        41,331   41,331     
Amber Amber Reduction of Innovation Funded posts.  3mths of
savings assumed as the posts will be redeployed.
(2.7 WTE)
RISE Team - Resilience in
Stressful Events -           -        192,131 192,131   
Green Blue
Reduction in the RISE service
Mental Health Practitioners
(MHPs) in GP practices -           -        120,000 120,000   
Green Blue
Reduction in the MHPs ( est 3 WTE posts)
-           -        510,962 510,962   
TOTAL SAVINGS 1,577,316 349,399 889,620 2,816,335

Page 19

2026-27 Budget Reconciliation               Appendix C
COUNCIL  Period  £'m
Initial Approved Budget   151.506
Adjustments to baseline   (0.012)
Revised Budget   151.494
Resource Transfer 25/26 1-3 25.949
Change Fund - Bank Project 3 0.007
Section 27 Justice Service Grant 3 1.331
Social Care Budget Reported at Month 3 178.781
HEALTH Period  £'m
Initial recurring base budget exc set aside   149.214
Month 10-12 Adjustments and adjusting for the full year
impact of part years amounts and temporary funding.   51.766
Revised Budget   200.980
Resource Transfer 25/26   (25.949)
2% pass through 2026/27   2.891
Pay Awards 2026/27 top up   1.682
Reduced Working Week (1 hour) 2026/27   2.362
PC Prescribing uplift (£1,466,000)   0.537
PC Prescribing cres (£4,000,000)   (1.464)
PC Prescribing Tariff Adjustment North   0.549
Veterans First Point   0.105
Training Grade Adjustment (Dean Funding)    (0.008)
Junior Doctors Pay Award - additional 1.75%   0.019
Transfer MAT Standards Psychiatrist 0.2 WTE from South   0.029
ADP Pay Uplifts from South   0.014
School Nursing 6.12 WTE from South   0.377
North Budget Paper - Office 365 to East   (0.009)
North Budget Paper - Palliative Care to East   (0.018)
BBV Transfer Band 8B Pharmacist to Addictions (from PH)   0.013
Early Years funding 0.45 WTE Band 4 - MIN Allocation (from PH)   0.019
North Budget Paper - Office 365 to East Adjustment   (0.001)
RWW Action 15 backfill cover arrangements allocated to South
HSCP   (0.006)
RWW Action 15 backfill cover arrangements allocated to East
HSCP   (0.012)
Training Grade Adjustment (Dean Funding) - Vacancy   0.032
GP Prescribing 2026/27 savings   (0.507)
Anticipated budgets   0.171
Health Budget Reported at Month 3 181.806
TOTAL COMBINED BUDGET    360.587

Page 20

26-27 IJB Reserves Position       Appendix D 
Area of Reserves Balance at
31 March
2026
Earmarked Funds 
Alcohol and Drug Partnership 147
Primary Care Improvement Fund 183
Service Redesign / Challenge Fund 321
Family Wellbeing Fund 906
Telecare / community alarms 180
Magic Notes  88
Adult Social Work Restructure resource 38
LD – Coming Home 212
Early Intervention in Psychosis 51
Total Earmarked 2,126
Unallocated General Fund  696
General Fund 2,822

Page 21

Bank and Agency Costs to Month 3      Appendix E 
2) SOCIAL CARE 
Month 3
Spend
Montrose House Brodick 35,257
Mental Health  58,229 
98,486 
1) NHS
4863
(Registered)
4864
(Unregistered)
4865 (Agency
Locum
Consultant) TOTAL
WARD 1 WOODLANDS VIEW 13,222           81,309                94,531          
WARD 2 WOODLANDS VIEW 15,515           78,431                93,945          
ACH REDBURN REHAB WARD NRS 3,013             45,010                48,024          
ACH DOUGLAS GRANT REHAB WD NRS 7,378             19,375                26,754          
WARD 3 WOODLANDS VIEW NURSING 13,783           135,870              149,653        
WARD 4 WOODLANDS VIEW NURSING 37,211                37,211          
NEW CLONBEITH NURSING(JURA) 15,866           96,880                112,746        
WVIEW THE GLEN ECT 2,423             9,210                  11,633          
WVIEW WARD 10 ACUTE MH NRS 1,041         91,689                92,730          
WVIEW WARD 8 ACUTE MH NRS 15,403           295,229              310,633        
WARD 5 WOODLANDS VIEW 5,779             18,476                24,255          
WVIEW WARD 7B REHAB MH NRS 2,122             2,122            
NEW DUNURE NURSING(CLONBEITH) 24,899           95,354                120,253        
MH BED MANAGEMENT 2,358             2,358            
TRINDLEMOSS 2,291             78,491            80,782          
ARRAN HOSPITAL NURSING 17,323           20,292                37,616          
CAMHS UNSCHEDULED CARE 1,377             1,377            
EARLY YRS-C/F TEAM 3 1,595             1,595            
IMMUNISATION NURSING BANK 525               129                    654               
PACKAGE OF CARE (P) - AMG 30,284                30,284          
PACKAGE OF CARE (P) - LMO 325                    325               
NC POC TEAM 2 692                    692               
ARRAN DN 1,525             1,525            
THREE TOWNS DN 269               269               
IRVINE DN 278               278               
NORTH WEST COAST DN 661               661               
GARNOCK VALLEY DN 467               467               
LADY MARGARET NURSING 4,687             1,915                  6,603            
NORTH CLDT 263               263               
LDS MANAGEMENT 2,122             2,122            
MHS ASSOC NURSE DIRECTOR 644               644               
MHANPS MH UNSCHEDULED CARE 6,235             6,235            
MHS INPATIENT MGT 7,045             7,045            
CMHT NURSING-NORTH AYRSHIRE 207                    207               
WVIEW WARD 7C FORENSIC REHAB N 6,523             62,919                69,442          
INTENSIVE COMMUNITY NURSING TEAM 9,974             3,695                  13,669          
ADULT MENTAL HEALTH LIASION TEAM 4,190             4,190            
PCMHT NORTH 3,053             3,053            
WVIEW WARD 6 LOW SECURE NRS 27,940           39,677                67,617          
WARRIX AVE 26,402           19,148                45,549          
FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGY 583-               583-               
ICFN - COMMUNITY PHLEBOTOMY 2,616                  2,616            
OLD AGE 69,442             69,442          
WVIEW WARD 9 ACUTE MH NRS 5,251             117,530              122,781        
WVIEW WARD 11 ACUTE MH NRS 12,342           152,460              164,802        
265,202         1,534,425           69,442             1,869,068     
Bank Agency

Page 22

Appendix F 
Lead Partnership Report 
Background:  The Integration Scheme creates various Lead Partnership roles across
the three Ayrshire Integration Joint Boards. Each IJB, acting as lead
partner, commissions services on behalf of the three Ayrshire IJBs and
reclaims the costs involved. This arrangement is treated as an agency
arrangement. 
The projected outturn position for each IJB is adjusted to reflect the
impact of Lead Partnership services. The over or underspend in relation
to each Lead Partnership services is not fully attributed to that
partnership, and a share will be allocated to the other Ayrshire IJBs on
an NRAC* basis in line with the agreed risk sharing mechanism. 
Within the Integration Scheme, as with all delegated budgets, the
intention is that services managed under Lead Partnership
arrangements should be delivered within budget. Should that not be
possible, a financial recovery plan requires to be developed and
approved by all three Integration Joint Boards. Should financial recovery
plans for Lead Partnership services fail, then all IJBs are required to
address any shortfalls which are not related to base line budget issues. 
There is a requirement for the 3 IJBs to be aware of the position for Lead
Partnership services and plans to deliver services from within allocated
budget. 
*NRAC and the percentage information is explained later in the report

Page 23

1. SUMMARY 
1.1
The summary of the financial position month 3 is given in the table below: 
Further detail by IJB is given below. 
Allocation of Variance
IJB
Area of
Service
Period
Covered
Budget
£’000’s
Outturn
£’000’s
Variance
£’000’s 
North
£’000’s
South
£’000’s 
East
£’000’s
North Mental Health  
Month 3 76,490 76,883 (393)  (149) (117) (127)
North Children Lead
Partnership  Month 3 882 899 (17)  (6) (5) (6)
South Community
Store  Month 3 1,599 1,457 142  53 43 46
South Family Nurse
Partnership  Month 3 2,125 2,125 0  0 0 0
South Continence
Team  Month 3 580 722 (142)  (53) (43) (46)
East Standby
Services  Month 3 414 414 0  0 0 0
East Primary Care
(including
Dental) 
Month 3 141,702 142,393 (691)  (256) (215) (220)
East Prison and
Police
Healthcare 
Month 3 4,301 4,186 115  43 36 37
East Allied Health
Professionals
(Lead) 
Month 3 5,717 5,385 332  123 103 106
East Other Lead
Services  Month 3 2,463 2,444 19  7 6 6
2. North Ayrshire:  Month 3 
2.1 Services managed under Lead Partnership arrangements by North Ayrshire Integration
Joint Board are projected to overspend by £0.410m in total. 
2.2 
Allocation of Variance
IJB Area of Service
Budget
£000’s
Outturn
£000’s 
Variance
£000’s 
North
£000’s 
South
£000’s 
East
£000’s
North Mental Health Lead
Partnership 76,490 76,883 (393)  (149) (117) (127)
North Children Lead
Partnership 882 899 (17)  (6) (5) (6)
North  TOTAL  77,372 77,782 (410)   (156) (122) (132)
2.3 The Lead Partnership for Mental Health is projected to be £0.393m overspent and the
main variances are as follows: 
• Adult Inpatients – projected overspend by £1.454m due to very high levels of
occupancy, patient mix and complexity and levels of continuous intervention which
require additional supplementary staff and enhanced observations (1:1 and 2:1) and
use of bank staff.

Page 24

• The UNPACS (Unplanned Activities) budget – projected overspend of £0.375m
based on current placements. UnPACS placements are for individuals with very
specific needs that require a higher level of security and/or care from a staff group
with a particular skill set/competence.  There are no local NHS secure facilities for
women, people with a learning disability or people with neurodevelopmental disorder.
This can necessitate an UNPACs placement with a specialist provider which can be
out-of-area.  The nature of mental health UNPACs spend is that it is almost
exclusively on medium- or long-term complex secure residential placements which
are very expensive so a small change in placements can have a high budgetary
impact. 
• Learning Disability Services – projected to underspend by £0.161m.  The underspend
relates to saving made until the new service to replace Ward 7A commences offset
by legacy costs as the staff are still being redeployed. 
• Elderly Inpatients – projected overspend of £0.332m due to the use of supplementary
staffing.  The elderly mental health wards continue to operate at full occupancy with
waiting lists, with several patients who are on enhanced observations and bank costs
remain high. 
• Eating Disorders – projected to be £0.100m overspent.  This service is currently being
reviewed and options considered. 
• Enhanced Mental Health Outcome Framework (EMHOF within CAMHS) – projected
underspend of £0.253m.  This is the balance of the spare funding from the 25/26
review. 
• Psychiatry – is projected to overspend by £0.318m across all specialities including
some agency locum costs. A wholescale workforce review has been commissioned
to determine longer term solutions for sustainability. 
• MH Pharmacy/Substitute Prescribing – is projected to underspend by £0.368m. The
is partly due a rebate and expected drug price increases are not evident at month 3. 
• The turnover target for vacancy savings for the Lead Partnership is held within the
Lead Partnership as this is a Pan-Ayrshire target.  There is a projected over recovery
of the vacancy savings target of £0.452m in 2026-27.  Further information is included
in the table below: 
Vacancy Savings Target (£1.250m)
Projected to March 2027 £1.802m
Over/(Under) Achievement £0.452m
2.4 Recovery Plan Action 
Despite being in a projected overspend position a formal recovery plan is not being
recommended at this stage.  The projections will continue to be refined and updated to

Page 25

reflect additional ward costs in month 4.  A decision on recovery action will be made in
month 4. 
2.5  Performance Information 
To be further developed 
3.  South Ayrshire: Month 3 
3.1 Services managed under Lead Partnership arrangements by South Ayrshire Integration
Joint Board are projected to be in line with budget.   
3.2 
Allocation of Variance
IJB Area of Service
Budget
£000’s
Projected
Outturn
£000’s 
Variance
£000’s 
North
£000’s 
South
£000’s 
East
£000’s
South Community Store 1,599 1,457 142  53 43 46
South Family Nurse
Partnership 2,125 2,125 0  0 0 0
South Continence Team 580 722 (142)  (53) (43) (46)
South  TOTAL  4,304 4,304 (0)  (0) (0) (0) 
The main variances are as follows: 
Community Equipment Store – projected underspend of £0.142m. At period 3 there is
an underspend of £0.112m.  This underspend is to be maintained to offset against
overspend in Continence Team.
Operational Improvement Plan non-recurring funding of £0.500m to be used in 2026-27
to support whole system improvement outcomes, reducing Delayed Transfer of Care and
acute beds. 
Family Nurse Partnership - projected to come in line with budget. Scottish Government
funding allocation of £0.250m has been allocated on a non-recurring basis this financial
year to support delivery of outcomes in the Tackling Child Poverty Delivery plan.
Confirmation of recurring funding is expected later in the year.  
The additional funding will support capacity to deliver on offer FNP services to age 20 to
25 with previous care experience.  An additional 1.8WTE posts were advertised with
0.8WTE recruited due to start in September.  The further post will not be recruited until
March 27, to fit in with scheduled training programme.  Any underspend of the additional
funding will be earmarked for use in 2027-28. 
Continence Team – projected overspend of £0.142m.  Continence Supplies projected
overspend of £0.142m based on prior year outturn and current spend to date.  The
continence team are working with the community nursing teams to reduce spend, and
focussed work will commence on review of care home spend.  Following this work any  
recurring financial pressure will be identified for review in the budget setting process for
2027-28.

Page 26

3.3 Recovery Plan Action 
No recovery action required, financial pressures within the continence team will be
managed through an underspend in the community equipment store budget.  Budget
setting process for 2027-28 will consider the recurring financial pressure within the
continence team for inclusion in the budget. 
3.4  Performance Information 
To be further developed 
4. East Ayrshire: Month 3 
4.1  Services managed under Lead Partnership arrangements by East Ayrshire Integration
Joint Board are projected to overspend by £0.225m in total.  This equates to 0.15% of
delegated Lead Partnership budget.   
4.2
Allocation of Variance
IJB Area of Service
Budget
£000’s
Outturn
£000’s 
Variance
£000’s 
North
£000’s 
South
£000’s 
East
£000’s 
East  Standby Services 414 414 0  0 0 0 
East  Primary Care (including dental)  141,702 142,393 (691)  (256) (215) (220) 
East  Prison and Police Healthcare 4,301 4,186 115  43 36 37 
East  Allied Health Professionals
(Lead) 5,717 5,385 332 
123 103 106
East Other Lead Service (Lead)
2,463 2,444 19  7 6 6 
East
Total
154,597 154,822 (225)  (83) (69) (73) 
The main variances are as follows:
• Allied Health Professions (Lead Partnership) - There is a projected underspend of
£0.332m on AHPs services hosted by East Ayrshire for the current year, which mainly
relates to staffing savings. Wigs is projected to be in line. 
• Primary Care and Out of Hours Services (Lead Partnership) - The Primary Care and
Out of Hours Services £141.702m budget has a projected overspend by £0.691m at
this early stage of the year due to Primary Medical Services projected overspend of
£1.005m, largely due to high spend in General medical services and increased
pension and sickness cover costs. Primary Medical Services payments also show
high spend against premises and additional IT costs. These additional costs were
partially offset by a projected underspend of £0.099m against Ayrshire Urgent Care
Services and projected underspends within Primary Care Contracting and Support
£0.025m. Funding had been allocated to partially offset Urgent Care Pathway costs
£0.800m with projected full spend of allocation. Funding had also been allocated to
Covid-19 Therapeutics of £0.067m, with projected full spend.

Page 27

• The projected underspend of £0.189m in Dental services that reflects that staffing
numbers are running at less than establishment, alongside reduced equipment costs. 
• Prison and Police Healthcare (Lead Partnership) – projected underspend of £0.115m
is due to reduced staffing costs. 
• Other Services (Lead Partnership) - The £0.019m projected underspend is due to
reduced Palliative Care Services costs. 
4.3 Recovery Plan Action  
No additional Financial Recovery Plan proposals for East Ayrshire hosted services are
included within this report. Details and actions to reduce the overspend projections will
be included within the next report. 
4.4  Performance Information 
To be further developed 
5. NRAC 
5.1 NRAC is the NHS Scotland Resource Allocation Committee Formula, a method to
allocate funding to NHS Scotland Health Boards. Its primary objective is to promote
equitable access to healthcare by assessing each board's relative need based on factors
like population size, characteristics influencing healthcare needs, and service delivery
costs. The formula sets "target shares" for funding distribution, although final allocations
may differ to ensure funding stability. 
6.  Reporting Cycle  
North:    Month 3,4,6,7,9,10 and 12
South:   Month 3,6,9,10 and 12
East:     Month 2, 4, 6, 9 and 12