The Adult Care Services Cabinet Panel met on Thursday 22 January 2026 to discuss the council's budget for 2026-27 and the Medium-Term Financial Strategy for Adult Care Services. The panel also considered proposals for delegating authority for the reprovision of supported living schemes and responded to a government consultation on a Fair Pay Agreement for adult social care workers.

Budget 2026-27 and Medium-Term Financial Strategy for Adult Care Services

The panel discussed the proposed budget for Adult Care Services for 2026-27, which forms a significant portion of the council's overall budget. The budget is set against a backdrop of considerable financial pressures, including a projected loss of £42 million from the Fair Funding Review over three years. Despite these challenges, the council plans to invest £663 million in Adult Care Services, with £47 million allocated to frontline service delivery. This includes £21 million for high-quality care support and £23 million to meet growing demographic demands. Savings of £23 million are anticipated through efficiencies and income generation. The capital programme includes £12 million for two new day centres and £75 million for accommodation investments.

Key areas of investment highlighted include:

• £21.1 million for Adult Care Services Provider Investment: This is to address workforce pressures, including care worker pay, aiming to attract and retain staff.
• £22.5 million for Adult Social Care Demography: This addresses the growing number of older people and adults with disabilities requiring support.
• £9.7 million for the Connect and Prevent programme: This transformational prevention programme aims to improve outcomes and enable people to remain independent for longer, delivering efficiencies in care purchasing budgets.

Concerns were raised about the sufficiency of government funding for the proposed Fair Pay Agreement, with the £500 million allocated being significantly less than the estimated £1.85 billion cost of National Living Wage changes alone. The council's response to the consultation stressed the need for local government representation on the negotiating body and opposed the inclusion of local authority-employed staff in the initial FPA.

Delegation of Authority for Supported Living Schemes

The panel considered a proposal to delegate decision-making authority to the Executive Director of Adult Care Services regarding the reprovision of residential establishments within Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the Supported Living Programme. This programme aims to increase the supply and quality of supported living accommodation in Hertfordshire to meet demand from working-age adults with disabilities. The delegation would streamline the process for decisions on closing, reproviding, or changing the use of these schemes, reducing the need for repeated Cabinet approvals. The panel agreed to recommend this delegation to Cabinet, with an amendment to ensure an annual update report on the programme's progress is brought back to the panel.

Response to Consultation on the Adult Social Care Negotiating Body and Fair Pay Agreements

The panel noted the council's response to the government's consultation on the establishment of an Adult Social Care Negotiating Body (ACSNB) and associated Fair Pay Agreements (FPAs). The council generally supports the principle of a national framework to improve pay and conditions for adult social care workers. However, significant concerns were raised regarding the proposed funding being insufficient, the potential for pay comparability risks if local authority staff were included, and the market impact of FPAs. The council strongly advocated for local government representation on the negotiating body, arguing that their role as commissioners and regulators necessitates a seat at the table. The panel agreed to note the council's response and requested that the Leader of the Council write to the Secretary of State and local MPs to reiterate these concerns, particularly regarding the need for adequate funding and local authority representation.

The meeting also included discussions on the Dementia Strategy Delivery Report, the Physical Disability Strategy 2025-2030, and the Adult Social Care Performance Monitor for Quarter 1, 2025/26. The panel noted these reports and supported the strategies and plans presented.