Agenda item

(a)  That the ASC Debt Recovery Policy appended at Appendix 1 to the report be approved.

(b)  That the Acting Executive Director People (Adults) consult the Lead Member for Social Care & Public Health about any mitigations that may be required if any major adverse impacts were identified in the further work planned on the equalities impact assessment as set out in paragraph 3.5.2 of the report.

The Lead Member for Social Care & Public Health introduced the report which set out the Adult Social Care (ASC) Debt Recovery Policy 2022/23 with regards to debts that may have accrued as a result of the Council meeting a person’s eligible care and support needs.  The policy was part of the Adult Social Care Transformation Programme.

It was noted that the policy was most recently updated in 2013 and it was important to have a refreshed policy that took account of most recent developments such as the Care Act.  Lead Members welcomed the updated policy which it was hoped would enable officers to collect debt more efficiently in future.  It was recognised that it was important to have clear processes in place to avoid debts accumulating.  Questions were asked about the communication with clients and the Executive Director, People (Adults) explained that information about charges was given at the point the service was delivered, including translation were required, and it was important that all steps were taken to ensure clients understood the charging policies.

The Cabinet discussed the equalities impact assessment and commented that more work was needed to better understand any groups particularly effected by the revised policy and put in place any necessary mitigations.  A further resolution was agreed by Cabinet that the Lead Member would be consulted about any further mitigations arising from the further work that was being carried out on the equalities impacts.

The debt recovery policy was agreed.

Resolved –

(a)  That the ASC Debt Recovery Policy appended at Appendix 1 to the report be approved.

(b)  That the Acting Executive Director People (Adults) consult the Lead Member for Social Care & Public Health about any mitigations that may be required if any major adverse impacts were identified in the further work planned on the equalities impact assessment as set out in paragraph 3.5.2 of the report.