The Adult Care and Well-Being Overview and Scrutiny Panel of Worcestershire Council met on Thursday, 22 January 2026, to discuss the council's budget for the upcoming financial year and review the Adult Social Care Local Account for 2024/25. The panel also considered its work programme for the year ahead.

Budget Scrutiny 2026/27

The panel was scheduled to scrutinise the draft budget for 2026/27 concerning Adult Care and Wellbeing services. This discussion was part of a wider council process that had already involved Cabinet and Full Council meetings. The report pack highlighted significant financial challenges facing the council, including growing service overspends, reliance on reserves, and the need for additional savings. The provisional Local Government Settlement for 2026/27 was noted as being £7m less than the council's Medium Term Financial Plan calculations. The report indicated that the council was applying for Exceptional Financial Support (EFS) of up to £71.9m and permission to increase Council Tax by 5% above the referendum limit. The panel was asked to focus on the impact of Exceptional Financial Support and the Council Tax proposal, any further savings opportunities, and any other issues for Cabinet consideration.

The report detailed the overall corporate position, noting a significant growing service overspend predominantly across Adult and Children's services. It was highlighted that the use of £12.6m of reserves was not sustainable and that the council would need to replenish these. The Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) High Needs outturn for 2025/26 showed a projected cumulative deficit of £194.1m, rising to £321.7m by March 2027. The report also outlined the total savings identified to date, amounting to £9.145m, with a significant portion relating to Home to School Transport Contracts and Routes. The Adult Social Care budget for 2026/27 was presented, showing a total additional budget increase of £25.203m for Adult Social Care and Provider Services, driven by increased demand, pay inflation, and general inflation.

Adult Social Care Local Account - 2024/25

The panel was scheduled to receive an update on the Adult Social Care Local Account for 2024/25. This account is a summary of the council's adult social care activities, priorities, improvements, and areas for development, incorporating feedback from service users. The report indicated that the council's vision for Adult Social Care is to enable people to live their best lives in a place they call home, with a focus on providing the right support, in the right place, at the right time, and working in partnership with local people.

The report detailed the challenges facing Adult Social Care in Worcestershire, including a growing demand for services, an ageing population, rising costs, and workforce pressures. It highlighted that the gross Adult Social Care spend was £328.8m in 2024/25. Activity data showed that 37,446 new requests for support were received, and 78% of people receiving short-term services did not require ongoing support. The report also covered safeguarding concerns, with 3,711 received and 91% of people asked about their outcomes during enquiries. Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) applications were also discussed, with efforts to reduce waiting times noted.

The demographic data indicated that Worcestershire has a higher proportion of older people than the national average, with 60% of those receiving funded Adult Social Care being aged 65+. The workforce section highlighted a 92% permanency rate across most social work teams and a low turnover rate for the Adult Social Care sector within the council. Key achievements included the development of an Early Intervention and Prevention Strategy and the successful implementation of assistive technology to support hospital discharges. The report also detailed partnership working within the Integrated Care System, including collaborations with the NHS, voluntary organisations, and the development of strategies for learning disabilities and autism.

Work Programme

The panel was scheduled to review its work programme for 2025/26. The report outlined the panel's responsibilities for scrutinising Adult Social Care and Health and Well-being. The existing work programme included items such as the outcomes of the CQC Local Authority Inspection, the Adult Neurodiversity Team, the delivery of the Adult Safeguarding Model, and Shared Lives and Supported Living. Potential future items for consideration included updates on the implementation of the Worcestershire Learning Disability Strategy, the Care Navigation Hub, and a review of the effectiveness of the 3 Conversations approach to Adult Social Care. The panel was asked to consider amendments to the work programme and retain flexibility for urgent issues.