Agenda, decisions and draft minutes

The Chair welcomed everyone and thanked them for attending this Special Meeting of the IJB.  He noted that the focus of the meeting was on the formal instruction required to be made in relation to the 2024/25 budget shortfall, rather than the 2025/26 budget, which would be discussed on 18 March 2025.

The Board resolved:-

to note the Chair’s remarks.

Members are requested to intimate any Declarations of Interest or Transparency Statements

There were no declarations or transparency statements.

The Board had before it a financial report prepared by the Chief Finance Officer which provided Members with an update on the 2024/25 year end outturn position, the proposed intention to fund the 2024/25 budget overspend by partners, an update on Governance arrangements for the 2025/26 budget delivery and the 2025/26 budget position.

The Chief Finance Officer presented the report and responded to questions from Members in respect of the Integration Scheme, work of the Budget Savings Oversight Group and the pressures on services.

The report recommended:-

that the  Board:

(a)          note the forecast financial position at 31 March 2025 for the 2024/25 integrated budgets;

(b)          note that the substantial overspend for the year was now forecast at £10.455m, after approval of the 4 February 2025 IJB, to use all uncommitted reserves of £6.119m;

(c)          instruct the Chief Officer to write to NHS Grampian and Aberdeen City Council to request an additional one-off payment to the IJB to meet the 2024/25 overspend in accordance with the Integration Scheme;

(d)          acknowledge that significant work was being undertaken to refresh the draft forecast budget position for 2025/26, involving addressing further pressures as they came forward; and

(e)          note that a significant effort would be required to deliver in year savings with work to structure a robust delivery plan around this underway.

The Board resolved:-

(i)            to instruct the Chief Officer to write to the Scottish Government requesting a one-off payment to meet the 2024-25 overspend; and

(ii)          to otherwise agree the recommendations.

-           COUNCILLOR JOHN COOKE, Chair.