Agenda item

The Mayor and Executive Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health submitted a report for Executive’s consideration.

The report sought an endorsement of the Public Health Strategy as well decisions around the proposed allocation of the public health grant to wider council service areas, which included the implementation of governance arrangements and directorate Service Level Agreements. The report also sought to provide assurance that the grant allocations delivered public health outcomes as well as seeking approval of the ongoing financial rigour in the allocation of the public health grant to wider council services on an annual basis.

In common with all other local authorities, Middlesbrough Council received an annual public health grant allocation from the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC). The public health allocation for 2023/4 was £18.309m. The public health grant was ringfenced, meaning it could only be applied where the main and primary purpose was the delivery of public health outcomes. The public health grant conditions set out a combination of prescribed and non-prescribed public health activity against which the use of the public health grant was to be reported.

On average, people in Middlesbrough were less healthy than those in other parts of the North East and compared to the England average. Middlesbrough’s communities had wide ranging health and wellbeing needs which varied significantly between different groups of the population and geographically across the town.

ORDERED that Executive:

1.    Endorse the Public Health Strategy.

2.    Approve the proposed allocation (as set out in table 1, paragraph 13 of the report) of the public health grant to wider council services and the implementation of the governance arrangements (including directorate Service Level Agreements) to provide assurance that the grant allocations deliver public health outcomes.

3.    Approve the ongoing financial rigour of the allocation of the public health grant to wider council services, reviewed on an annual basis.

OPTIONS

There were no other options put forward as part of the report as failure to comply would put Middlesbrough Council at significant financial and reputational risk.

REASONS

The Public Health Strategy outlined the key priorities for public health over the next three years giving clarity to the public health outcomes that would be delivered through the programme approach and through whole council action.

To support delivery of the Public Health Strategy, the Council received a ring-fenced public health grant which could only be used where the main and primary purpose was public health.

Middlesbrough Council was required to produce an annual Statement of Assurance, which demonstrated that the public health grant had only been applied to eligible expenditure in line with the legislative requirements of its intended purposes and as set out in the grant determination letter.

Without robust arrangements in place as outlined in the report, there was a significant risk to non-compliant use of the public health grant. Failure to comply with the grant conditions or provision of the requisite level of assurance to the Secretary of State could result in the grant payments being reduced, suspended, or withheld. Repayment of whole or part of the grant monies paid may also have been required, which would have a significant impact on the overall financial position and reputation of the Council.