Highland Council social work pressure easing off

MEASURES introduced to ease the pressure on Highland Council’s social work budget are “beginning to have a positive impact”, despite the department facing a predicted £3.9m shortfall.

However, Harriet Dempster, the authority’s director of social work, admitted that the “overall position” had not improved.

She also told a housing and social work committee meeting yesterday that frontline employees had been briefed to ensure that all staff “appreciate the seriousness of the situation”.

A plan, which has been “implemented robustly”, according to Mrs Dempster, was introduced earlier this year to prevent the overspend from spiralling. Among the measures introduced to cut spending are reducing staff absences, cutting support worker hours and bringing down travel costs.

In a report to the committee, Mrs Dempster added: “In addition, proposals to streamline management infrastructure costs in care at home are in development and will be subject to consultation with trade unions and staff.”

However, she warned: “The additional costs associated with job evaluation are significant. A further report to the January housing and social work committee will confirm the additional costs associated with job evaluation and modernisation.”

Budget leader David Alston said that the social work budget would need a “larger slice of the cake” next year.

But he said: “That cake is going to be smaller. When we come to make these decisions I hope there will be support about cutting some of the other slices of the cake.”