Decision details

On 16 January 2021, the Government announced a specific support fund of £120m nationally to support workforce pressures within Adult Social Care.

The specified purpose of this funding is to enable local authorities to deliver measures to supplement and strengthen adult social care staff capacity to ensure that safe and continuous care is achieved across the market.

The West Sussex allocation of the Workforce Capacity Fund (WCF) is £1.652m.

The first instalment of the grant, 70% of the total allocation was received on 3rd February 2021. The second instalment will only be made if the authority has written to the Department by 12 February 2021 confirming their plan for spending the grant, including a breakdown of their expected activity and estimated costs. The second instalment is contingent on the Department being satisfied that the first instalment is being used in accordance with the conditions of the grant. The second instalment will be received in March 2021 and must be spent on activity that takes place between 16 January 2021 and 31 March 2021.

As with previous grants for infection control and lateral flow testing the Council is required to comply with a number of conditions set out in the grant circular distributed by the Government through associated guidance.

The Director of Law and Assurance in consultation with the Executive Director of Adults and Health and the Chairman of the Health and Adult Social Care Scrutiny Committee has approved that the £1.652m funding be distributed in line with the proposals set out in section 2 of this report and in line with Government guidance, subject to Government grant conditions and the providers’ acceptance of the terms and conditions of the Council’s grant agreement.

None.