West Sussex County Council

Public Health described its £46.2 million ring-fenced grant-funded budget, monitored by central government and required to hold a reserve of between 5% and 15%. The budget funds commissioned services such as health visiting, school nursing, sexual health, drug and alcohol treatment, smoking cessation, and healthy weight. This is an established commissioning portfolio with strict spending rules rather than a new procurement decision.

Council unanimously backed a motion calling for an urgent review of the national funding formula, especially the area cost adjustment, minimum per-pupil funding and treatment of pay awards. The debate highlighted longstanding underfunding, staffing pressures, and capital repair needs across schools, which could influence commissioning, capital programmes, and future education service procurement.

The committee accepted the officer recommendation and made the order to add a restricted byway between the B2141 and Bridleway 479 in West Dean Parish to the definitive map and statement. This was approved by seven votes to one, with one abstention, despite objections from landowners and interested parties.

Predicted year-end overspend of £19.7m, an increase of £2.1m since Q1. Major pressures in Adult Social Care (£12m overspend, increase of £4m), Children and Young People's Learning (£10.76m overspend, increase of £0.9m), and Finance and Property portfolio (£1.6m overspend). The contingency budget of £10m excludes this figure. At-risk savings of £9.3m included in the overspend figure.

The environmental capital programme spent £16.4m against a revised programme of £4.6m because of accelerated delivery, an unforeseen landslip at a waste facility, refitting the residual waste treatment facility for separately collected food waste, and progress on the battery storage project at Haywick Lane. Officers framed the overspend as reprioritisation and urgent works rather than pure forecasting failure.

The service is increasing investment in reablement and technology-enabled care to reduce costs and support independence at home. Officers said reablement has expanded from 1,000 to 3,000 hours per week, and around 2,500 people use technology-supported care. This suggests ongoing procurement and contract activity around assistive technology, sensors, telehealth, and reablement services.

The cabinet primarily discussed operational resilience for highways ahead of winter, including extensive pothole and drainage repairs and further contractor capacity planning. Members also raised financial pressure in adult social care and special educational needs funding, along with the implications of national social care announcements. There were also updates on digital infrastructure recognition, wildfire preparedness, crisis support funding, and approval of outside body appointments.

The meeting was dominated by two major procurement-relevant issues: local government reorganisation, including asset and systems preparation for potential unitary structures, and an extensive cross-party call for fairer school funding in West Sussex. Members also raised operational pressures and service-delivery risks in highways, adult social care, public transport, fire and rescue, and climate programmes, with several questions indicating future spending, service redesign, or contract review opportunities.

Cabinet reviewed the quarter 4 performance and resources outturn, highlighting a significant revenue overspend driven mainly by adult and children's social care pressures, alongside large capital programme spend and use of reserves. Members also considered fire and rescue assurance, confirmed outside-body appointments, and noted emerging pressures from local government reorganisation, devolution, highways response times, and SEND/children's services reform and inspection activity.