Health and Social Care Partnership 2021/22 - Freedom of information requests

Title or Description: Health and Social Care Partnership 2021/22
FOI Number: 437
Date Received: 01/05/2022
Type of Request: FOI
Request or Question: I am contacting you on behalf of Jackie Baillie MSP's office.I would be grateful if the following questions could be submitted as an FOI.1) How much did the Health and Social Care Partnership have in reserves at the start of financial year 2021/22 that were a) earmarked and b) unearmarked.2) How much does the Health and Social Care Partnership expect to have in reserves at the end of financial year 2021/22 that are a) earmarked and b) unearmarked.
Response: Q1. The IJB approved its Reserves Policy in 2016/17. In 2020/21, the policy was again applied in order that the Health and Social Care Partnership may carry forward funding. This relates to ring-fenced funding allocations to NHS Borders, unspent Older People's Change Fund and Transformation Fund balances and uncommitted Covid-19 funding allocations.
No statutory adjustments have been made in respect of any absence entitlement on the part of the Chief Officer which has been earned but not yet taken as at 31 March 2021.

The overall balance held in IJB reserves has increased significantly at March 2021. This reflects the impact of the pandemic on the IJBs planned investments in relation to whole system transformation, as well as increased slippage on ring-fenced allocations for which delivery is phased over more than one year. Within these ring-fenced allocations a residual balance is held against COVID-19 allocations not utilised in 2020/21 and which will be set against expenditure plans for 2021/22 in line with Scottish Government guidance.
Q2. We are unable to confirm reserves for 21/22 as we have no accounts, therefore we refer to S17 of FOI(S)A 2002 and declare that the information is not held. The information will be available directly on the Council website (i.e. when the annual accounts are published).