2015-12-08 Infrastructure & Services Committee Agenda

INFRASTRUCTURE & SERVICES COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                               8 DECEMBER 2015


NCS has recently received the Federal Government’s CHSP funding offer for the provision of
services from 1 November 2015 to 30 June 2018 (refer to cover letter provided at Attachment 1).
The total value of the funding is $4.949m, making it Council’s single largest funding grant, if
accepted. Despite the start date, the offer was only received at 4:39pm on 30 October, meaning
this meeting was the first formal chance to present the offer to Council. Funding payments will be
backdated to 1 November 2015 should the offer be accepted.

The acceptance of this offer would allow Council, via NCS, to continue to provide the full range of
services offered to the community over the past several years. Should Council not accept the offer,
there would be significant disruption to the provision of CHSP services to the community while the
Federal Government sought an alternative organisation to administer the program. There would
also be ramifications for Council employees who are currently engaged to deliver the program
internally.

Given the nature of the funding remains very similar to that of previous agreements, and that
Council is able to deliver these valuable community services without cost to the organisation (NCS
is fully funded by State and Federal grants), it is recommended that Council accept the offer and
continue with its provision of CHSP services via NCS.

A full copy of the comprehensive grant agreement and terms and conditions has been made
available in the Councillors Room.

Previous Council Consideration

Noosa Community Support departmental update, 1 July 2015 to 30 September 2015. Presented
to the Infrastructure & Services Committee on 10 November 2015.

Finance & Risk

Breakdown of funding amounts over the life of the agreement:

                                            2015/16
                 Activity                                 2016/17      2017/18       Total
                                           (part year)
  Goods Equipment and Assistive
  Technology                              3,284          4,926       4,926         13,135
  Personal Care                           25,255         37,883      37,883        101,021
  In-home respite care                    40,545         60,818      60,818        162,180
  Transport                               53,597         80,395      80,395        214,386
  Domestic Assistance                     122,672        184,007     184,007       490,686
  Centre-based day care                   581,487        872,230     872,230       2,325,947
  Allied Health Care                      43,378         65,067      65,067        173,512
  Home Maintenance                        245,702        368,552     368,552       982,807
  Home Modifications                      34,302         51,453      51,453        137,207
  Social Support                          87,137         130,705     130,705       348,547
                                           1,237,357     1,856,036    1,856,036    4,949,429

There is no evidence of an increase in operational risk above that of previous periods, nor any
other indicators that should concern Council about continuing with the provision of this service. As
previously stated, NCS is fully funded by State and Federal grants and therefore the financial risk
to Council in undertaking this service is minimal.

Having funding secured under the current model through to mid-2018 would allow Council sufficient
time to fully investigate and consider how it may operate its NCS services under a consumer
directed care model. While there are no fixed timelines for a shift to such a model it is expected
that the industry will make this transition at some point in the future.

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