Contact: Bevis Ingram, (01962) 847508, [email protected]

1 Summary

1.1 This note provides an answer to the financial question outstanding from the previous meeting of the PRC. This is "Please provide a breakdown of how the money in the Young Carers budget is spent".

1.2 The Young Carers budget is funded entirely by the children's element of the Carers grant from central government. However, because of freedoms available to Hampshire County Council, there is no requirement for the whole grants to be spent on Young Carers. For 2006/07 this grant is £677,000 and the Young Carers budget is £357,000. The rest of the grant supports the Children's Services budget.

1.3 The budget of £357,000 is divided into two parts. Firstly £167,000 for locally managed projects to support carers. These include a respite service in Fareham/Gosport, and sitting services in Havant/Petersfield and Alton/Aldershot. Secondly £190,000 managed centrally to provide a number of projects, including a contract we have with the Children's Society (Young Carers initiative for young people with caring responsibilities), as well as seven projects across Hampshire working with Young Carers.

1.4 Recent monitoring forecast an underspend of £23,000 against the budget of £357,000. This is being used to offset overspends elsewhere in Children's Services