“ONE hell of an overspend” was called out by a Wee County councillor at a meeting last week.

At last Thursday’s, October 11, sitting of the Audit Committee, Cllr Kenny Earle questioned civil servants on a nearly £1.5million overspend of the Stirling and Clackmannanshire Health and Social Care Partnership.

The figure was once again highlighted as part of an update on the council’s financial performance this year.

The partnership, led by the Integration Joint Board on which the Wee County has a small representation, brings together local authorities and the NHS to deliver services in the area.

Despite Clackmannanshire already pumping just over £16m into the scheme, more might be needed to save it from collapse.

Questioning civil servants on the nature of the problem, Labour’s Cllr Earle branded it “one hell of an overspend” – indeed, otherwise the council has largely kept it tight and is forecast to remain within its budget so far.

Officers responding explained they are working with the partnership to identify different types of delivery that could drive the costs down.

The overspend is largely comes from care at home services as well as spending on nursing homes and comes despite a more than £0.5m underspend on staff, which has led to waiting lists as the Partnership and Performance Committee heard last month.

Cllr Earle wondered if the council would have to prop up the partnership, civil servants explaining that would be up to elected members and would have to come from reserves.

However, with reserves just floating above the statutory minimum with an around £100,000 surplus, the chamber was warned by council chief Nikki Bridle that “significant underspend” could be required in other areas.

There were no civil servants from the partnership present to answer all questions, council leader Cllr Ellen Forson suggesting a representative should attend committee meetings, adding the current set up is “unfair” on the council’s own officers.

Meanwhile, the local authority also needs to make sure it delivers its own £7.3m savings programme.

As at the end of June this year, around two-thirds of savings have been or are likely to be achieved.

However, some £2.5m is at risk and could endanger the council’s financial stability, considering the low levels of reserves.

On average over the past five years, the council managed to achieve 77 per cent of its agreed savings with the accountancy team now working with managers to identify compensatory measures for the current financial cycle.