Argyll and Bute Health and Social Care Partnership expects to pay off its debt to the area’s council two years earlier than planned.
A report has revealed that the partnership (HSCP) is projected to finish the 2021/22 financial year with an underspend of £250,000.
It is also expected that this will allow the HSCP to repay the council £1.8m for social work services, with the remainder of the debt being cleared in 2022/23.
An additional allocation of £11.9m was also made by the Scottish Government in late February for Covid-related costs, with any unspent balance expected to be carried forward in an earmarked reserve.
The document will go before members of the HSCP’s integration joint board (IJB) on Wednesday.
Head of finance and transformation James Gow said: “The forecast outturn continues to be favourable and a small underspend against budget is projected.
“This reflects the additional in-year funding and now includes an allowance for an additional £1.8m of debt repayment within social work budgets.
“The additional planned debt repayment has been made possible as a result of confirmation that savings slippage (social work only) has been funded by Scottish Government.
“This, along with other non-recurring underspending, is enabling a significant additional repayment which materially improves the financial position of the IJB..”
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