A CRUCIAL debate on how to save more than £2 million from health and social care spending in West Dunbartonshire has been postponed until later in the new year.

Members of the area’s health and social care partnership (HSCP) were due to discuss radical options just before Christmas, but agreed to hold off until the Scottish Government budget is agreed in February.

The final funding gap between the government and West Dunbartonshire Council (WDC) won’t be known until then, making any decision on savings “pointless” at this stage.

The partnership was set to present a range of options aimed at saving £2.2m across services in the coming year.

A report outlining proposals to address the difference in what the HSCP receives in funding and the money it needs to deliver current services was put before the December 20 meeting, with recommendations the options go out for public consultation.

But an amendment by chair, Councillor Marie McNair, was agreed, which stated uncertainty surrounding the final funding gap meant that consultation on current figures would be meaningless and cause undue stress.

A consultation on savings options on the HSCP website had been planned to launch on January 9 and remain open until January 31.

The results would have been presented to the board when it met to set the budget in May.

Cllr McNair’s amendment stressed HSCP believed it was its priority to improve people’s health, rather than take action that would damage it.

The amendment added: “This decision will avoid causing stress and anxiety to our service users by consulting on options, a great many of which are unlikely to be agreed.

“The HSCP agrees to receive a further report on the way forward when the budget figures are more certain and reliable.”

Among the proposals is an option to increase the cost of blue badges to £20 over three years, helping to meet the £29 cost of supplying the badges and also better reflecting the charges in place within other areas in Scotland.

Another option would see mentoring services currently delivered by the HSCP being provided by a partner organisation, saving £130,968 a year.

It was proposed to use an external firm to supply hot meals rather than home carers, saving a further £143,000 this year and £191,000 in subsequent years.

West Dunbartonshire is one of only a handful of areas across the country where the community alarm service is supported by dedicated mobile attendants, and a further option is to increase the cost of the alarms by £2.45 per week, which would secure this level of provision and save a further £208,000 a year.

Beth Culshaw, chief officer of the HSCP, said: “As an HSCP we are fully committed to providing effective and efficient health and social care services to the people of West Dunbartonshire.

“Similar to partnerships across the country, we are again facing a financial challenge.

“Each year the process of setting a budget becomes more difficult and there are no easy options.

“We are keen that residents are fully involved in the consultation and provide their feedback on what is being proposed to inform the budget being set in February.”