Agenda item

A report by the Assistant Director, Wellbeing and Community Leadership.

The Portfolio Holder Councillor Emma Cresswell presented the report supported by Assistant Director, Wellbeing and Community Leadership and the Scrutiny and Policy Officer. 

Committee were advised that the report brought forward a joint scrutiny report of their review of the Healthy Living Action Plan.  The report would be presented to each of the Partnership Councils’ relevant sovereign scrutiny committees. The attached appendices to the reports contained a detailed overview of the review which also included a copy of the Healthy Living Action Plan (HLAP)

Councillor William Gray, Chair of the S&ELCP Healthy Living Board had commented on the review: “As Chair of the Healthy Living Board, it has been important to bring together key people from a range of sectors to work in collaboration to reduce inequalities and improve the health and wellbeing of our residents. I would like to thank Councillors for their valuable input and for reviewing the health and wellbeing offer across the South and East Lincolnshire Councils Partnership area. The recommendations, if accepted, will assist partners in identifying areas of need, reviewing work streams, and focusing resources”. Committee were asked to note the final report and to agree the associated recommendations.

Prior to committee deliberation the Assistant Director for Wellbeing and Community Leadership addressed the meeting and suggested the three members of the working group be invited to comment on the review and identify any further issues they may wish to see addressed.

Comments from the group members included concern at the time scale of 6 months for the review, which they felt was not long enough for the new initiative.  A suggestion was further tabled that the action plan become part of the Council’s statute with health being a statutory compliment and that having seen the inequality in Boston from the evidence sourced, that the County Council should hand more authority to the Borough. A further comment noted the importance of open spaces and their benefits on health.

The Assistant Director for Wellbeing and Community Leadership responded to the suggestions and advised that the Healthy Living Board met every quarter and that was fed by an officer group which met every six weeks, however the suggestion for a longer period of review would be taken on board.   Health was not a statutory compliment for the Borough Council however, the Council did undertake a lot of activity within the Borough aligned with health including open spaces, however consideration would be given to increase the activity directly at health as its own topic.

General committee comment and questioning followed which included:

Responding to a members’ question relating to how the plan would be monitored and what targets or KPI’s would be set and what funding mechanisms would be used, the Assistant Director for Wellbeing and Community Leadership advised that whilst there was no direct monitoring of the plan, it would draw from existing metrics already in place and aligned to the policy, including working with communities.  No direct funding streams were aligned to the plan, but funding streams would be signposted.

Voicing concern that the plan needed to equitable in its delivery and be accessible to those with both visible and non-visible disabilities, a member sought confirmation that it would be inclusive, and the Portfolio Holder reassured the member that one of the recommendations did ensure equity of access for people from all backgrounds.

Questioning the role that BTAC (Boston Town Area Committee) would play in any funding of open space projects, bearing in mind that BTAC was now able to apply for funding itself, the Chairman was advised that it would be a collaborative plan and BTAC would play a part in the funding.

Summarising the Chairman referred members to the recommendations which were priority items within the plan and sought their agreement to each recommendation.

RECOMMENDED:

That the Corporate and Community Committee agree the recommendations within the report.