Agenda item

Report of the Democratic Services Officer

PROGRAMME OF PORTFOLLIO HOLDER ATTENDANCE

The committee welcomed Councillor Henry Wheeler, Portfolio Holder for Health, Housing and Wellbeing to discuss a range of issues relating to his area of responsibility.  Dave Wakelin, Director of Health and Community Wellbeing also attended the meeting.

Councillor Wheeler explained briefly the areas of responsibility in his Portfolio, gave a presentation and discussed questions identified in advance of the meeting.

The Playing Pitch Strategy has been moving forward; Arnold 3G pitches were handed over to the school/leisure Centre on Friday 6^th October 2107 and officially launched in October 2017.  Since the handover, and launch, a significant programme of use has developed and a winter programme is now in place, this includes Arnold Town and Gedling Southbank FC utilising the pitch for match play and training, advanced coaching centre sessions and a youth diversionary session for young people who attend Redhill Youth Club. Weekday use is currently at 56%, at peak time and 82% (6 – 9pm); this does not include additional casual bookings.

The Carlton le Willows Academy 3Gproposals are progressing, Gedling Borough and Nottinghamshire County Council are offering match funding to support a Football Foundation bid for a new 3G facility.  The Academy is currently working with Nottinghamshire FA to build an application to the Foundation for the shortfall of the funding required to complete the project.

A number of regular activities that take place across the borough have been developed and supported by the Council to increase participation in sport and physical activities including:

·         The StreetGames doorstep sport programmes,  sessions in Redhill and Netherfield, and StreetGames Club 1 initiative using leisure centres, initially in Calverton

·         The Get Going in Gedling walking scheme

·         Park runs

·         DNA Health

·         Support and promotion for local community sports clubs

·         coaching sessions at Redhill and football sessions linked to Redhill Youth Club, In association with Nottingham Forest Community Truest

Health inequalities are addressed across the borough by the Health and Wellbeing Delivery Group working with partners, sharing updates, good practice and ideas on projects and initiatives.  This includes work with the NNECCG, Notts. County Council Public Health and Change Point.  The Authority assists a range of support groups to address mental health, loneliness, social isolation and other long term health conditions.   The Breast Feeding Friendly initiative is supported and there are 20 locations in Gedling with Breast Feeding Friendly accreditation. National campaigns are backed, a recent example of this is as part of National Older Peoples Day a ‘Get up and Go’ event was delivered at Carlton Forum.  The Council has been delivering the Bestwood Village Healthy Communities programme in partnership with the local community.  This has included development of Bestwood Country Park parkrun, dementia friends training and a new autism support group for local parents.

Gedling is committed to work with and promote measures which tackle excessive weight and promote healthy lifestyles. Working with, and promoting, ChangePoint, the County Council commissioned Obesity and Weight management service, supporting Sugar Awareness week, promoting the healthy lifestyle message in the local community via Contacts and social media and supporting the Healthy Options Takeaway Scheme.  One area of concern is the private catering arrangement undertaken in academy schools which provide poor nutrition and promotes poor food choices.  It was explained that in the their role as school governors  members of the committee may be able to assert some influence in promoting healthy option choices by schools.  The proliferation of fast food takeaways was also perceived as an issue and the use of exclusion zones around schools was discussed.

Members considered the possibility of improving the leisure centres to make them a competitor to the private leisure providers.    They were informed about the emerging leisure transformation strategy is looking to the future and provision of leisure in the borough.

Action to tackle smoking includes:

·         Working with the commissioned smoking cession service Smokefreelife Nottinghamshire

·         Working with Bestwood Village Healthy Communities project to introduce a support session in the village.

·         Delivering Smokefree events notably the Arnold Carnival and Killisick fun day

·         Changes in staffing policies

·         Supporting the ASSIST youth Service Smoking Prevention Service which works with local schools.

A Senior’s Council was established in March 2017 and has held two meetings to date.  Reducing isolation, how to recruit more members to the Council and how intergenerational working with the Youth Council could be developed have been discussed.

A range of preventative measure to reduce the number of people presenting themselves to the council as homeless exist including support for a range of services including Direct Help and Advice, Framework, MoneySorted in D2N2 – Debt advice and the CAB.    To meet the requirements of the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017 two homelessness prevention officers will be appointed but January 2018, there will be an upgrade in computer systems, additional training for officers and acquiring more leased properties.  As Gedling has no housing stock it is entirely dependent on local housing associations and the private rented sector.  The majority of people presenting homeless are from private sector evictions.  The lack of affordable homes needs addressing urgently. The authority is working with the County Council to identify Extra Care Provision to meet the needs of older peoples.  Ways of increasing the number of adaptable dwellings, improving the hospitals discharge scheme and housing related support are also a priorities.  During discussion members learnt the there has been an increase in repossessions because of mortgage arrears, there is very little temporary accommodation in the borough, only eleven properties.  It was suggested that the public could offer spare rooms to homeless people, this can be done but is difficult to negotiate and there are also issues relating to safeguarding. Not all properties are suitable for disabled facilities grants and more purpose built accommodation is needed with a more proactive approach to building houses for life.

The Council is supporting the refugee resettlement programme and working with Nottingham City Council delivered two volunteer engagement events and as a result a Language Café’ has been established. Members asked if there had been any progress on funding for unaccompanied child refugees and were informed that John Robinson was working on this East Midlands Councils who are currently waiting for a response from the government regressing improved funding.

Arrangements are in place with the DWP for benefit staff to provide ‘personal budgeting support to help Universal Credit (UC) claimants to budget, prioritise bills, set up bank accounts etc.  There have only been a few cases in Gedling thus far but the number is expected to rapidly increase next year.  As they increase and housing benefit caseloads decrease staff will be released to provide support.  Half of the current caseload is pensioners who will not be affected by the change.

Members were concerned about the possibility of hardship to families caused by the change to UC.  They were informed that when it eventually rolls out in Gedling that there will be very few making the transition.

There has been an unsuccessful bid with Sport England to explore how the Troubled Families Programme could become more active in Gedling.  Gedling now hosts the Gedling Children’ and Families Locality Management Group key partners include Public Health, NNECCG, local schools as well as the Youth Service link to the Troubled Families programme.

Councillor B Andrews left the meeting at 7.00pm.

RESOLVED to:

·         To thank Councillor Wheeler for a very interesting and informative presentation; and

·         Note the report.