Agenda item

The Healthy Lifestyle Programme Officer submitted a report that provided a review of progress to date of the Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2019-2023.  Councillor E Buckmaster, Executive Member for Wellbeing, introduced the report.  He stated that the strategy was designed to address nine identified health challenges as listed in paragraph 2.3 of the report.  Appendix A illustrated that East Herts outcomes were better than those for England as a whole, and for the rest of Hertfordshire in relation to 11 of 32 health indicators measured; whilst Appendix B outlined the progress made in relation to each of the health challenges. 

Councillor Buckmaster highlighted a number of successful initiatives that had been undertaken within the strategy as listed at pages 93-94 and Appendix C of the report, in particular East Herts Social Prescribing Service; community grants; dementia-friendly initiatives; and work within the planning field to deliver healthy places across the district.  Councillor Buckmaster also mentioned a number of initiatives more generally across the Council’s services that were impacting positively on health and wellbeing. 

Councillor Buckmaster stated that great progress had been made just before the lockdown with the launch of the Healthy Hubs.  These linked well with the Social Prescribing Service and would operate as online as well as physical hubs.   

Councillor Buckmaster invited the Members’ comments and suggestions on any ways in which the strategy could be further enhanced.  He felt that one positive of the current situation had been the resurgence of community support resources including volunteers, that could be channelled to beneficial effect going forward, in particular to tackle the ongoing adverse effects of the Covid-19 emergency.  He also noted that prior to the shutdown of the community halls a variety of physical activities were available across 27 locations as a result of the earlier Forever Active programme for the over-50s, and suggested that the Committee may wish to support the continuation of this programme, linked to the Healthy Hubs. 

Councillor Frecknall welcomed the report and the impressive range of work described.  He felt that it would be important to harness the individuals’ and skills that had been developed and to ring-fence resources to ensure these valued programmes were not lost.  Councillor Buckmaster noted that the Leader of the Council was Chair of the Reassurance Cell and there were many skilled individuals and volunteers to whom the Council and partners could reach out and engage in rebuilding local communities. 

Councillor Hollebon endorsed Councillor Buckmaster’s comments and thanked the Officers for their work on the strategy which she fully supported.  Councillor Hollebon felt that the Community Wellbeing Forum had been particularly successful and she thanked all the members of that Forum.  Councillor Hollebon also supported the proposal to relaunch the Forever Active program as this would fit in well with the aims of the strategy. 

Councillor Ward-Booth welcomed the progress highlighted in the report.  In relation to the Social Prescribing Service, he asked whether the Covid-19 emergency had given rise to increased levels of isolation and poor mental health and whether there were plans to expand the service.  The Healthy Lifestyle Programme Officer reported that since 2018, 510 clients had been seen by the service and even during the Covid-19 emergency all clients had been contacted and referred to services as appropriate.  Going forward it was planned to build on this success and introduce the service in a more holistic way to the Healthy Hubs to reach a wider demographic.

Councillor Devonshire asked whether the Social Prescribing Service would be extended in the west of the district.  He also enquired as to the future of the Social Prescribing Officer’s post which was currently agreed on a year-to-year basis.  The Healthy Lifestyles Programme Officer advised that the Healthy Hub in Hertford was expected to engage with a range of ages and demographics across Hertford, Ware, Watton-at-Stone and surrounding areas.  In relation to the Social Prescribing Officer’s post, funding was in place until March 2021 and options were currently being explored for its continuation beyond that date.  

It was moved by Councillor Hollebon and seconded by Councillor Drake, that the recommendations in the report be approved subject to two additional points to reflect concerns raised by Members during the discussion as follows:

-                          That the Council should continue to reach out to the volunteer network that has been created around the response to Covid-19 in taking forward the various initiatives in the strategy; and 

-                          That the Committee support the relaunch of the Forever Active programme.

After being put to the meeting and a vote taken, this motion was declared CARRIED.

RESOLVED – that (A) the progress to date on the Health and Wellbeing Strategy Action Plan, and proposed amended approach to the Health and Wellbeing Work Programme emerging from the Councils response to Covid-19, be noted;

(B)        the Executive Member for Wellbeing and the Head of Housing and Health be requested to give consideration to the  matters raised by the Committee and in particular:

(i)           the Council should continue to reach out to the volunteer network that has been created around the response to Covid-19 in taking forward the various initiatives in the strategy; and

(ii)        the Committee support the relaunch of the Forever Active programme.