Agenda and minutes

The Leader of the Council welcomed all those present to the first meeting of the revised Barnet Partnership Board and explained that in a context of all public services facing cuts and the difficult economic position, the Partnership was essential to ensure public services were delivered as efficiently as they could be across public agencies.

He confirmed that the role of the Board was to address only those matters that could not be tackled elsewhere through existing fora.

Mr Walkley reported that a governance document, including Terms of Reference and membership, had been previously agreed by the Council’s cabinet and shared with partners. This was circulated with the papers and confirmed by all present. The Terms of Reference would be reviewed every 12 months.

Councillor Hart introduced the new draft Health and Well-Being Strategy by emphasising that owing to demographic trends and financial pressures, health and care could no longer be provided in the way it was now, without money running out and people’s quality of life being worsened. She emphasised that the new Strategy required the active collaboration of all partners.

Ms Kennally made a more detailed presentation on the Strategy, setting out its ambition that all residents, not only current users of services, would be able to live as healthily and as independently as possible by:

–        being free of avoidable ill-health and disability;

–        being able to take responsibility for their own and their family’s health and wellbeing;

–        each being able to harness the support of their family and friends and the community;

and the two main themes of Keeping Well and Keeping Independent.

With the help of graphs and information on health trends, she explained the context and action already being taken on the four priorities, namely giving every child a good start; improving well-being in the community; how we live; and care when needed. She requested that the Partnership Board consider what more they could do individually and collectively to support.

In the resulting discussion, it was felt that rather than seek to interfere with the market’s proliferation of takeaway restaurants, it was more suitable for the Council with its partners to supply advice and information to persuade the community to adopt healthier eating practices, thus reducing the demand for such establishments. It was felt that all socio –economic classes were leading unhealthy lifestyles and hence this area of work needed to be universal.

Councillor Longstaff and T/Ch Supt Seabridge both stressed the link between health and community safety, in terms of enforcement around alcohol and licensing issues and the relationship between licensed establishments, takeaways and anti-social behaviour, and confirmed a targeted approach to problem hotspots would contribute towards solving the problem. It was noted that the potential providers of the new Development and Regulatory Service (DRS) had undertaken to take forward three areas of the Health and Well Being Strategy each year, and that licensing and community safety had been identified as one.

It was agreed that, while requiring national action,  Barnet should try and take forward localised schemes to extend information on healthy eating and supplying local information to a variety of staff and customers on choices and support available. Tom Nathan offered the use of Brent Cross for suitable events and campaigns and Mr Walkley highlighted there might be opportunities for a partnership with McDonalds whose headquarters were in the Borough.

Employment was recognised as a key well-being issue for all  but particularly for people who faced labour market disadvantages, e.g. through disability or mental health problems, and partners were requested to review the opportunities they were creating for meaningful employment for them.

Councillor Hart thanked all partners for their work on smoking cessation to date  and requested that this continue.

Mr Morley  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.

Councillor Harper introduced this report which set out the current status of young people in Barnet. While the figures for NEET were relatively good by national standards they were causing concerns, particularly the number whose outcome was ‘not known’.

The Leader expressed his concern at this issue and the need to avoid creating a lost generation. He and Councillor Harper would be reporting to the Council’s Cabinet in June with a proposed package of support. Mr Evans reported that £1 billion was being made available nationally and Barnet would use its share as seedcorn to lever in other funding, as well as developing closer partnerships with business. The Leader confirmed he would continue to engage small businesses through holding business forums, and Cllr Harper stressed that one area of business collaboration was working with partners to ensure young people were being prepared with the skills and aptitudes to be work ready.

Mr Morley reported encouraging trends in which the number of young people unemployed had fallen in six of the last seven months to its lowest figure in 12 months, but it was agreed the challenge was to improve and maintain this.

It was agreed that local supply chains must be used to help generate local opportunities and Mr Knight explained how the University, in addition to direct employment and contracting, supported 3000 jobs across the Borough and was an engine of growth.

It was agreed that to tackle this issue action was needed on supply- ensuring young people were work ready, and creating a pool of named people that employers could take on- and demand, better communicating to business the benefits available at relatively low cost (including Government funded schemes) of taking on interns and apprenticeships.

It was agreed that relevant partners be brought together to create an implementation plan after the Cabinet decision.

The Chief Executive  introduced this report, highlighting that the new phase of the Council’s change programme was to review five major issues where long-term trends presented particular challenges, namely :

• Community safety
• Early Intervention
• Health and Social Care integration
• Leisure review- specifically how physical activity is commissioned and funded
• Street Scene review- including what areas like Town centres should look like and how are they maintained?

Each of these had a partnership and prevention angle and had been or would be considered by the relevant Partnership Board.

The Board endorsed the work to date and agreed they should continue to act as a forum for addressing barriers to collaborative working. Data sharing and information was highlighted as one such issue to be aware of.

8 November 2012 at 8.30 am.