Agenda item

The Chairman welcomed the paper which explored ways to further embed public health into Regeneration, Planning and Licencing and invited Mr Adam Driscoll Commissioning Lead, Planning and Ms Rachel Wells, Consultant in Public Health to join the Meeting.  Mr Driscoll introduced the paper which sets out a range of options that can bring together statutory and influencing roles and a number of stakeholders. This will in turn help create a number of ‘healthy places’ particularly in those areas being considered by developers as set out in the report.

In relation to healthy high streets, Ms Wells informed the Board that the focus will be on a number of different high streets and town centre issues which will be linked to promoting Health and Wellbeing objectives and weight management.

Mr Driscoll provided a response to a query from the Board about planning applications from existing care homes and noted that where appropriate referrals will be made to the Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy aims. Dr Debbie Frost and Ms Cathy Gritzner were positive about these developments and invited Mr Driscoll to present at a future CCG Board.

Following approval of the motion to include the word Rein the recommendations 2 and 3 for clarity purposes and delete the word ‘on’ at recommendation 4, it was RESOLVED:

1.    That the Health and Wellbeing Board noted the collaborative work between Planning (Re and colleagues from Growth and Regeneration) and Public Health teams to date and on-going future plans.

2.    That the Health and Wellbeing Board adopted the concept of ‘Healthy Places as a charter of excellence and tasks Public Health to develop, together with Re, a suitable criteria for its application in practice as well as how this will align with the Council’s priorities and strategies. Progress will be reported back to the Health and Wellbeing Board.

3.    That the Health and Wellbeing Board requested that Public Health work with Planning (Re) to develop pilot projects to drawn from the following identified areas of opportunity –

a. Using planning tools and pre-application discussions to influence the design of larger developments, as well as shaping policy discussions

b. Help to shape place-based commissioning projects (such as the identified opportunities to create ‘healthy high streets’),

c. Help to shape proposals for new or improved on open spaces in relation to the identified site opportunities.

4.    That the Health and Wellbeing Board requested that Public Health develop embedded relationships with key planning and regeneration project teams, in particular for Colindale and Brent Cross.

5.    That the Health and Wellbeing Board requested that Public Health work with colleagues in estates and regeneration services to identify suitable land / buildings that could assist with the introduction of Meanwhile Uses into regeneration areas and town centres, in particular with a public health focus.

6.    That the Health and Wellbeing Board recommended that measures which help address public health issues are built into existing and new corporate planning and licensing programmes or projects, where appropriate. Public Health to lead work with other Council officers to embed this approach.