Agenda item
Members' Items
Minutes:
At the invitation of the Chairman, Councillor Paul Edwards introduced the Member’s Item.
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Members Item Request: |
Instruction from Committee |
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I request that the Committee receives an update on the work outlined at HOSC to improve crisis care pathways for vulnerable adults and older people with mental health needs during the ongoing pandemic; In particular, how health and social care are working together to ensure the widest reach for support services.
Report from HOSC on Cllr Moore's item on mental health support: |
No further action (see comments below)
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At the invitation of the Chairman, Councillor Anne Clarke introduced the Member’s Item.
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Members Item Request: |
Instruction from Committee |
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I welcome the work and growing partnership between the Council, Barnet Together, the wider Voluntary, Community & Faith Sector and other stakeholders to ensure that people in need have access to food during the ongoing pandemic.
I understand that the Council is now funding a foodbank co-ordinator to help with this work, and this is also to be welcomed.
I request that the Committee receives a verbal update, and, if necessary, a report on the following:
- details of what funding, and by who, is in place to tackle food poverty in Barnet - details of what this funding covers - how the Council is measuring and monitoring food poverty in the Borough - what assessment has been done of the likely need following Tier 2 restrictions and the current 2nd lock-down given incomes are falling - how many people are being reached, and what assessment has been done about individuals and groups that are not being reached - especially isolated older people living alone, those who usually receive day centre support or who need mental health support - what communications and systems are in place to reach everyone who needs help - given the digital divide that emerged during the first lockdown - what has been put in place to address this in this second lock-down - how people are being connected to groups and support - how social prescribing and health champions are being used to help on this issue - could the Council look at opening a hub on the west of the Borough or help with transport costs from the East Barnet hub, and are foodbanks able to deliver food to people - do we have all the necessary PPE for those working and volunteering on food supply
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That the item is instead considered by the Policy and Resources Committee as the subject matter covers not just Adult Services but is cross-cutting and concerns a number of policy areas that sit within the remit of other Committees.
This would mitigate against several committees looking at the same issue and enable an overall response to the questions raised.
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Comments and further actions agreed:
Councillor Paul Edward’s Item
The Chairman proposed that as there was a Member Briefing session relating to mental health scheduled for the following week, this item could perhaps be dealt with within that forum. Where any issues were not dealt with at the briefing and where Members thought it might be helpful, Members could subsequently request the Executive Director for Adults and Health to arrange an additional briefing meeting to deal with those residual matters not covered if they so desired.
The Committee agreed with the above proposed action.
The Executive Director for Adults and Health further advised the Committee of a Members seminar scheduled for 1st December 2020 which would specifically include how mental health services have responded to mental health needs arising because of/and during the pandemic.
RESOLVED that the instructions as set out in the tables above are noted.
Supporting documents:
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