Agenda item

Portfolio Holder for Leisure, Culture and Localism will be in attendance to answer any questions raised by Members.  Attached are copies of overviews from the Portfolio Holders.

Councillor Kearon (Portfolio Holder for Safer Communities), Councillor Williams (Portfolio Holder for Planning and Assets) and Councillor Hambleton (Portfolio Holder for Leisure, Culture and Localism) were asked to attend and supply briefings of their Portfolios which gave a clear idea of the work the Borough carried out in supporting the health and wellbeing of the residents in Newcastle-under-Lyme.

 

Apologies were received from Councillors Kearon and Williams.

 

The Chair advised that if Members had any points they wished to be raised with the Portfolio Holders a written response would be provided.

 

The following observations were raised:-

 

Councillor Kearon (Portfolio Holder for Safer Communities)

 

Drug and Alcohol Dependency - Members requested a report on both drug and alcohol dependency and mental health involving teenagers covering all areas of time and investment related to the Newcastle-under-Lyme area and its impact, both in current and future outcomes, for the residents of Newcastle-under-Lyme.

 

Purposeful Activities for Young People – Due to the range of funded activities being cut back, the Borough Council had stepped in to fund organised activities for young people.  A Member asked if a report could be produced on any rise in anti-social behaviour as a result of youth club closures and the opening of new activities.

 

Health and Wellbeing and the Safer Nights Strategy – Members requested statistics on the first aid triage operating in Newcastle-under-Lyme and more information on what work street pastors carry out.

 

Mental Health and Public Safety – A Member asked what alterations were going to be put in place to try to prevent suicides at The Midway car park. 

 

Resolved:-

 

That the following information is provided by the Portfolio Holder for Safer Communities:-

 

(a)    A report on both drug and alcohol dependency and mental health involving teenagers, which covered all areas of time and investment related to the Newcastle-under-Lyme area and its impact both in current and future outcomes for the residents of Newcastle-under-Lyme

(b)   A report relating to any rise in anti-social behaviour as a result of youth club closures and the opening of new activities.

(c)    Statistics on the first aid triage operating in Newcastle-under-Lyme.

(d)   A report on what work street pastors carry out.

(e)   More information on what alterations were to be put in place to prevent further suicides at The Midway car park.

 

Councillor Williams (Portfolio Holder for Planning and Assets)

 

The Chair drew Members attention to the last section of the briefing in which Members may wish to focus on a number of areas, including:-

 

(1)    The future direction of Better Care Fund process – what role should districts/boroughs play?

(2)    What should the Council be offering in relation to the wider health and wellbeing agenda, particularly in terms of the services it delivers?

(3)    Has the Partnership focussed on the ‘right’ areas in terms of needs, priorities and outcomes?

 

A Member stated that there had previously been a lot of debate in respect of the Better Care Fund.  The concept was good but there was a funding issue.  An action section was required on the Newcastle Partnership Strategic Framework table and information on how adequately it was funded.

 

A Member stated that there was a need to make sure there was an equal say to how the money would be spent.

 

Resolved:-

 

(a)    That the Better Care Fund process be included on the work plan and discussed at the next meeting of scrutiny.

(b)   That an action section be added to the Newcastle Partnership Strategic Framework table and information on how adequately the Better Care Fund was to be funded.

 

Councillor Hambleton (Leisure, Culture and Localism)

 

A Member asked why had £45,000 been invested into Norton Cricket Club.

 

The Executive Director Operational Services advised that it was not the Borough Council’s money that had been invested.  The Council works with, and assists, local sports clubs in securing much needed investment from a range of external grant funding sources.

 

A Member queried the cardiac rehabilitation programme, GP Referral Scheme, Sky Rides cycling and the work of the Council’s Sports Development Officers.

 

Clarification was also asked if the Council offered the stage 3 rehabilitation service.

 

The Executive Director Operational Services explained that stage 3 was still being carried out within Jubilee 2.  Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council was commissioned by the University Hospital of North Staffordshire (UHNS) and relied upon the UHNS to refer patients that had been through heart episodes to the Council.

 

Gym Instructors have had specialist training with the aim that patients move into a more regular healthy lifestyle which was known as stage 4.

 

The Chair asked how would the Council target the ‘Get Healthy Get Active’ project, within the overall Borough’s over 55’s activity levels.

 

The Executive Director Operational Services advised there would be those who were at lower and those who were at higher risk, but would provide a more detailed answer in writing.

 

It was asked where was the health cost of inactivity in Newcastle figure of £2,715,765 based from?

 

The Executive Director Operational Services advised it was through a recent health study and agreed to provide a more detailed answer in writing.

 

An explanation was asked on the term Satellite Clubs?

 

A Community Sport Activation Fund bid was being developed with the Newcastle-under-Lyme College to deliver the inter-generational activities.  This project would last for three years and could bring in investment of between £50,000 to £250,000.  The Chair asked how this would be carried out.

 

The Executive Director Operational Services advised he would report back to Committee on all of the above questions.

 

Resolved:-

 

(a)   That the Executive Director Operational Services provide further, written information on:-

 

ØHow would Council target activity levels to those aged 55 years of age and over?

ØAn explanation on the term Satellite Clubs.

ØHow would the Community Sport Activation Fund project be carried out?

ØWhere had the health cost of inactivity in Newcastle figure of £2,715,765 been based from?

ØWhy had assistance been given to Norton Cricket Club?