The Board noted the apologies listed at Appendix A. There were no declarations of interest.       

Mark Norris, Principle Policy Adviser, introduced the report which set out the Terms of Reference, membership of the Community Wellbeing Board, and meeting dates for the 2016-17 meeting cycle, and set out the outside bodies to which the Board was asked to appoint.

Decision

The Board:

1.    Formally noted the terms of reference and membership of the Community Wellbeing Board and the list of meeting dates for 2016/17; and

2.    Agreed that Lead Members make appointments to outside bodies outside the meeting, to be confirmed in due course.

Action

Paul Goodchild to co-ordinate appointments to outside bodies and confirm with lead Members following the meeting.

Mark Norris, Principle Policy Adviser, introduced the report which provided an overview of the issues and work the Board had overseen over the previous year, including key achievements in relation to 2015-16 priorities. This included information on publications and media work undertaken by Members.

Decision

The Board noted the achievements against the Board’s priorities in 2015/16.

Mark Norris, Principle Policy Adviser, introduced the report which set out proposals for the Board’s priorities and work programme for 2016-17, based on areas of interest previously indicated by Members, ongoing LGA work, and recent policy announcements by the Government. The report also outlined how the LGA-wide priority on responding to the Brexit vote would impact on the work of the Board.

Brexit

Regarding Brexit, Members noted that two work streams directly linked to the work of the Board: community cohesion and developing a new legal base for local government, in particular the implications of the Brexit vote on the adult social care workforce. It was proposed that this should be an ongoing strand of work throughout 2016-17. The Board would continue to monitor other EU legislation which related to the sector and make representations where required.

In the discussion which followed Members raised the following points:

·         There would be an impact on the local government workforce and also integrated care, not just staff employed by Councils but also contracted staff. It was important to ensure the workforce was fit for the future, and the Board may need to revisit the Skills for Care agenda.

·         There have been concerns for some time on Adult Social Care workforce, and the potential workforce impact of Brexit would be a good way to prioritise the issue.

Board Priorities and Work Programme

Alongside Brexit and related corporate work, Members considered the four overarching priority areas of work for the Board and discussed the individual priorities therein. In discussion of these priorities, Members raised the following points:

·         Members raised concern regarding in-year cuts to adult social care budgets and highlighted the need to continue to lobby the Government on the business rates reform agenda, particularly lobbying against any proposals to transfer Attendance Allowance to councils. The LGA had previously been effective in lobbying to move money from acute services to adult social care.

·         Regarding public health, it was commented that the Board should do more training and leadership work, and promote this to a wider audience across the sector. There should be a regular review of the LGA’s training offer and how this linked with existing NHS training.

·         There should be more joint work with partner organisations to communicate responsibility to help to change the health culture agenda.

·         The LGA should continue to consider the strategic role of public health inequalities, including consideration of social class, ethnicity, sexuality, and gender. For example men had a higher suicide rate, and there was a higher suicide rate in the LGBT community and amongst ex-service personnel. Members agreed that suicide prevention should continue to be a priority for the Board.  

·         The cost of out of county care for people with complex needs and disabilities would continue to have a large budgetary impact on councils. Members agreed that policy relating to disabilities and specific conditions should ensure that the role and financial constraints of local government were taken into account.

·         The LGA was currently undertaking cross-cutting work on homelessness,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

Abigail Gallop, Senior Adviser, introduced the report and explained that the Environment, Economy, Housing and Transport Board had commissioned a report to inform the LGA’s position on homelessness. As this report had developed it had become clear that a key strand of the report should be on the role of health, social care and learning disability in the homeless community.

Although the EEHT Board would retain ownership of the report, work was ongoing across the EEHT, Children and Young People, Resources, and Community Wellbeing Boards ahead of agreement of a position on how the LGA should respond to homelessness.

In the discussion that followed Members raised the following points:

·         Homelessness was a very important issue for the LGA, and linked with the work the Board would be taking forward on the armed forces. Members raised concern regarding the ex-service personnel homelessness problem, and noted that it was difficult to get the Ministry of Defence to acknowledge that this was an issue, although it had been raised by the LGA and family federations.

·         Although the army gave people skills and support, it was important for the armed forces to continue this support as they transitioned back to civilian life.

·         There should be a particular focus on homelessness of younger people and looked after children, as well as the increasing level of elderly homeless people.

·         Councils should consider both the mental and physical health of homeless people in their areas.

Decision

The Board:

1.    Noted the homelessness report which had been commissioned by the EEHT Board;

2.    Noted the recommendations in the report which had relevance to the Community Wellbeing Board; and

3.    Agreed that the Board should contribute to the LGA’s cross-cutting work on homelessness and, as appropriate, develop a work plan to respond to the recommendations set out in the report.

Action

Members and officers to contribute to the LGA’s work on homelessness as set out in the report.

Paul Ogden, Senior Adviser for Public Health, introduced the report and explained that the High Court had ruled on 2 August that NHS England had the power to commission Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP). This had been a successful challenge by the National Aids Trust, relying heavily on arguments formulated by the LGA who had worked with 110 local authorities on the issue.

Unfortunately NHS England had announced that it would appeal the decision in the Court of Appeal, and a decision was expected by the end of the month. Guidance made it clear that HIV anti-viral medicines should be provided by the NHS, and the LGA had made it clear that this would be a new burden on councils. The CWB Board would be informed when the result of the appeal was known.

Decision

The Board noted the update included in the report.

Mark Norris, Principle Policy Adviser, introduced the report which included updates on a number of areas related to the Board’s work, including the government’s childhood obesity action plan, the future of mandatory health visitor checks undertaken by councils, Local Transformation Plans for Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services, health inequalities, and the annual Public Health conference In March 2017.

In response to a Members’ question it was confirmed that the Government was expected to announce the community pharmacy integration programme within the next two weeks.

Decision

The Board noted the updates provided in the report.

Decision

The Board agreed the minutes of the previous meeting held on 28 April 2016.