Agenda and minutes

To receive any apologies for absence

An apology for absence was submitted from Carol Cammiss, Nick Campbell-White, Councillor UllaKarin Clark, Superintendent Felicity Parker and Jim Stockley.

To confirm the Minutes of the Meeting held on 8 August 2019.

The Minutes of the meeting of the Board held on 8 August 2019 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

To receive any declarations of interest

There were no declarations of interest.

To answer any public questions

A period of 30 minutes will be allowed for members of the public to ask questions submitted under notice.

The Council welcomes questions from members of the public about the work of this Board.

Subject to meeting certain timescales, questions can relate to general issues concerned with the work of the Board or an item which is on the Agenda for this meeting.  For full details of the procedure for submitting questions please contact the Democratic Services Section on the numbers given below or go to www.wokingham.gov.uk/publicquestions

There were no public questions.

To answer any member questions

There were no Member questions.

To consider a report regarding Designing our Neighbourhoods (15 mins) (For Decision)

The Board received a report on Designing our Neighbourhoods.

During the discussion of this item, the following points were made:

·         Graham Ebers reminded the Board of the first Designing our Neighbourhoods event which was scheduled for 13 November 2019.  A public sector integrated approach would be taken.

·         Graham Ebers went on to outline some of the potential attendees who had been invited to participate including the Town and Parish Councils, Headteachers and the voluntary sector.

RESOLVED:  That the proposed first Designing our Neighbourhoods event be agreed.

To consider the Better Care Fund Submission 2019/20. (10 mins) (For Decision)

The Board considered a report on the Better Care Fund Submission 2019/20.

During the discussion of this item, the following points were made:

·         Katie Summers advised the Board that the submission had been signed off by the Chairman and submitted by the NHS England deadline of 27 September 2019.

·         The Wokingham submission was aligned with those of Reading and West Berkshire.

·         It was noted that the total pooled fund for Wokingham had increased from £10.01m to £10.78m.

·         For 2019/20, Wokingham was progressing its plan from its individual schemes to Integrated Care Networks.

·         Katie Summers thanked Rhian Warner and other team members for their hard work in producing the Better Care Fund submission.

RESOLVED:  That the Better Care Fund submission for 2019/20, which is part of the national BCF assurance process, be ratified.

To consider Wokingham Integrated Partnership – Updated Governance Proposal, Guiding Principles and Terms of Reference (10 mins) (For decision)

Katie Summers took the Board through reports on the Wokingham Integrated Partnership – updated governance proposal, guiding principles and terms of reference.

During the discussion of this item, the following points were made:

·         Matt Pope emphasised that the guiding principles very much reflected the way in which the Partnership was currently working.

·         Dr Winfield proposed that ‘j) adopt collective ownership of risk and reward, including identifying, managing and mitigating all risks in performing respective obligations’ be removed from the section on Partnership Shared Principles.  This was agreed.

·         In response to a question from Councillor Hare regarding the key objectives, Matt Pope clarified that the Partnership would work with whichever organisations they needed to for the good of the Borough.

·         Katie Summers informed the Board of the Let’s Localise Programme.

RESOLVED:  That it be agreed that

1)         the Partnership partners be widened to include Healthwatch, Involve, Optalis and the 4 newly formed Primary Care Networks (PCNs);

2)         the remit expands from just the Better Care Fund Programme to all Integration Programmes for Wokingham Borough;

3)         we use WIP to develop the emerging governance of the PCNs and support their development ensuring that there is a strong link between Neighbourhoods and Localities;

4)         that the governance structure as set out in Figure 2 of the Proposal Paper be adopted for Wokingham Integrated Partnership and Wokingham Borough

5)         the terms of reference for the Wokingham Leader Partnership Board (WLPB) and Wokingham Management Partnership Board (WMPB) as set out in Appendix 1 and 2 of WIPs Guiding Principles be agreed;

6)         the key priorities for 2019/20 outlined on page 4 of WIPs Guiding Principles be approved as the basis of WIPs work programme for 2019/20.

To receive a report regarding Strategy into Action (15 mins) (For Decision)

Graham Ebers presented the Strategy into Action.

During the discussion of this item, the following points were made:

·         The Strategy provided a catalyst for an enhanced level of focus.

·         The appendices captured actions that were being taken around different themes such as physical activity. 

·         Currently, the dashboards only showed the Public Health Outcomes Framework (PHOF) but they would develop over time. 

·         Graham Ebers highlighted the Spotlight Action, which was the Social Isolation and Loneliness Group.  Board members discussed the Friendship Alliance.  Councillor Margetts noted that going forward, this Group would require extra resources and income in order to deliver the projects and programmes that had been outlined in the business case, as well as increasing some of the existing services.  He questioned how much additional income and resources would be required.  Matt Pope clarified that should the project have a positive impact, funding would be sought from the prevention agenda to ensure its continuation.

·         Graham Ebers stated that there was a desire to take each target and make an improvement of 10% (either + or – as appropriate). 

·         Tessa Lindfield commented that whilst she agreed with the ambition to make an improvement on the targets, she felt that 10% would be too arbitrary in several cases as some targets related to arresting the impact of a particular trend.  She suggested that further work be carried out on the individual targets.

·         Susan Parsonage commented that she felt that there should be differential targets.

·         Councillor Hare commented that financial constraints might mean that a 10% change was not always be possible.

·         Dr Winfield emphasised that it was important that targets were meaningful.  She wanted to see more information regarding timescales.

RESOLVED:  That

1)         the Board note the update and progress to date for the Wellbeing Strategy and supports the implementation of Strategy into Action;

2)         the partners of the Board provide their actions and relevant indicators against the three key priorities for inclusion in the dashboard;

3)         the Board agrees and supports the dashboard;

4)         further work be carried out on the individual targets.

To consider BOB ICS Response to NHS Long Term Plan (Draft) (10 mins) (For information)

The Board discussed the draft BOB ICS response to NHS Long Term Plan.

During the discussion of this item, the following points were made:

·         Dr Winfield indicated that the NHS had produced its Long Term Plan at the beginning of the year and NHS partners were required to provide a response to this.  The Wellbeing Board had an opportunity to comment on the response before the final response deadline of 1 November 2019.

·         Across the Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Berkshire West (BOB) area there was a focus on the delivery of the long term plan.  

·         Dr Winfield referred to a number of areas within the plan including transforming out of hospital care and integrating services in the community, reducing pressure on emergency hospital services, improving mental health and increasing the focus on population health.

·         She noted the clear link with the Wokingham Health and Wellbeing Strategy.

·         Dr Winfield stated that there was currently a financial gap and that BOB colleagues would be looking at how this could be addressed prior to the final submission.  Councillor Margetts questioned what would happen if this gap could not be resolved prior to the response being submitted.  Dr Winfield indicated that the BOB ICS would have to demonstrate how it could redeploy existing resources and the new financial allocations for the NHS to reduce demand and cost in other parts of the system.

·         It was confirmed that the Board would see the plan if it was amended significantly because of the financial position.

RESOLVED:  That the BOB ICS Response to the NHS Long Term (Draft) be noted.

To receive updates on the work of the following Board members:

·         Healthwatch Wokingham Borough;

·         Voluntary Sector

·         Community Safety Partnership.

(15 mins)

(For information)

The Board was updated on the work of the following Board members:

Voluntary Sector:

·         Phil Cook provided more detail regarding the Friendship Alliance project.

·         Board members were informed that the development of the Voluntary Strategy was progressing well.

Community Safety Partnership:

·         Board members were informed that the critical issues with Berkshire Women’s Aid referrals that had resulted in local referrals being closed had been addressed in the short term and that referrals were now open and running as was expected.

·         A domestic abuse needs assessment was a key priority.

·         Instances of Anti-Social Behaviour had been of concern across the Borough during the start of 2018 and the Community Safety Partnership and Thames Valley Police had been working together to address this.  There had been an increase in anti-social behaviour in areas such as Woodley.  Board members were informed of youth diversion and provision workshops.

·         Katie Summers commented that GPs in Woodley had seen an increase in patients with alcohol problems.  She questioned how the relevant Primary Care Network could work with the Community Safety Partnership on this matter.  Graham Ebers agreed to progress this.

·         Graham Ebers updated the Board on unauthorised encampments within the Borough.

·         Susan Parsonage asked for clarification as to the purpose of the updates from Board members.  Graham Ebers indicated that the sub group updates had evolved over time and they were now asked how their work contributed to the Wellbeing Board’s priorities.  With regards to the Community Safety Partnership it contributed to the wider priority of ‘a resilient community.’

·         It was agreed that greater consideration could be given to establishing a direct correlation between the work of the sub groups and the Wellbeing Board’s priorities, and how the information provided could be used more efficiently.

·         Written updates as opposed to verbal updates needed to be provided to assist in the questioning by Board members.

·         Councillor Margetts suggested that the sub group updates include action points.

·         Susan Parsonage proposed that the report template for the sub group updates to the Board could include questions which the relevant sub group could answer to show how it was assisting in the meeting of the Board’s key priorities.

RESOLVED:  That the updates from Board members be noted.

To consider the Board’s work programme for the remainder of the municipal year.

The Board discussed the forward programme for remainder of the municipal year.

During the discussion of this item, the following points were made:

·         The Board discussed a request from Superintendent Felicity Parker that Thames Valley Police be removed from the Board’s membership due to capacity issues.  The Board agreed to recommend to Council via the Constitution Review Working Group that Thames Valley Police be removed from the Board’s membership and that the Board’s terms of reference be updated accordingly.  It was noted that there was provision within the Board’s terms of reference to co-opt Board members for a time limited period should an issue particularly relevant to their organisation be under consideration.

·         Dr Winfield informed the Board of the BOB engagement exercise ‘Future arrangements for NHS Commissioning in your area.’  It was agreed that this would be discussed at the Board’s informal meeting in November.

·         It was agreed that the following items would be taken to the Board’s December meeting:

Ø  ICS Plan;

Ø  Update on JSNA;

Ø  Director of Public Health Annual Report.

·         Katie Summers informed the Board of an initiative in Sweden where many of the side roads were gritted in winter instead of the primary roads.  A & E attendance had reduced by a third as a result. She questioned whether this was something which could be considered locally.

RESOLVED:  That

1)         the forward programme be noted.

2)         it be recommended to Council via the Constitution Review Working Group that Thames Valley Police be removed from the Board’s membership and that the Board’s terms of reference be updated accordingly.