Agenda item

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

·         Healthwatch Wokingham Borough;

·         Voluntary Sector/Place and Community Partnership;

·         Community Safety Partnership.

(30 mins)

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

Healthwatch Wokingham Borough:

·         Nick Campbell-White advised Board members that Healthwatch’s annual report had been published recently and had been well received.

·         Healthwatch was working to recruit a Healthwatch Manager.

·         Jo Dixon had recently started work with Healthwatch and would be working on community events.

·         Healthwatch had been working with the Citizens Advice Bureau to gather information on mental health.  It was noted that Citizens Advice Bureau had been awarded a grant of £15,000 from Wokingham United Charities to fund a worker to be based in the Gorse Ride and St Sebastian’s area.

·         Nick Campbell-White commented that Healthwatch Wokingham Borough were continuing to receive information regarding Wokingham Medical Centre and patients having difficulties accessing appointments.  Dr Winfield indicated that she was in active dialogue with the practice and asked that Healthwatch send any information to the CCG directly.

Voluntary Sector:

·         Philip Cook highlighted that accommodation was an issue for a number of charities in the Borough due to high rental costs.  He suggested that charities be included in the mapping of facilities within the Borough.  Matt Pope indicated that this information could be included in the Voluntary Sector Strategy that the Council was producing.

·         A small group of charities were meeting to work together to help address social isolation in the Borough.

Place and Community Partnership:

·         Philip Cook commented that the Place and Community Partnership was a sub group of the Wellbeing Board.  The remaining Partnership members had met recently to discuss the partnership’s future.  They were of the view that the Partnership did not have a formal purpose or resource and did not have a consistent attendance.  It was proposed that the Partnership be given a project and resources or be disbanded.

·         The Board agreed that much of the work previously intended to be undertaken through the Place and Community Partnership was being undertaken elsewhere, and that the Partnership should therefore be disbanded.  It was also agreed that it be recommended to the Constitution Review Working Group that the Wokingham Borough Wellbeing Board’s terms of reference be updated to reflect this.

Community Safety Partnership:

·         Graham Ebers indicated that a new Community Safety Partnership Manager had been appointed.

·         Graham Ebers took the Board through the Partnership’s priorities.

·         With regards to Priority One, Addressing Violence against Women and Girls, Councillor Hare emphasised that men and boys also suffered abuse.  He questioned whether the priority name should be amended.

·         Anti-social behaviour continued to be a theme of concern.

·         Board members questioned whether the way in which target data was classified, had changed.

·         Katie Summers asked how Priority 4: Empower and enable the resilience of local communities, was measured.  Graham Ebers commented that progress against some priorities was easier to monitor than others.  Philip Cook indicated that the Voluntary Sector had received a small amount of funds from the Community Safety Partnership to undertake a piece of work to understand what community resilience meant to different sectors of the community.  This work would be finalised in August or September.  Work was also being carried out with the Police to help revive Neighbourhood Watch schemes, particularly in areas where they were most needed.  Susan Parsonage stated that the Police carried out an annual survey about the fear of crime that might be a helpful indicator.

·         Tessa Lindfield referred to the forthcoming new sexual health contract.  It was suggested that an item be included in the Community Safety Partnership agenda.

·         The Board expressed concern that Berkshire Women’s Aid (local domestic abuse service) had alerted the Partnership to issues around an increase in local referrals and capacity.

RESOLVED:  That

1)         the updates from Board members be noted;

2)        the Place and Community Partnership be disbanded and it be recommended to the Constitution Review Working Group that the Wokingham Borough Wellbeing Board’s terms of reference be         amended to reflect this.