Agenda item

Updates from Board members

To receive updates on the work of the following Health and Wellbeing Board members:

·         Business, Skills and Enterprise Partnership

·         Community Safety Partnership

·         Place and Community Partnership

·         Voluntary Sector

·         Healthwatch

(20 mins)

Minutes:

The Board was updated on the work of a number of Board members.  During the discussion of this item the following points were made:

 

Business, Skills and Enterprise Partnership:

 

·         Beverley Graves advised Board members that the targets relating to those seeking information, advice and guidance were being overachieved.  However, the target ‘Work Experience – 5 days with same employer’ was underperforming, achieving 0.9% against a target of 3.2%.

·         The way NEETs were reported would be changing.  The focus would be on those aged under 18.

·         The Board was updated on the ‘Number of over 50s clients seeking information, advice and guidance from Wokingham Job Support.’  Dr Zylstra questioned how this compared with the previous year and was informed that the figures were slightly lower this year.

 

Community Safety Partnership:

 

·         Superintendent France indicated that crime in the Borough remained low.  An increase in sexual crimes and violence against the person was being seen, however, it was thought that this was largely the result of increased reporting as opposed to an increase in incidents.  Incidents of burglary were reducing.

·         A long term focus of the Community Safety Partnership was the increased risk to vulnerable people around fraud.  In response to a question regarding online fraud, Superintendent France explained that frauds were referred to Action Fraud but that if there were local lines of enquiry these would be investigated locally.

·         Clare Rebbeck reminded the Board that Safer Place Scheme cards had recently been launched.

·         Councillor Bray commented that nationally there had been an increase in hate crime post Brexit and questioned whether this was the case in Wokingham.  Superintendent France indicated that the situation was monitored but that there had not been requests for additional police response.

·         There had been incidents of people dressing as scary clowns within Thames Valley.  Neighbourhood Policing would be working with schools and shops in an effort to reduce such incidents.  The Police had not spoken to perpetrators locally as incidents were often reported after the event.

 

Place and Community Partnership:

 

·         The partnership had been discussing its relationship with the Health and Wellbeing Board with Stuart Rowbotham.  Stuart Rowbotham indicated that as part of the action plan for the recommendations of the Local Government Association Peer Review the structure of the sub partnerships would be reviewed.

 

Voluntary Sector:

 

·         On 18 October a Benefits Workshop would be held to discuss the implications of the benefits cap that would come into effect in November.  50 people so far had booked a place.  Councillor Haitham Taylor questioned whether the workshop would also cover budgeting in light of the likely increase in the cost of food.  Clare Rebbeck commented that the Citizens Advice Bureau offered such workshops.

·         Involve was moving offices on 31 October.  It was holding its Annual General Meeting on 20 October and Board members were welcome to attend.

·         The community awareness events for the next year were being set.  The first, ‘Let’s talk cancer’, would be held in January. 

·         Events to celebrate volunteering and the launch of the new care provider would also be held.

 

Healthwatch Wokingham Borough:

 

·         The Q2 report was being finalised.

·         Healthwatch Wokingham Borough had recently published a report regarding access to dental practices within the Borough for those who were hearing impaired.  Some positive comments had been received in response.

·         Consideration would be given to collaborating with other Healthwatches and local organisations such as More Arts to maximise resources.

 

RESOLVED:  That the updates from Board members be noted.