To present a five-year Health and Wellbeing Draft Strategy for Cabinet approval to then be consulted on through a stakeholder and public consultation process.

RESOLVED that Cabinet –

(a)    approves the Health and Wellbeing Draft Strategy for public consultation;

(b)    agrees that Officers, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Partnerships, initiate a minimum eight-week consultation process and seek stakeholder comment on the Health and Wellbeing Draft Strategy; and

(c)    agrees that following that consultation the final Health and Wellbeing Strategy be presented to Cabinet for its approval and adoption.

Cabinet considered a report of the Partnerships Portfolio Holder (A.7), which presented a draft Health and Wellbeing Strategy for Cabinet’s approval to then be consulted on through a stakeholder and public consultation process.

Cabinet was presented with a new evidence-based Health and Wellbeing Draft Strategy, to support delivery of the Council’s priorities as set out in the Corporate Plan.  This draft Strategy would set the direction for the Council’s focus on supporting residents to live a healthier, independent and fulfilling life. Evidence from data showed that although there were some improving figures, when compared to other areas in Essex, Tendring District still had higher than average levels of certain preventable long-term conditions, poorer mental health, overweight/obesity and lower physical activity levels.

It was believed that adoption of this Strategy and the action plan within it, would help support partnership working to deliver improvements around the wider determinants of health in the District which would have a direct impact on health and wellbeing outcomes.

Taking into account the data and partner feedback as detailed in the draft Strategy, the following strategic objectives were considered key to improving the health and wellbeing of residents:

1.   The Wider Determinants of Health

2.   Improving Wellbeing & Resilience

3.   Encouraging a healthier lifestyle

4.   Improve Long Term Condition Prevention and Management

5.   Suicide Prevention

Members were informed that the draft Strategy was presented with an action plan, to impact on all of the objectives set out above.  Although it would not be possible for the Council to fund all the actions listed, adopting an action plan would allow the Council to proactively look for external funding opportunities.

A key focus of this work was to ensure that all residents felt represented by the draft Strategy and were supported in living a healthier, independent and fulfilling life.

It was felt that this could be achieved by working closely with health partners to deliver initiatives that helped to tackle some of this District’s health needs. Understanding how the wider determinants of health could have a real impact on health outcomes was critical to improving the quality of life for many residents.

Cabinet was informed that the draft Health and Wellbeing Strategy aligned with the Sport and Physical Activity Strategy. The feedback from the consultation had shown that the majority of participants took part in 150+ minutes of exercise a week, using cycle paths, footpaths and recreation grounds. The main barriers to exercise were shown to be access to facilities close to where the participants lived. The Council would continue to work in partnership across the organisation to connect the health and physical activity agendas.

Members were made aware that the draft strategy set out a plan for funding some projects through the public health grant which was allocated by Essex County Council (ECC). Working within the agreed priorities within the grant, projects could be funded that delivered health improvements. The Council would share significant projects with our partners at the Community Safety Partnership and Health and Wellbeing Board  ...  view the full minutes text for item 134