Agenda item

-      Measuring the impact of housing conditions on health

5:30pm to 5:45pm

-      Green Spaces and Allotments Strategy Progress Reports

5:45pm to 6:10pm

Development of a Health and Wellbeing Strategy

The Health and Wellbeing Manager attended to provide a brief overview of the development of the Health and Wellbeing Strategy; a presentation had been received by the Overview and Performance Scrutiny Forum on 10 January, 2017. Data received from the indices of multiple deprivation indicated that there were large inequalities in life expectancy between the most and least deprived areas and some of the illness averages were significantly worse than authority areas in the rest of England.

Partnership working was crucial to improve health inequalities as borough-wide changes were needed to the way people act in order to improve the health profile. An important factor in improving health was through developing community based actions such as Press Red. This approach was targeted at specific areas and tailored for individual groups that could be varied across the borough. Partnership working was also taking place with the DCC Public Health Team and Sustainability and Transformation Plan Place Group, the redesigned NHS partnership. Falls prevention would be looked at initially as a key part to keeping people safe and out of hospital. Work was being carried out with Sports England to apply for funding for projects.

To address the issues with the alcohol-related harm, work would be undertaken with key groups that have a high demand on services. Also, to improve the feel of the town centre, the possibility of managing alcohol licenses on town centre businesses would be considered.

An internal strategy group including members from all services in the Council would be developed. The work of the group would be overseen by the health and wellbeing partnership.

Members thanked the Health and Wellbeing Manager for attending to provide the update.

Green Spaces and Allotments Strategy

The Principal Green Spaces Officer attended to provide an update on the work that had been carried out by the Greenspaces team and the future plans for the boroughs green spaces.

There had been some funding successes since the committee received the last update in August 2016. Eastwood Park in Hasland had received funding for a wheel/skate park and Stand Road Park had been awarded a small sum of funding for pitch side shelters which was linked to a bigger project. Grants had been received from DCC and Viridor for a new play facility at Langer Lane in Rother Ward.

The Greenspaces team had carried out bulb planting in conjunction with primary and junior schools, friends groups and CBC’s Neighbourhoods team. A project was being undertaken at Loundsley Green to create a wetland area; Holme Hall unite, primary schools, friends groups and external contractors were working together to deliver the project.

The Chesterfield in Bloom ceremony was held at Ringwood Hall and was well attended; Chesterfield went on to achieve the gold standard at East Midlands in Bloom. Work had begun to develop activities for this year’s entry which included a painting competition for children based around the Women’s Tour of Britain which was coming to Chesterfield again in June 2017. Friends groups and tenants and residents groups had been invited to get involved with the view of putting the focus on sustainability and community participation.

Members asked what the life cycle of a bulb was. The Principal Green Spaces Officer advised that 15 years ago a lot of extensive bulb planting took place on the gateways into the town, these bulbs were still thriving. Some of the funding for the bulb planting this year would come from the estate improvement budget.

Members asked if Chesterfield in Bloom received a lot of interest from businesses in the borough. The Principal Green Spaces Officer advised that local businesses are targeted for sponsorship in relation to prize giving and they had always managed to get secure sponsors for the 10 categories. Ringwood Hall had been the main sponsor and often renewed their commitment. Destination Chesterfield had been contacted to get involved however it had not fit with their priorities; the Principal Green Spaces Officer said he would continue to push for their involvement. In addition, getting town centre businesses involved, such as sponsoring hanging baskets, was a challenge.

Members asked if Staveley Town Council could get involved in the Bloom activities through their activity schemes for children in the summer holiday. The Principal Green Spaces Officer would consider involving Staveley Town Council and suggested that they could collaborate on work in King George V Playing Fields or the Staveley Memorial Gardens.

Members thanked the Principal Green Spaces Officer for attending to provide the update and answering members’ questions.

RESOLVED –

That the updates be noted and on-going work to improve health and wellbeing be supported.