Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of Councillor Judith Addison, Councillor June Harrison, Councillor Bernadette Parkinson and Doug Hayes.

Councillor Tony Dobson and County Councillor Bernard Dawson both declared personal interests in Abbeyfield Society with it being in their wards as Hyndburn Councillor and Lancashire County Council Councillor, for openness and transparency.

To submit the Minutes of the Communities and Wellbeing Overview and Scrutiny

Committee held on the 4^th September 2019 for approval as a correct record.

Recommended - That the Minutes be approved as a correct record.

The Minutes of the meeting of the Communities and Wellbeing Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on Wednesday 4^th September 2019 were submitted for approval as a correct record.

Resolved        -       That the Minutes be received and approved as a correct record.

Presentation by Beth Wolfenden, Public Health Development Manager, Blackburn with Darwen Council.

Beth Wolfenden, Public Health Development Manager attended from Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council and gave a presentation on Healthy Place Healthy Future Trailblazer project. 

Earlier this year Pennine Lancashire had successfully been identified as one of the five national Trailblazer areas to tackle childhood obesity, as part Local Government Association's Childhood Obesity Trailblazer Programme.

The Childhood Obesity Trailblazer Programme seeks innovative action to tackle childhood obesity at a local level.  The programme is funded by the Department of Health and Social Care and managed by the Local Government Association. The programme commenced in June 2019 with five sites selected to lead projects to implement their plans. In Hyndburn, Oswaldtwistle had been chosen to be the initial test area to tackle childhood obesity and this will commence soon. Over three years, Trailblazer authorities will develop, deliver, review and expand their plans. Each Trailblazer authority will receive £100,000 worth of funding and project support each year to progress their project. This will include government expert support, subject matter expertise, support from the Delivery Support Partner, FutureGov. Some support will also be provided to trailblazer authorities to develop their local evaluation plans in the early stages of the three year programme.

The approach will be to engage and work with Schools, the Community, Café’s, Hot Food Takeaways, Council staff and most importantly gaining support from Elected Members. Elected Members could play a key role in championing and promoting the importance of healthy weight in children at a local level, in effect giving high level visibility and leadership to the issue.

The Pennine Lancashire Childhood Obesity Trailblazer Programme, now known as Healthy Place, Healthy Future (HPHF) embraces four key levers for change:

·      Engage with system leaders and policy heads to drive system change

·      Develop a consistent planning approach across Pennine Lancashire

·      Support businesses to provide this change.

·      Understand how local communities can be supported to create a social movement to demand healthier food

The Chair commented to engage Lancashire County Council Education department about the Schools and School Governors being involved in the programme.

Councillor Walsh commented her delight of the programme, she would like to see engagement with communities, in particular Breast Feeding support groups and Healthy cooking classes for people to attend to encourage children to eat healthier.

Another key area to assist on this programme is the Planning system where local authorities could take action. It is important that planning applications had consideration to ensure facilities and infrastructures existed to give everyone the opportunity to live in a healthy weight environment.

The Chair would like to see some work explored with the Planning department to impose restrictions and exclusion zones on areas that have oversubscribed fast food takeaways.

The Committee acknowledged it would be a challenge to engage fast food businesses to sell healthier options but agreed with the programme.

The Chair thanked Beth Wolfenden for her attendance and the presentation delivered.

Resolved –   (1) That Members from the Overview and Scrutiny Committee to be involved in the Childhood  ...  view the full minutes text for item 150.

To update Members of the Communities and Wellbeing Overview and Scrutiny Committee on the 12 month event programme following the Accrington Town Square refurbishment.

Recommended          - That the report be noted and any comments be submitted to the Executive Director (Environment).

Councillor Paul Cox (Deputy Leader and Environmental Services Portfolio Holder) and Steve Riley, Executive Director (Environment) submitted a report on the Review of Town Centres Events to provide an update to the Communities and Wellbeing Overview and Scrutiny Committee around the twelve-month event programme following the Town square refurbishment.

Members had submitted questions, in advance, to the officers concerned in respect of the following:

• In relation to attendance figures at events, how accurate are the statistics and how are these non-ticketed events calculated in terms of numbers.

• Are various vendors at events requested to keep prices down or set them to a minimum cost so families are not put off attending.

• For a food element of an event, could a local business at the top of Warner Street for example, be offered a discounted rate to bring their goods into the town square.

• British Cycling can visit a town and produce a health and safety risk assessment of a cycling route which would be signed off and insurance by them. Have they been approached to investigate this offer.

• Feedback suggests event insurance is a problem for community and charity groups, could a blanket insurance cover be used for all town centre events.

• Funding wise, £80,000 has been spent to date leaving only £110,000 for the next two years. Will there be a shortfall or is the aim to make future events self-funding.

• Have alternatives such as bus adverts been researched into the advertising of events apart from using social media.

• Have radio advertisements been purchased in the past and does the Council Press Officer link into the promotional side of events.

• Could a quarterly events poster be produced for all Hyndburn town centre shops and supermarkets (4 times a year) to promote what events are taking place in the next 3 months. Shopkeepers could be briefed on the details so they can talk to customers about it.

• Could a quarterly event leaflet be produced for all schools in the Borough.

• Scott Dawson Advertising have been used in the past for events, does feedback suggest their events are successful and provide real value for money compared with other organisations.

• What are the financial figures on sponsorships of events.

• Could the ‘My Hyndburn’ site be used as a marketing tool.

• How does the payment plan work, such as the final payment after an event, if it was cancelled.

Councillor Paul Cox, provided responses to the above advanced questions.

Members of the Committee referred to the following issues and requested more information on certain aspects of the Town Centre including insurance cover for voluntary groups when holding events in the Town Centre and what the event request form covers regarding terms and conditions and security. 

In addition, Councillor Patrick McGinley expressed concerns regarding the following issues:

-       Other townships were not receiving a share of the funding.

-       More transparency was required about sponsorship monies received.

-       Did the funding include the cost of security to events.

-       Promotion of the Town  ...  view the full minutes text for item 151.

To inform Members of the Communities and Wellbeing Overview and Scrutiny Committee on the latest information provided by The Abbeyfield Society in relation to consultations concerning the closure of Abbeyfield House (Oak Hill Mansion) located in Oak Hill Park, Accrington.

Recommended - That the letters be noted.

The chair referred to the two letters enclosed in the agenda from The Abbeyfield Society concerning its proposed closure of Oak Hill Mansion.

A number of advanced questions had been submitted to the Chief Executive from the Committee and the Committee will await a response.

Catherine Hooper and John Thompson attended the meeting on behalf of the Hyndburn Volunteer Committee of the Oakhill Mansion and the Chair invited them to discuss their thoughts and concerns around the proposed closure. 

The Committee had a discussion on the information Catherine had shared and how they could support. 

The Chair thanked them both for attending the meeting.

Resolved -    (1) That the additional questions be forwarded to the Chief Executive for a response; and

(2) That a meeting be arranged between the Chief Executive and Catherine Hooper and John Thompson.