Agenda and minutes

There were no apologies for absence submitted to the meeting.

Councillor Kate Walsh declared a non-disclosable interest in item 4 – Childhood Obesity and Healthy Weight Declaration due to her involvement in a funding bid for the Food Active Project and her work with Hyndburn Food Bank.  She remained in the meeting and took part in the determination of the item.

To submit the Minutes of the Communities and Wellbeing Overview & Scrutiny Committee held on 8^th July 2021 for approval as a correct record.

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

The Minutes of the last meeting of the Communities and Wellbeing Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 8^th July 2021 were submitted for approval as a correct record.

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

Nicola Calder, Emily Whyman and Paula Cooper (Senior Public Health Practitioner – Public Health, Lancashire County Council) to give a presentation on Childhood Obesity and Healthy Weight Declarations. 

Recommended                     -   That the Committee agree the recommendations as set out in the report.

Nicola Calder and Emily Whyman (Food Active) and Paula Cooper (Senior Public Health Practitioner, Lancashire County Council) gave a presentation on the Local Healthy Weight Declaration.  The following issues were discussed:

HPHF Programme

Unhealthy Weight: a public health priority

Planning Lever

Social Movement

Recipe 4 Health

System Leadership

The Whole Systems Approach to Obesity – July 19

The Local Authority Declaration on Healthy Weight

What are Local Authority Declarations for?

Leadership and Communication are key to Success.

Review and Refresh – July 2020

Opportunities

HWD Covid-19 & Inequalities

The 16 Commitments

Lancashire County Council:  Healthy Weight Declaration

Challenges

What is in the Local Authority Gift?

Action on Core Commitments Based on Local Priorities?

What is in the Local Authority Gift?

They explained that there was concern about the growing rate of obesity in children, gave context around a health weight and provided information on the impact of an unhealthy weight on children’s health and wellbeing.  They referred to the consequential funding of a 3 year project (Regional Healthy Weight Programme). 

Members asked questions about the following issues:

-       A lack of support and encouragement for breastfeeding and fewer green spaces for children to enjoy and be active

-       Antisocial behaviour from teenagers and a tendency to snack on junk food

-       Suggested guided walks on school routes followed by healthy breakfasts. 

-       Difficulties of Foodbanks having a supply of healthy foods to hand out.

The Overview and Scrutiny Officer reported on how the Council was already taking action and was giving consideration to future strategies but, he pointed out, the Council would have to give further consideration before committing to sign the Declaration. 

Resolved                           (1)   That the Communities and Wellbeing Overview and Scrutiny Committee makes the following recommendations to Cabinet:

·         That Cabinet agrees to support the principles of the Healthy Weight Declaration and Lancashire County Council’s Commitment as the Upper Tier Authority responsible for Public Health in Hyndburn;

·         That Cabinet shows its commitment to reducing obesity in Hyndburn by maintaining the actions detailed as follows:

- Support action at national level to help local authorities promote healthy weight and reduce health inequalities in our communities by promoting national healthy weight campaign messages through our social media channels;

- Maintain supplementary planning guidance for hot food takeaways around schools with a restriction zone of 400 m radius around all schools in the Borough.  New hot food takeaways will not be supported within these areas, except when located in a defined town of local centre, or controls on the hours of operation area implemented to help reduce the likelihood of young people visiting.

- Use planning policy where possible to support health and wellbeing and create development that encourages physical activity and active travel.

- Continue our approach to enabling and promoting active travel for staff and visitors whilst providing staff with opportunities to be physically active through the promoting of stair use, cycle to work scheme and subsidised leisure access.

- Encourage partners who operate catering from Council owned buildings to offer  ...  view the full minutes text for item 110.

To update the Committee on the Statutory Prevent Duty placed on the Council as per the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015 and review the minimum standard requirements for Local Authorities and the local governance in place to help reduce the threat to the UK from terrorism.

Recommended                 (1)   That the Committee endorse and support the approach being taken in Hyndburn to meet the requirements of the Prevent duty; and

                                            (2)   That the Committee provides comments on the next steps.

The Policy Manager submitted a report to update the Committee on the Statutory Prevent Duty placed on the Council as per the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015 and review the minimum standard requirements for Local Authorities and the local governance in place to help reduce the threat to the UK from terrorism.  He explained that the aim was to try and safeguard those most at risk and how referred to how they intended to do this.  He outlined features to identify individuals most attracted to terrorism and the work that Prevent did to prevent or reduce this risk.  He referred to the action plans being put in place across East Lancashire and policies adopted by Hyndburn.  He recommended that the report be endorsed and supported and invited comments from the Committee.

Members commented on the following issues:

-       Concern that right-wing views were not taken seriously enough.

-       Concern that the impact of the pandemic had increased social isolation and put greater reliance on social media making individuals more susceptible to influences of terrorism.

-       If the level threat was higher in Lancashire

The Policy Manager reported Counter-terrorism did take right wing views seriously and took action on this where appropriate.  He explained that many referrals came from schools but figures had not risen during the time of the pandemic and had even gone down.  The UK level threat was a national figure. 

Resolved                           (1)   That the Communities and Wellbeing Overview and Scrutiny Committee endorse and support the approach being taken in Hyndburn to meet the requirements of the Prevent duty; and

                                            (2)   That the comments of the Member of the Communities and Wellbeing Overview and Scrutiny Committee be noted.