Agenda item

Report attached.

Members considered a report of Councillor Sajid Mahmood, Portfolio Holder for Communities, Health and Wellbeing, onthe future provision of Weight Management Services in Hyndburn. 

Councillor Mahmood provided a brief introduction to the matter, in which he outlined the invitation from Lancashire County Council and the expression of interest from Hyndburn Borough Council and subsequent discussions.  He noted that levels of obesity in Lancashire were increasing and collaboration represented an opportunity to reshape the service locally.  It was proposed that Hyndburn Leisure would deliver these services on behalf of the Council.

In response to a question by Councillor Munsif Dad BEM JP, Councillor Mahmood confirmed that the contract with Hyndburn Leisure would be for one year only, for the reasons set out at Paragraph 3.9 of the report.

Councillor Noordad Aziz commented that if the scheme costing £66,770 catered for 200 people (as in 2022/23), this represented over £300 expenditure per person for a 12 week programme.  Given that Hyndburn Leisure offered various annual membership deals at cheaper prices, he asked if it would be possible for participants to receive a free annual membership as part of this programme.  Councillor Mahmood undertook to discuss this suggestion with Lyndsey Sims, Chief Executive of Hyndburn Leisure.  Councillor Mohammed Younis spoke in favour of the provision as outlined in the report, and added that if more could be achieved within the funding available this too would be welcomed.

Approval of the report was not considered to be a key decision.

Reasons for Decision

In early 2023, Lancashire County Council had invited the 12 District Councils to submit expressions of interest to collaborate with the County on the future delivery of weight management services across Lancashire. The Council (alongside all the other Districts) had submitted its expression of interest and had been in discussions since then over future delivery of the service.

The levels of obese and overweight adults and children in Lancashire continued to increase and working collaboratively provided the opportunity to reshape and redesign the service in Hyndburn.  In Hyndburn, 71.7% of adults were overweight or obese.  In children, the figure was 24.6% for reception year and 42.4% for Year 6.  All of these were significantly higher than the Lancashire and National averages.

Since the transfer of public health services from NHS to Local Authority, Councils in Lancashire had provided Tier 2 weight management services, tackling obesity with community-based support.  These programs typically ran for around 12 weeks and often operated in group settings.  Participants would receive expert guidance on diet, nutrition, and lifestyle changes, with a strong focus on behaviour change generally centred around exercise.

These programmes empowered individuals to manage their weight, improve their well-being, and reduce their risk of weight-related health issues.  Though limited in duration, they acted as a crucial springboard for lasting change, helping individuals to find their footing on the path to a healthier life.

Locally, Tier 2 Weight Management Services had been delivered by Hyndburn Leisure since 2016, initially via procurement by LCC and more recently appointed by Hyndburn Borough Council to deliver the services on this Council’s behalf.  The current agreement between LCC and Hyndburn Borough Council, and reciprocal agreement between Hyndburn Borough Council and Hyndburn Leisure would expire on 31^st March 2024.

LCC had now taken the decision to collaborate directly with District Councils for the delivery of a new weight management service for the next 5 years.  District Councils could deliver services in house or appoint a provider to deliver the service on their behalf.  The new service would combine weight management with PASTA (Play and Skills at Teatime Activities), a programme currently commissioned by LCC and delivered by Hyndburn Leisure which aimed to encourage and empower families to make choices to lead a healthier lifestyle through participation in an active play and cooking session.  Participants prepared and ate/or took home a nutritious and budget conscious family meal each week, and had the opportunity to understand the importance of good nutrition and physical activity.

The Council did not have the resources or expertise to deliver the service in house and, therefore, would have to appoint a provider to deliver the service on its behalf.

Hyndburn Leisure had a proven track record of delivering weight management services, and in 2022/23 over 200 adults had completed their 12 week programme (third highest in Lancashire) and had the staff resource and expertise required to deliver the new service going forward.

The report recommended that the Council waived its Contract Procedure rules to appoint Hyndburn Leisure to deliver the new service from 1^st April 2024 for one year for the following reasons:

• Proven track record of weight management service delivery since 2016 and PASTA service delivery since 2023;
• Time and resources required for the Council to go to full tender for this service would not allow for the service to be up and running by 1^st April 2023;
• Potential TUPE implications involving Hyndburn Leisure staff currently delivering the service; and
• The pending review on the most appropriate model for delivering Leisure Services within Hyndburn that would be undertaken over the next 3 to 4 months (Cabinet decision on 6^th December 2023) meant it would be prudent to only enter into a 1 year agreement for the delivery of the service at present, rather than the full 5 years.

Alternative Options considered and Reasons for Rejection

Cabinet could choose not to agree to collaborate with Lancashire County Council for the provision of Weight Management Services from 1^st April 2024 – This was rejected as it would put a vital service used by residents of Hyndburn at risk.

Cabinet could choose not to agree to waive Contract Procedure rules to appoint Hyndburn Leisure to deliver the service on the Council’s behalf from 1^st April 2024 for one year – This was rejected for the reasons mentioned in paragraph 3.9 of the report.

Cabinet could decide to deliver the service in house – this was rejected due to lack of resource and expertise to deliver the service directly.

Resolved                                 (1)   That Cabinet agrees to enter into a collaboration agreement with Lancashire County Council for the provision of Weight Management Services in Hyndburn from 1^st April 2024 until 31^st March 2029;

(2)   That Cabinet accepts the £66,770 annual grant for the delivery of Weight Management Services from Lancashire County Council;

(3)   That Cabinet agrees to waive the Council’s Contract Procedure Rules to appoint Hyndburn Leisure to deliver Weight Management Services on behalf of the Council for 1 year from 1^st April 2024 to 31^st March 2025 for a fee of £66,770; and

(4)   That Cabinet agrees to delegate authority to the Executive Director (Resources) to negotiate and agree all terms relating to the above.