Agenda item

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 healthy options.

-Through our work with partners notably Hyndburn Leisure, encourage residents to be physically active through use of leisure facilities and outdoor spaces.

                                (2)   That the Communities and Wellbeing Overview Committee review the item on ‘Healthy Weight Declaration’ again in 6-12 months’ time, giving particular consideration to there being sufficient capacity to act upon the Declaration.