Agenda and minutes

There were no apologies for absence

RESOLVED that Councillor D Maycock was elected as Vice-Chair of the Committee.

(Moved by Councillor C Dean and seconded by Councillor D Cook)

To receive the Minutes of the previous meeting on the 18^th April 2023 and the meeting on the 28^th March 2023.

The minutes of the previous meeting held on 28^th March 2023 were approved and signed as a correct record

(Moved by Councillor D Maycock and seconded by Councillor R Claymore)

The minute of 18^th April 2023 were approved and signed as a correct record.

(Moved by Councillor D Maycock and seconded by Councillor  R Claymore)

There were no Declarations of Interest.

The Chair asked Councillor Maycock to update on the Staffordshire Health Scrutiny Committee that he attended.

·         Cllr Maycock attended meeting in Stafford regarding healthcare provision and access to primary care in Staffordshire.  Integrated Care Board/CCG outlined a 2yr programme to get to grips with what is required.  Next meeting will have regional data around dentists accepting new patients – currently contractual problems.  

·         Improvements seen in primary care but still more to do.  Plan is to ensure Triaging on first call to the service.  Attendance has gone up by 11% since Mar 2019 but seeing peaks at 43% higher than March last year.  There was a discussion around utilising existing building spaces and bringing them back into use.

·         There was a discussion on developing healthy lifestyles - commended Officers and Members on their engagement with this initiative.

·         Cllr Clements reiterated that access to primary care needs to be our focus.  Issue with lack of GPs - both Borough and County wide. 

·         Cllr Cook stated that Tamworth has an older age profile of GPs which causes concern. 

·         Cllr Oates suggested that Pharmacists in other areas were seeing more people and will obtain additional details to ascertain whether this would be a way to ease some of the problems with access to GPs.  

·         Cllr Bain stated that another issue identified is that of inadequate nutrition.

(Update on responses to the Reports of the Health & Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee)

The Chair updated that the following recommendations were made to Cabinet on 27^th April 2023.

RESOLVED that the Committee make the following recommendations:

1. That Cabinet explore the allocation of contingency funds to adequately resource and fund the cleaning of the Castle Grounds toilets, with sufficient cleaning allocated to weekends and holiday periods.
2. That Cabinet explore with Officers the Community Toilet Scheme with local businesses.
3. That Cabinet continue with the current daily (7 day a week, 9-5pm) opening of the Castle Grounds toilets and explore extending the opening hours during the summer period to 7pm in the evening.
4. That Cabinet explore the installation of an intercom in the Changing Facilities.

           (Moved by Councillor D Maycock and seconded by Councillor R Claymore)

Councillor Oates asked for more detail on the recommendations and asked for context as to what is a sufficient level of cleaning in comparison to what is already delivered.  Also, in terms of the community toilet scheme we have had many conversations with businesses over the years about toilets so it would be interesting to have more information on that scheme.  Happy to take those recommendations and have a conversation later on.  

Cabinet made the following recommendations.

Following an update from the Chair on possible members’ mental wellbeing support scheme, the Committee:

RESOLVED:  to recommend to Cabinet that a member benefit scheme in terms of mental wellbeing support only be considered.

(Moved by Councillor D Maycock and seconded by Councillor J Wadrup)

The Chair will discuss with Cabinet and bring back to committee

(Discussion item)

No new item

(To receive the Digest from Staffordshire County Council’s Health and Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee and an update from County Councillor T Jay)

No update received

(Report of the Assistant Director - Partnerships)

Report of the Assistant Director, Partnerships on the Housing Strategy Quarterly Update (January-March 2023) to update the Committee on actions within the Tamworth Borough Council Housing Strategy to 31 March 2023 which directly impact on health and wellbeing of Tamworth communities.

The update included non-statutory parts of the Housing Strategy that brings together all areas of housing in quarterly updates on housing-related issues impacting on wellbeing.  It contains:

-          Planning and affordable housing information

-          More advice to the public on energy-saving ideas during the cost of living crisis

-          Details of funding for Tamworth residents - GPs can also make referrals on behalf of those with relevant health-related conditions. 

-          Licensing standards for HMOs – a few more highlighting some issues with compliance

-          ‘Beat the Cold’ report including figures from Tamworth Advice Centre which experienced a significant increase in calls

-          Housing Service Team support for the homelessness and those claiming benefits

-          Initial details of inspections for private landlords in the private sector housing market

-          An update on our housing stock and repairs service (especially damp and mould)

-          Details of ECO4 obligation on energy suppliers to promote low-efficiency homes at a required threshold

-          A strategy for the homeless and those sleeping rough

-          Disabled Facilities Grants were brought back in-house in April

-          Dementia-friendly community alliance - direct support now ceased, however Cllr Clements championed the benefits of the alliance

Members sought information on the following.

·         Why is the Dementia Friendly Alliance ceasing -  The Alzheimer’s Society have announced that they wont be continuing to support Dementia Friendly Communities but Tamworth Borough Council will continue to support

·         Looking at communications for private tenants – JS confirmed we have an obligation to ensure that landlords and tenants are kept informed.  Looking to re-start the Landlord forum. 

·         EC04 the threshold of £31,000 is this a Government standard.  It is a household income and the heat service advise and pass information to TBC which goes through to Ofcom before we sign off.

·         Concerns were raised on the 3-month figure that suggested 6% of Council properties suffered damp/mould issues.  Regular condition surveys were undertaken on our current housing stock to identify properties at most risk of damp and mould.

·         Health Issues with damp and mould is any data held on adult/breathing problems.  No information held but as part of the Health Inequalities Board Policies each district and Borough will have two wards where data and medical issues will be gathered, wards will chosen on deprivation.

·         Councillors agreed that the quarterly updates should be used for information and decide from the each quarter report what items to build into the work programme.   

Please see the link to the Forward Plan:

Browse plans - Cabinet, 2023 :: Tamworth Borough Council

The committee requested the following to be discussed at the meeting on 11^th July

Armed forces Covenant

Anker Valley Sports Complex

The CPR & Defibrillator working group consisting of Councillors Maycock and Kingstone to give a talk to a later committee

To the Health & Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee Work Plan

Members agreed to add the following to the workplan:

Damp and Mould Housing Issues

Impact on Residents after the closure of George Bryan Centre