Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor A Wells and P Turner.

The minutes of the previous meeting held on 16^th July 2024 were approved as a correct record.

(Moved by Councillor S Doyle and seconded by Councillor P Pallett)

There were none.

The  last meeting of the County Health and Care Overview and Scrutiny was held on the 17^th July and 29^th July and the minutes and recording are available online. The next meeting is due to be held on the 23^rd September, details have been shared by Democratic Services.

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

There were none.

(Discussion item)

There were none.

(To receive the Digest from Staffordshire County Council’s Health and Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee and an update from County Councillor J Jones)

The Chair encouraged the Committee to read the digest and highlighted that it noted seven deliverables and two key priorities whilst reporting a £91 million deficit and would like to know how these are going to be delivered in the difficult financial services. The Chair advised that as the County representative was not able to attend that he would ask this in writing before the next meeting.

(Report of the Portfolio Holder for Housing, Homelessness and planning/Assistant Director, Partnerships)

The Chair welcome the Portfolio Holder for Housing and Planning and the Safer Communities and Homes Manager to update the Committee on actions within the Tamworth Borough Council Housing Strategy to 30 June 2024 which directly impact on health and wellbeing of Tamworth communities.

The Portfolio Holder introduced the report highlighting that this was a bi-annual report as requested by the Committee in January. A new contractor had been appointed to undertake work on the new strategy for 2025 – 2030 before handing over to the Safer Communities and Homes Manager who provided a summary of the five priorities.

The Committee made the following comments/observations and asked the following questions:

1.     Acknowledged the Council is taking a comprehensive approach to fuel poverty and congratulated them on this.

2.     Whether any of the priorities are more important? And if they are all equal, how is progress monitored and if progress is not as expected, how this is addressed?

It was confirmed that all of the priorities were equal.

For internal services there are monthly performance monitoring processes in place. Some areas are delivered by third parties, however in these cases there are quarterly performance meetings to check expected progress and if this in not on track, they are given the opportunity to get back on track, but if that is not achievable funding can be clawed back and they look at reallocating the service.

Community Home Solutions (CHS) who are commissioned as HEAT(Home Energy Advice Tamworth) who are now delivering the service previously delivered by Beat The Cold are met on a monthly basis due to being new to the contract.

(Briefing Note – Report of the Assistant Director, Partnerships)

The Chair of Committee introduced report of the Assistant Director, Partnerships to update the Committee on the Armed Forces Covenant plan discussed at the Committee on 16 July 2024.

The Portfolio Holder highlighted that this is a briefing note following the concerns of the Committee discussed at the meeting in July highlighting that the budget change to agree to grant the Royal British Legion £1000 for the hiring of the castle lower lawn was not put in place, so the cost has been waived.

The Committee discussed the possibility of having a Member Champion in addition to the Member lead and agreed to recommend that whilst there are serving veterans on the Council, that there is a Member Champion appointed who is a veteran.

It was noted that the Constitution currently only allows for Member as Champions.

To provide any update on any working groups

The Chair asked that further to the previous decision to set up a working group to look at Disabled Facilities Grants, they would like to focus to be on making a case to reduce inequalities in allocations across the borough and asked for volunteers for the group.

The group was established as Cllrs C Bain, M Bailey, S Doyle and H Hadley.

(Discussion item – link to the Forward Plan attached)

Browse plans - Cabinet, 2024 :: Tamworth Borough Council

There are no new items to be added from the Forward Plan.

It was requested by the Committee that the order of the agenda is amended in future to consider the work plan before this item. The Chair agreed with this request.

(Discussion Item - To review the Health & Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee Work Plan)

The Committee received the workplan and requested the following items be added to the work plan for consideration –

Damp and Mould Update

Pension credit/Changes to the Winter Fuel Allowance

The Chair closed the meeting at 6:48pm.