Agenda item

(To receive a report by Councillor Mrs W Bowkett, Chairman of the Housing, Health and Care Delivery Group, and Semantha Neal, Chief Commissioning Officer, which highlights the progress made against the objectives in the Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy Housing and Health delivery plan)

Consideration was given to a report by Councillor Wendy Bowkett, Chairman of the Housing, Health and Care Delivery Group which highlighted progress made against the objectives in the Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy Housing and Health delivery plan.  It was reported that good progress had been made, setting the foundations for concerted, joint action by a range of partners who would meet during the autumn to develop and extend the delivery plan, with a focus on accelerating progress.

The Health and Wellbeing Board was guided through the report and members were provided with the opportunity to ask questions to the officers present in relation to the information contained within the report and some of the points raised during discussion included the following:

·         When the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) was out for consultation, one issue that was repeated was the need for good quality housing, and it was subsequently made a priority.  Districts were asked to lead, and the Health and Wellbeing Board was grateful for all the work they had done as well as taking on the challenge and working with colleagues and districts.

·         It was commented that there was some good work taking place.

·         The importance of incorporating green spaces into new build estates was highlighted as a person's environment could affect their wellbeing.

·         A single point of contact for DFG's was proposed as people often went to the County Council or were referred through occupational health, rather than going to the district council.  The aim was to make it easier for people to understand. 

·         One councillor highlighted that they had carried out a piece of work in relation to new builds, to determine what the costs were to make slightly wider doorways, lower windows etc., and it was found that the costs would be negligible.  It was queried whether anyone had adopted this.  It was noted that it was dependent on who was building the houses. 

·         The district and county councils had a duty to ensure that any planning permission was granted appropriately.  It was queried whether there was anything to prevent planning authorities from specifying that new builds had to incorporate features such as wider doorways and corridors.  It was noted that houses were predominantly built by private developers and so there was a market element involved.  It was also noted that the government policy was that if there were no planning objections then the permission should be granted.  This was not something which could prevent a development from going ahead.

·         It was highlighted that there were people who had spent their whole life in the same house and community, and if they were able to adapt their property they would be able to stay in their own home for much longer.  Planning rules did not always support the development of a range of new properties, for example in a small village, which might enable someone to remain there in later life.

·         There was a need to ensure that houses were designed around being homes for life.  It was a very simple thing to accomplish, if it was incorporated into the building process at the right time.

RESOLVED

1.    That the report and progress made to date be noted.

2.    That the direction of travel to further develop the Housing and Health priority delivery plan be supported.