Agenda item

To provide an update on the work the seven District Councils in Lincolnshire have undertaken collaboratively to develop the Lincolnshire District Councils’ Health and Wellbeing Strategy, and to consider the adoption of the Strategy as a framework to improve health and wellbeing across Lincolnshire, working closely with partners in the public, private and voluntary sector.

The Cabinet Member for People and Safer Communities presented the report.

As part of the Council’s response to Covid-19, the seven Lincolnshire Districts developed a culture of working closely together to identify and address challenges. Since then, the Districts had continued to imbed the collective approach with a particular focus on the role of the District Council’s in addressing health inequalities across our communities.

The Lincolnshire Health and Wellbeing Strategy was first developed in May 2021 and was structured around 5 key areas: housing and homelessness, activity and wellbeing, environment and climate, economic inclusion, and community engagement.

The District’s developed a collaborative working group with the lead for each of the lever areas. This provided the basis for engagement and action with other colleagues in the health system. As a working group that leads to meet regularly and work together in developing high-level action plans, acting as a framework to enable individual Districts to create their local action plan, specific to their unique situation and needs.

South Kesteven District Council, along with other District Council’s across Lincolnshire, were eager to mechanising and harnessing the role in influencing the health outcomes of our population. This could be done through the many key roles the Council plays in service delivery, utilising assets and facilities, working with communities and relationships with partners influencing and driving change in our local places.

It was confirmed that there were no current financial implications at this stage.

One Member queried the budget allocation if the strategy was adopted and how it would be incorporated with the Council’s work.

The Corporate Project Officer confirmed that the purpose of the strategy was to imbed the overall framework into the Council’s existing services. The Council had met with the Lincolnshire County Council NHS Lincs Integrated Care Board and Lincs Partnership NHS Trust to receive their input and to work collaboratively in the future.

The high-level action plan was detailed in developing the bespoke local plan, focus areas would be around those achievable and deliverable.

Members commended all Officer’s involved.

One Member queried as to whether the recommending to Cabinet that the Lincolnshire District Councils’ Health and Wellbeing Strategy is adopted to provide a framework for improving health and wellbeing across the County was beyond the remit of the Committee.

The Cabinet Member for People and Safer Communities noted that the adoption of the strategy was across the partnership of the whole seven Districts. Recommendation 1 was due to be recommended for adoption at all seven District Council’s.

One Member suggested that as part of the strategy, Officers identify gaps that cannot be controlled or actioned due to the lack of power over the seven Districts.

It was proposed, seconded and AGREED that the Rural and Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee recommends to Cabinet:

1. The Lincolnshire District Councils’ Health and Wellbeing Strategy is adopted to provide a framework for improving health and wellbeing across the County working in partnership with other District Council’s.

2. The Council commits to continuing to work with district partners to deliver the high-level action plan which has been developed to accompany the Lincolnshire District Councils’ Health and Wellbeing Strategy. 95 Agenda Item 12

3. A bespoke local action plan, specific to the South Kesteven District, is developed to maximise the impact of the Lincolnshire District Councils’ Health and Wellbeing Strategy on health and wellbeing outcomes at a local level.