Agenda item

The Executive Member (Early Intervention) and the Director (Early Intervention and Support) will be attending the meeting.

The Chair of the Performance Panel welcomed Councillor Beverley Murray, Executive Member (Early Intervention) and Jamie Carson, Director (Early Intervention) to the meeting.

A selection of corporate and local performance measures for the Early Intervention and Support directorate had been provided at appendix 1 of the report. Performance at quarter 3 2016/17 was generally positive, with the majority of indicators rated green and exceeding target. Performance in relation to leisure centre visits was particularly strong for both young and older people, with a 5.4% and 10.7% increase respectively in visits compared to last year. Indicators rated off track were mainly related to volunteering and also proactive housing inspections with fewer inspections completed compared to the same time last year.

The proactive housing inspection service introduced in 2015 with very positive take up had helped build a strong picture of the quality of private rented sector properties.  The Council has continued to offer proactive inspections to housing benefit claimants in private rented properties.  However, take up was at the discretion of the claimant and once a property had been inspected, the Council would not re-contact until after that period, which may explain why there had been fewer inspections this year.

The Executive Member (Early Interventions) gave further background to the report which included –

Volunteering

The report indicated that the number of new volunteers recruited was off track against target and lower than the same time last year, and the number of groups signed up to Chorley Time Credits was also off track against the target, but had increased compared to the same time last year.  The Executive Member (Early Intervention) reassured the Performance Panel that there was no need for concern.  The majority of existing groups and volunteers had already signed up to Chorley Time Credits which would take account of the targets not being met. 

The number of hours earned through volunteering increased by 47%.  It was felt that this was reflective of the success of the Time Credits earn and spend model with new incentives for people to keep contributing their time.  The next step was to encourage groups to extend the services they provide, with support from the Council, to encourage new volunteers.

In response to questions raised by the Performance Panel, the Executive Member (Early Intervention) clarified –

·      The purpose of Time Credits was to reward those who volunteered their time.

·      Volunteers would also qualify for Time Credits for ‘one-off’ events such as community clean up days.

·      Spending Time Credits offers opportunities for health and wellbeing activities for volunteers to enjoy.

·      Time Credits earned in Chorley can be spent in other areas of the country.

·      Time Credits were actively promoted by the VCFS.  It was also understood that community centres promoted the use of Time Credits. However, community centres and anywhere that brought groups together would be checked to ensure that Time Credits was being promoted.  

·      The data recorded in the report did not include those people who volunteered but did not claim Time Credits.

The Director (Early Intervention and Support) added that peoples’ perceptive of volunteering was vastly underestimated; in the last survey about volunteering it was clear that many people regularly undertook voluntary  activates, but did not considering themselves as a volunteer (ie ‘running the line at their child’s football matches, or helping an elderly neighbour)

Neighbourhoods.  

In 2016/17 there was twenty two neighbourhood priority projects completed within the 8 neighbourhood areas, which were delivered in partnership with local communities and key partners.

For 2017/18 there are 24 new neighbourhood preferred projects had been proposed. The projects included planting schemes, footpath improvements and work to support families with healthy meals and financial management.

     The Executive Member (Early Intervention) stated that the majority of projects brought to the neighbourhood area meetings were based on environmental improvements, which was understandable as many residents wanted this type of improvement to their neighbourhood.  However, neighbourhood areas should also consider initiatives/projects which would improve the health and wellbeing of residents.

     During debate, there was a consensus that parish council’s should be encouraged to use Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) monies that had been awarded to them to fund or contribute towards funding the preferred projects.  This would allow the delivery of more ambitious projects that would make a real impact in their neighbourhood and improve the lives of residents.  The Director (Early Intervention and Support) added that the use of CIL monies could also be used to provide transport solutions for young people in their parish to attend the Youth Zone regularly. 

Integrated Community Wellbeing 

The Performance Panel was reminded that the Integrated Community Wellbeing Service was established in April 2017 and was being developed over three phases:

1.   Enabling

2.   Transformation

3.   Evaluation

The enabling phase had now largely been completed this involved the refurbishment of two floors of the Union Street offices. The move was successful and approximately 120 Lancashire Care staff was now collocated with 50 Chorley Council staff.  All staff where working to the Council’s WorkSmart principles including paperless office spaces, and a directory of services had been created to help give teams an understanding of the various services within Integrated Community Wellbeing.

The commencement of phase 2 had already begun with the focus being on transforming and integrating the service.  This involved further internal communications and staff engagement as well as integration work-streams to improve delivery and reduce duplication across both Chorley Council and LCFT services through streamlining the process improvement,  Phase 2 would also develop new ways of working based on learning from the work of the Chorley Public Service Reform Partnership.

The Executive Member (Early Intervention) explained the purpose of the service was to help communities to thrive, stay healthy and remain housed.  It was also about finding a solution(s) to whole situations that a resident finds themselves in rather than targeting only part of the problem.  The Integrated Wellbeing Services was taking the learning from pilot projects that had taken place, and rolling them out throughout the borough.  By doing this, it was envisaged more people would get help at an earlier stage, stopping them from reaching crisis point.

Monitoring reports will be presented to the Executive Cabinet and the Integrated Community Wellbeing Board, of which the Executive Member (Early Intervention) is a member.  The main targets being monitored included –

·      Measures of health and wellbeing

·      Self-assessment framework (to ascertain what additional assistance had been given beyond the original request)

The Performance Panel was reminded that a Member Learning Session would be taking place on Monday, 3 July 2017 the aim of which was to provide members with an update on the development of the Integrated Community Wellbeing Services.

AGREED – That the report be noted, and that elected members are reminded of the Member Learning Session taking place on the 3 July on the topic of the Integrated Community Wellbeing Services through InTheKnow.