Agenda item

To receive and consider the attached report of the Assistant Director (Citizens and Communities)

The Area Officer  presented a report of the Assistant Director (Citizens & Communities) which presented Members with a summary of key work which the Area Support Team has been engaged in based on priorities identified by the Community Committee that were not covered elsewhere on the agenda.

Led by Community Committee Champions, Members discussed the following:

Children & Young People

The Children’s and Families Sub Group will be reviewing applications for Youth Activities Funding on 19^th March. It was noted that 12,000 leaflets to be printed and circulated to help encourage more children into more activities.

Employment, Skills and Welfare

The Committee were informed that there will be a number of job opportunities coming to the Inner South due to developments such as the expansion of the White Rose Centre.

The Committee considered the request to ring fence £6,000 from the 2015/16 budget allocation to the Inner South Employment, Skills and Welfare Board to fund small programmes of partnership work or initiatives identified by the Board. Initiatives to be approved by Members.

The Committee were also informed about the Welfare Reform Workshop held on 4th December 2015 and discussed the need to prepare for possible future cuts to welfare benefits.

Environment and Community Safety

Members were informed about the push to get the Council to work geographical across boundaries.

The Committee noted the improvements to safety over the bonfire weekend as a result of the multi-agency co-ordinated Operation Flame.

Members were informed of the Community Committee workshop to be held on 19^th March, 6pm to 8pm, which will discuss the new Zonal working arrangements that share being implemented by the Environmental team.  An electronic invitation has been sent to all Inner South Members.

Health and Wellbeing

Staffing issues to support work in this area were noted.

Members were informed that efforts are ongoing to reduce the number of people using GPs who don’t necessarily need to and who could use other service available.

The South East Health and Well Being Partnership are planning to meet to discuss domestic violence which was inspired by the recent Community Committee workshop on the issue.

The South East Clinical Commissioning Group area in the process of developing a mental health strategy to help identify services that need to be improved.

Adult Social Care

The Committee were informed that the Older People’s Working Group was established o 13^th January 2015 where terms of reference were agreed.

The Committee noted the various activities available for older people in the area but that GP’s are not always aware of what exists. It was requested that all GP’s surgeries in the Inner South are be contacted and informed of the activities and support available to older people.

It was highlighted that there was already a coach full of people committed to attend the Older Persons Celebration Day on Thursday 5^th March 2015 at the Civic Hall, Leeds.

RESOLVED – The Committee resolved that:

(a)  That the report be noted;

(b)  £6,000 from the 2015/16 budget allocation be ringfenced to the Inner South Employment Skills & Welfare Board; and

(c)  All GP’s surgeries in the Inner South are be contacted and informed of the activities and support available to older people;