Agenda item - Presentation - Housing, Neighbourhoods and Communities, Work to Implement the Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy

Presentation - Implementation of the Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy.

Presentation by the Executive Director, Housing, Neighbourhoods and Communities on the HCN’s work to implement the City Health and Wellbeing Strategy.

43.1    The Interim Director, Housing, Neighbourhoods and Communities, Rachael Sharpe, gave a presentation detailing her the work being carried out by her department to implement the City Health and Wellbeing Strategy.

43.2    The Interim Director explained that her department had a broad remit covering housing which included council housing, housing strategy, housing supply, private sector housing temporary accommodation, homelessness and travellers. Also, the Libraries and Information Service, Safer Communities, which included Environmental Health, Licensing, Trading Standards, Emergency Planning, Prevent, the ASB and Casework Team, Domestic Violence Services and Field Officers. The Communities, Equalities and Third Sector Team led on community engagement and collaboration and led on the council’s equality duties, community and voluntary sector commissioning and support. The importance of libraries in providing a conduit for community engagement was emphasised as was the role of the Community Safety Team in seeking to monitor and  provide support and advice in concert with other partners and agencies in order to combat domestic violence.

43.3    In answer to questions it was explained how the new homelessness strategy dovetailed with the overall housing strategy and that there was an emphasis on support strategies and early intervention. The council had plans in place to provide 700 new housing units and had measures in place in order to foster the private rented sector too.

43.4    In answer to questions by Councillors Bagaeen and Moonan the on-going work which was continuing notwithstanding the current pandemic and initiatives which would be refreshed and updated when the current situation lifted. The Director of Public Health explained how the departmental initiatives dovetailed with the council’s overall strategy and with the 4 wells.

43.5    RESOLVED – That the contents of the presentation be noted and received.