Agenda item

The Chairman and Strategic Engagements and Partnerships Manager will lead a discussion with councillors on local priorities and the action plan for 2024-2025, focusing on the themes emerging from the CAJSNA data, the results of the community survey and engagement with the ICB regarding a new medical centre. Suggested priorities are:

• Young People – Cllr Sam Pearce-Kearney

• Older People – Cllr Tom Rounds

• Environment – Cllr Robert MacNaughton

• Economy – Cllr Ian Thorn

• Transport – Cllr Ashley O’Neill

A video about the CAJSNA presented by Wiltshire Council’s Director of Public Health is available online.

The Strategic Engagement and Partnerships Manager (SEPM), Ros Griffiths, gave an overview of the Community Area Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (CAJSNA) in order to help the Area Board identify their priority goals for the forthcoming year. She reminded the Area Board that they had deferred consideration of the priority goals at the previous meeting to allow more time to consider the CAJSNA data. The data showed 140 different indicators spread across 10 different topics. She reported that 149 people in the community area had taken part in the consultation and had been asked to identify the topics they considered to be their greatest priority.  The five most popular priorities selected by the public were health, the environment, the cost of living, safety and older people. 

The Area Board then watched a video about the CAJSNA by Wiltshire Council’s Director of Public Health, Professor Kate Blackburn.

During the discussion, points included:

·         The Area Board thanked the SEPM for her presentation.

·         It was noted that, although the majority of respondents to the survey tended to be from older age groups, older people were only the fifth highest priority identified.

·         It was suggested that health could be included in the title of one of the Area Board’s priority areas, given that it was the highest priority identified in the consultation and that the Area Board were keen to use their influence to support a new medical practice in Calne.

·         The importance of setting achievable goals that aligned with the resources available to the Area Board was highlighted.

·         Cllr Tom Rounds observed that Calne Town Council had a high precept and that this might have been a contributary factor to cost of living pressures, such as the high number of children eligible for free school meals in Calne.

·         It was debated whether the title of the Area Board’s existing priority of addressing climate change could be expanded to encompass wider environmental issues.

·         The SEPM noted that an Area Board was unable to have more than five priority areas.

·         The possibility of including health as an issue cutting across all of the priorities was discussed but the Area Board felt that including health within the title of an existing priority was preferable to ensure that it was given greater prominence. 

·         The Area Board’s Older Person’s and Carer’s Champion, Dianne Gooch, said that she would welcome more information about when Calne would get a Neighbourhood Collaborative.

Cllr Ashley O’Neill left the meeting at 7:50pm, so did not participate in the votes on the priority areas.

On the proposal of Cllr Rounds, seconded by the Vice-Chairman, it was resolved to make the:

Decision

To adopt the following as the Area Board’s priority areas for 2024/25 and appoint the following lead member to drive forward those areas:

·         Supporting positive mental health and wellbeing in young people (Cllr Sam Pearce-Kearney)

·         Addressing climate change, the environment and natural resources (Cllr Robert MacNaughton)

·         Promoting health, wellbeing and combating social isolation in older and vulnerable people (Cllr Tom Rounds)

·         Promoting and Supporting Initiatives to address Economic Inequalities (Cllr Ian Thorn)

·         Addressing Highways/Transport Issues (Cllr Ashley O’Neill)

The Area Board were then invited to appoint lead members to their working groups associated with their priority areas. On the proposal of Cllr Rounds, seconded by the Vice-Chairman, it was resolved to make the:

Decision

To appoint lead members to the following working groups:

·         Air Quality/Environment Action Group (Cllr Robert MacNaughton)

·         Youth Forum (Cllr Sam Pearce-Kearney)

·         Health and Wellbeing (Cllr Tom Rounds)