Decision details

Upon the invitation of the Chair, the Group Head of Community Wellbeing presented the report which provided an update to Members on the Arun Local Community Network (LCN), the local grouping of Primary Care Networks encouraged to work in partnership in order to better and more sustainably achieve common goals of addressing local health inequalities and wellbeing related issues. He drew Members’ attention to two key points – the proposal to replace the Arun Wellbeing and Health Partnership with the Arun Local Community Network, and that the Local Community Network operated at a District level and could therefore identify and prioritise the issues which were most relevant to our communities. In Arun, the poorest health outcomes were to be found in the areas of highest deprivation and for this reason the initial focus of the Local Community Network would be Courtwick with Toddington and Bersted.

Members then took part in a full debate on the item where a number of points were raised including:

·       the importance of having identified the areas of our community that initially needed the most help, and then how the programme might role out and expand

·       the involvement of local GPs within the Local Community Network

·       the commitment needed from the representative of the Committee on the Arun Local Community Network board

·       the nomination of Cllr Mrs Cooper as the Committee’s representative on the Arun Local Community Network board, with Cllr Daniells as deputy

·       the potential of the project and thanks given to the Officer team for their work on it so far

·       whether other partners, in particular West Sussex County Council, were matching the financial contributions made by Arun

The Group Head of Community Wellbeing and the Communities and Wellbeing Manager provided Members with responses to all points raised during the debate. It was confirmed that work had been done with different partners in the Health sector and County Council to really look at what the local health inequalities were in the targeted areas, as well as get to know the other partners in the network and what each’s roles, responsibilities and contributions were. The work done so far was a good foundation upon which to mobilise on-the-ground action.

The recommendations, amended to reflect Cllr Mrs Cooper’s nomination as the Committee’s representative, were then proposed and seconded.

The Committee

          RESOLVED that

1.    The annual Wellbeing Grant Fund of £5,000 be allocated to the Arun Local Community Network board to be distributed in line with its priorities

2.    The Arun Wellbeing and Health Partnership be replaced by the Arun Local Community Network partnership

3.    Cllr Mrs Cooper be nominated to the Arun Local Community Network board as representative of the Housing and Wellbeing Committee