Resolved: That Cllr. Lowe be appointed as Chairman of the Committee for the ensuing municipal year.

 (Cllr. Lowe in the Chair)

Resolved: That Cllr. Parkin  be appointed as Vice-Chairman of the Committee for the ensuing municipal year.

Any interests not already registered

There were no additional declarations of interest.

The Portfolio Holder explained that she had only been in post for a few weeks and would therefore be providing a verbal update at this meeting but that a written updated would be provided with the agenda papers for future meetings.

The MP for Tonbridge, Edenbridge and Malling, Tom Tugendhat had indicated that he was hoping to make Edenbridge a Dementia Friendly Town.

Cllr Pearsall provided an update on “Dementiaville”, a Chanel 4 documentary that looked at the support provided to families caring for people with dementia.  The series had started on 4^th June and was available on 4 on demand.

The Committee also discussed the advances that had been made in Swanley in terms of Dementia and the work done by Cllr Searles.  It was suggested that Cllr Searles should be invited to provide an update at a future meeting and that a site visit could be arranged to Swanley to see the work that was being done.

The Portfolio Holder reported that on 9^th July 2015 she would be attending a Natural Ways to Wellbeing Workshop if any other Members wished to attended the Portfolio Holder would be happy to provide further details.

The Chief Officer for Housing provided an overview of the Housing Service which had responsibility for the following areas:

·         Housing Policy – formulating strategy and policies through consultation, under-occupation of social housing and working with organisations to deliver affordable housing.  The Housing Policy Team also worked closely with Moat Housing to deliver shared ownership schemes.

·         Energy Efficiency – the Council’s new Switch and Save initiative had enable local people to save in total £18,000 to date with the average household saving being £260 per annum.

·         Housing Advice and the HERO Service – housing advice and the prevention of homelessness.  The HERO Service, a holistic, predominantly outreach service that had proven to be very successful in preventing homelessness.  The service had been completely funded from external funding and, more recently, by the income the service had generated.  The Team also reviewed the Housing Register managed by WKHA and oversaw temporary accommodation.

·         Housing Standards – Homes with multiple occupation, ensuring homes meet minimum standards, Discretionary Grants to Landlords to enable them to accredit their properties and welfare funerals.

The Health and Community Services Manager provided an overview of her areas of responsibility which included:

·         Improving health and wellbeing and reducing health inequalities; and

·         Provision of leisure services and facilities across the District.

Future challenges facing the Service included:

• Addressing health inequalities across the District;
• Accessing future external funding from Kent County Council for Health Prevention officers and targeted interventions;
• Reviewing priorities within Sevenoaks District Health Inequalities Action Plan;
• Engaging with partners to holistically improve health and wellbeing
• The role of the District in tackling and influencing the wider determinants of health
• Future leisure provision at District owned facilities.

The Committee was informed that all Members representing wards in Swanley would soon be provided with an update on the provision of leisure facilities at White Oak Leisure Centre.

The Committee was informed that all Members representing wards in Swanley would soon be provided with an update on the provision of leisure facilities at White Oak Leisure Centre.

Members considered a report advising on the reconstitution of Working Groups.  Under the previous Housing & Community Safety Advisory Committee there were a number of working groups formed in the last municipal year, only one of which would still fall under the remit of this Advisory Committee.  Members were asked to review the need for the working group and confirm the terms of reference and membership of the group.  The information would then be referred to the Planning Advisory Committee for consideration.

Following discussion it was agreed that the “Housing Needs” Working Group would be reconstituted with the following Membership from the Housing and Health Advisory Committee:

Cllr Dr. Canet, Cllr Eyre, Cllr Gaywood, Cllr Horwood and Cllr Parkin.  Councillors Dr. Canet, Gaywood and Horwood were also members of the Planning Advisory Committee.  The Working Group would report back to the Housing and Health Advisory Committee in March 2016.

Resolved: That, subject to approval by the Planning Advisory Committee

a)     a Working Group be set up to consider Housing Need and using the planning system to provide more properties of the type needed within the District;

b)     the Working Group consist of six Members; and

c)      Cllrs. Dr Canet, Eyre, Gaywood, Horwood and Parkin be the Members from the Housing and Health Advisory Committee.

a)     To note the minutes of the meeting of the Health Liaison Board held on 22 April 2015.

b)     Report from the previous Chairman on Health

The Committee noted the minutes of the Health Liaison Board held on 22 April 2015.  Members also noted a reported written by the former Chairman of the Health Liaison Board, Mrs Alison Cook which provided an overview of the work of the Board over the previous two years.  Councillor Mrs Bosley, the Chairman of the Health Liaison Board explained that the purpose of the Board was to bring together all the Members involved in health related bodies across the District and enable an information exchange.

The Committee thanked former Councillor Mrs Cook for the report which had provided a good basis to progress the health agenda across the District.

The Committee considered its work plan for 2015/15 and made the following suggestions and amendments:

13 October 2015

The HERO Update would include a short presentation providing an overview of the HERO initiative.

The Health Priorities – Better Care Fund item would initially be considered by the Health Liaison Board which would then make recommendations to the Housing and Health Advisory Committee in February 2016.

2 February 2016

An officer from the Planning Department would be asked to attend for the item concerning Strategic Housing Market Assessment (SHMA), this item would also include an Older People Sub-Study.

The Committee would receive an update on Climate Change Matters as Well as an Update on Right to Buy.

Cllr Searles and the Council’s Dementia Friendly Officer would be asked to attend the meeting to provide an update on Swanley as a Dementia Friendly Town.

23 March 2016

The Committee would receive an update from the Housing Needs Working Group.

Resolved: That the Work Plan for 2015/16 be agreed, subject to the amendments outlined above.