Cllr. Mrs. Cook will speak as Lead Member for Health and advise on the work of the Health Liaison Board.

Cllr. Mrs. Parkin will speak as Lead Member for older people - particularly Dementia sufferers.

The Chairman welcomed the new members of the Advisory Committee, especially Cllr. Mrs. Cook as Lead Member for Health and Cllr. Mrs. Parkin as Lead member for older people.

Cllr. Mrs. Cook gave some background information on the constitution and terms of reference of the Health Liaison Board and the work dome so far, explaining that it was an important meeting point for Councillors who were serving or attending health meetings around the District and an opportunity to collate and disseminate the knowledge collectively gained to relevant committees.  She invited members to attend the next meeting on Wednesday 9 July 2014 at 2 p.m. when the Board would be addressed by an external professional on Autism and Asperger Syndrome.

She had been asked to serve on the West Kent Health and Wellbeing Board and had attended the first meeting where they had been asked to look at the membership and discuss whether they were the right people in post and whether the Board would be able to deliver.  She would report back on these meetings later in the year.  The Chairman stated that it was clear that housing was critical to the health agenda and that Cllr. Mrs. Cook provided an excellent link.

Cllr. Mrs. Parkin tabled a paper providing some information on Dementia.  She advised that she had only recently been given this lead but had a background in the field and she intended to work closely with Members and Officers.  She hoped to do a full powerpoint presentation at a future meeting on her work, the work of the Council and achievements made.  In response to a question the Chairman advised that social care was the remit of the County Council but the Council was responsible for housing and adaptions and also needed to consider becoming more dementia friendly.  The better the housing stock available the longer people could live independently in their own homes.

Cllr. Mrs. Parkin showed a short video on the subject (http://www.local.gov.uk/adult-social-care/-/journal_content/56/10180/6206530/ARTICLE).

The Chief Officer Communities and Business advised that the Council was already doing much work on the issue and the Chief Executive had asked that the Council become ‘Dementia Friendly’.  The Health and Communities Manager added that 60 frontline members of staff had already received training; further training was taking place in July which would be available for staff, members and external agencies such as the voluntary sector.  A physical audit of the Argyle Road reception was being undertaken and Officers were receiving advice from the Alzheimers Society.  The sort of adjustments that were required were actually good practice for all walks of life and would make the area more generally accessible.  The Healthy Living Project Officer had a seat on the West Kent Forum.  There was to be a ‘Let’s talk about Dementia’ event in Swanley on 7 July 2014 jointly hosted by Sevenoaks District Council, Kent County Council and members of Swanley Dementia Friendly Communities Forum.  There was also a workshop at the Holly Bush Court on 19 July 2014, and the Council would be taking part in the ‘Whose Shoes’ campaign.

The Chief Officer Communities and Business reported that under the Health and Safety Care Act 2012 the Health and Wellbeing Boards had been set up at County level, but there were also local ones set up to mirror the Clinical Commissioning Group areas.  The Marmot Review had set out six policy objectives to help reduce health inequalities, and the document before Members aimed to support and complement Kent’s Health Inequalities Action Plan ‘Mind the Gap,’  which had been aided by Professor Chris Bentley. 

The Chief Housing Officer reported that the Kent Housing Group was made up of Council and Housing Association Officers. She personally sat on the group and the Executive Board.  The Council currently worked on homelessness; the allocation policy gave priority to those in the District and people could bid for suitable properties.   The Disabled Facilities Grant function had been brought back ‘in house’, which enabled people to stay in their own homes.  Officers also worked closely with occupational therapy at KCC.  With regards to ‘fuel poverty’ they helped look at bills and help people to change supplier and apply for grants.  The team had just finalised arrangements with Dartford Borough Council to look, with external funding, at some of the Sevenoaks District wards that abut the Dartford Borough.  The housing work contributed to the Older Person Strategy because it produced enhanced schemes for people with severe needs.  Housing Associations were encouraged to survey and review older person stock.  West Kent Housing provided an ‘emerald’ service in this regard.  The ‘Supporting People’ programme also aimed to help people stay longer in their own homes.

The Health and Communities Manager reported that the Health Inequalities Plan had been approved in April 2013 and was being developed and reviewed via the multi-agency Health Action Team, which consisted of Council Officers including Housing, the voluntary sector, Clinical Commissioning Group representatives, Social Services and other and which met quarterly.  The Marmot review had identified that poor housing conditions contributed to ill health.  Referrals through the HERO project were monitored.  There were currently forty families accessing the food bank with another 15 that could be worked with if there were capacity. Housing needs were also monitored. 

A Member pointed out that with rising interest rates and possible repossessions the District could find itself with a higher proportion of people in housing need.  The Chief Housing Officer agreed and said it was being looked at.  The HERO Scheme was able to signpost, there were options for Housing Associations to purchase properties so that families could remain there, there were small pots of money to help with short term debts.  Prevention from becoming homeless was the key.

Councillor Mrs. Sargeant was allowed to address the Committee and appealed for help finding the food bank at Swanley more suitable accommodation, with low or no rent to pay.  They were currently given use of the Leisure Centre and CAB building in Swanley. She also encouraged Members to see for themselves first hand the excellent work and recommended going to the one in Bromley to see the type of accommodation that would be more appropriate.