To consider the Motion on Notice received from Councillor Cresswell:
This council notes:
· 1 in 4 people will experience a mental health problem in any given year.
· The World Health Organisation predicts that depression will be the second most common health condition worldwide by 2020.
· Mental ill health costs some £105 billion each year in England alone.
· People with a severe mental illness die up to 20 years younger than their peers in the UK.
This council believes:
· As a local authority we have a crucial role to play in improving the mental health of everyone in our community and tackling some of the widest and most entrenched inequalities in health.
· Mental health should be a priority across all the local authority’s areas of responsibility, including housing, community safety and planning.
· All councillors, whether members of the Executive or Scrutiny and in our community and casework roles, can play a positive role in championing mental health on an individual and strategic basis.
This council resolves:
· To sign the Local Authorities’ Mental Health Challenge run by Centre for Mental Health, Mental Health Foundation, AMHP, Mind, Rethink Mental Illness, Royal College of Psychiatrists and Young Minds.
· We commit to appoint an elected member as ‘mental health champion’ across the council.
· We will seek to identify a member of staff within the council to act as ‘lead officer’ for mental health.
The council will also:
· Support positive mental health in our community, including in local schools, neighbourhoods and workplaces.
· Work to reduce inequalities in mental health in our community.
· Work with local partners to offer effective support for people with mental health needs.
· Tackle discrimination on the grounds of mental health in our community.
· Proactively listen to people of all ages and backgrounds about what they need for better mental health.
Proposer: Councillor Luke Cresswell
Seconder: Councillor Tony Bavington
Minutes:
75.1 On the proposal of Councillor Cresswell and seconded by Councillor Bavington the following Motion was moved:-
This Council notes:
· 1 in 4 people will experience a mental health problem in any given year.
· The World Health Organisation predicts that depression will be the second
most common health condition worldwide by 2020.
· Mental ill health costs some £105 billion each year in England alone.
· People with a severe mental illness die up to 20 years younger than their
peers in the UK.
This Council believes:
· As a local authority we have a crucial role to play in improving the mental health of everyone in our community and tackling some of the widest and most entrenched inequalities in health.
· Mental health should be a priority across all the local authority’s areas of responsibility, including housing, community safety and planning.
· All councillors, whether members of the Executive or Scrutiny and in our community and casework roles, can play a positive role in championing mental health on an individual and strategic basis.
This Council resolves:
· To sign the Local Authorities’ Mental Health Challenge run by Centre for Mental Health, Mental Health Foundation, AMHP, Mind, Rethink Mental Illness, Royal College of Psychiatrists and Young Minds.
· We commit to appoint an elected member as ‘mental health champion’ across the council.
· We will seek to identify a member of staff within the council to act as ‘lead officer’ for mental health.
The Council will also:
· Support positive mental health in our community, including in local schools, neighbourhoods and workplaces.
· Work to reduce inequalities in mental health in our community.
· Work with local partners to offer effective support for people with mental
health needs.
· Tackle discrimination on the grounds of mental health in our community.
· Proactively listen to people of all ages and backgrounds about what they need for better mental health.
75.2 Councillor Cresswell in his introductory speech informed Council that he wanted the Council to establish a clear position on mental health within the Council and to build a foundation that could be further extended in the future so that the Council could start prioritising rather than stigmatising mental health. The motion stets out then principles of where this Council stands on mental health and how to support those that need it.
75.3 In response Councillor Ward stated that although the Council was not directly involved with health or social care provision there was much that a district council could do to create an environment that promoted mental as well as physical wellbeing from ensuring sufficient housing of the right mix of tenure types was available to creating safe and pleasant communities and also the provision of leisure and recreational facilities. Babergh was working hard in all of these areas and had achieved much in the last few years. For example the leisure sports and physical activity strategy had quite a bit to say about mental health and the Council’s partner Abbey Croft Leisure also did a lot towards promoting mental health. Babergh District Council was fully committed to supporting all people including those with poor mental health. This year the Council jointly hosted an event to mark mental health awareness week and last week on mental health awareness day the Council had specially trained colleagues talking to staff about their own mental health and wellbeing. This motion is the one provided by the local authorities mental health challenge to enable councils to promote mental health across all of their business and given all that, Councillor Ward said it was right that this Council should sign up to it. He was therefore delighted to support this motion.
75.4 If the motion was carried Councillor Ward would appoint a member of the Council to be the mental health champion to ensure that all of the authorities activities and responsibilities were influenced by the principles of the challenge. In recognising that the challenge only really deals with our outward facing activities and doesn’t actually refer to the councils role as a major employer Councillor Ward proposed an amendment to the motion so that Babergh would appoint 2 lead officers, one to be responsible for our outward facing activities and another responsible for supporting the mental health of our staff.
75.5 Councillor Jan Osborne seconded the amendment and made the following statement:-
“Mental Health is very close to my heart. There are very few, if any, both members and officers here tonight, who have not been affected by mental health within their family and/or a relative and or a friend. I support this motion as amended but would like to assure Council of the commitment and work already being undertaken by this Council to support those within our communities that are affected by mental health. Our policies and strategies make a commitment to this. For example, one of the aims in the revised Housing Strategy, is to support the more vulnerable people in our communities, the recently approved Leisure, Sport and Physical Activity Strategy has 6 priorities one of which is to ‘Increase active participation and benefits to participants with mental health issues through sport and physical activity.’ During my role as the Portfolio Holder for Communities and then Housing I have had numerous meetings with key stakeholders to agree on how the Council can work with our partners to ensure that support and help is maximised. To name a few - Gary Page, Chair of the Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust, The Stone Foundation, The Richmond Fellowship and Teresa Bishop in Sudbury who is very proactive with the homeless and those with mental health problems. During which new ways of working have been identified and implemented or being implemented. Having a home is a key factor in helping and supporting those with mental health problems. The Council’s Housing Team, together with our Communities Team and Planning, are undertaking a great deal of work to ensure that our most vulnerable are supported. To name just a few - previously there was a banding A restriction on those leaving supported housing to 2 or 3 a year. That restriction has now been lifted. A Leasing Programme to those organisations who help people into housing is being reviewed. Housing Solutions work in partnership with a range of agencies to ensure that we meet the housing and support needs of those customers who suffer from mental health issues. Housing Solutions will carry out a detailed housing needs and risk assessment of all customers who present for assistance or have been referred by a partner agency. A personalised housing plan will then be drawn up confirming any advice given, how the Council will assist and what the customer may need to do to help themselves.
Other examples of support include:
Housing forums to discuss individual clients if they are not succeeding in their supported housing scheme. Although we cannot refer directly to mental health services (this needs to be done by the clients GP) we can suggest that a client books a GP appointment to see if they require any specific mental health referrals for support. With the support of the Communities Team, Suffolk Artlink in partnership with the Rural Coffee Caravan and Dance East are delivering a high-quality arts outreach programme led by artists. The programme has been designed for and co-produced with older people, particularly those who are rurally isolated, lonely or living with dementia by providing opportunities for people to get together and try new activities. Evidence provided by HomeStart Suffolk has shown an increase in the number of referrals, particularly from young families living in rural locations with limited support. Some of these families have parents experiencing mental health issues and report a lack in confidence in parenting their children and general day to day routines. In response the Health and Wellbeing Team are working closely with Suffolk ArtLink to develop a grant-funded programme for young parent families. The project will contribute to our understanding of how an early creative arts intervention can positively impact families where a parent is experiencing an emerging mental health problem or managing a recently diagnosed condition. The Health and Wellbeing team continue to work with our local Dementia Action Alliances to raise greater awareness and understanding and enable dementia friendly activities such as relaxed film screenings, memory walks and activity classes.
Working with Human Resources Team, we now have 21 Mental Health First Aiders in place. Mental Health First Aiders are trained to support staff, promote positive mental health in the workplace and reduce mental health stigma through various health campaigns and continuing to provide one-to-one support to colleagues. The Communities team formed a working group with staff from Ipswich Borough Council and Suffolk County Council to collaboratively organise and deliver a range of health and mental wellbeing promoting activities for Workplace Health Week held between 10 and 14 September.
Following the commitment our Councils gave earlier in the year as partner organisations of the Suffolk Health and Wellbeing Board, the Health and Wellbeing team has drafted an action plan for this which sets out the commitments we are making as an employer. This is scheduled to go to SLT prior to the Leaders who will then be asked to sign the pledge on behalf of their respective Councils.
This is just some of the work that this Council, together with our partners, is doing to support and help those with or affected by mental health problems. I am happy to provide a more extensive briefing on work being done and planned for to members on request”.
75.6 The Chairman asked Councillor Cresswell if he accepted the amendment?
75.7 Councillor Cresswell confirmed that he accepted the amendment.
75.8 The Motion as amended was PUT to the meeting and CARRIED unanimously.
It was Resolved: -
This Council notes:
· 1 in 4 people will experience a mental health problem in any given
year.
· The World Health Organisation predicts that depression will be the
second most common health condition worldwide by 2020.
· Mental ill health costs some £105 billion each year in England alone.
· People with a severe mental illness die up to 20 years younger than
their peers in the UK.
This Council believes:
· As a local authority we have a crucial role to play in improving the mental health of everyone in our community and tackling some of the widest and most entrenched inequalities in health.
· Mental health should be a priority across all the local authority’s areas of responsibility, including housing, community safety and planning.
· All councillors, whether members of the Executive or Scrutiny and in our community and casework roles, can play a positive role in championing mental health on an individual and strategic basis.
This Council resolves:
· To sign the Local Authorities’ Mental Health Challenge run by Centre for Mental Health, Mental Health Foundation, AMHP, Mind, Rethink Mental Illness, Royal College of Psychiatrists and Young Minds.
· We commit to appoint an elected member as ‘mental health champion’ across the council.
· We will seek to identify two members of staff within the council to act as ‘lead officers’ for mental health.
The Council will also:
· Support positive mental health in our community, including in local schools, neighbourhoods and workplaces.
· Work to reduce inequalities in mental health in our community.
· Work with local partners to offer effective support for people with mental health needs.
· Tackle discrimination on the grounds of mental health in our community.
· Proactively listen to people of all ages and backgrounds about what they need for better mental health.