Issue - meetings

To consider a report of the Director of Public Health.

The report sets out the response, agreed by the Cabinet on 14 November 2018, to the recommendations made by the Scrutiny Committee in its Scrutiny Review Final Report ‘Response to the Whole System Approach to Healthy Weight’.

The Area Committee is invited to note the report.

Officer contact: Dr Donna Sager, 0161 474 2450 donna.sager@stockport.gov.uk

The Cabinet Member for Health (Councillor Tom McGee) and the Director for Public Health submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) setting out the Cabinet’s agreed response to the Scrutiny Committee’s recommendations contained in the final report of the ‘Whole System Approach to Health Weight’ Scrutiny Review.

The Cabinet Member emphasised the challenge of addressing healthy weight given the complexity of causal factors involved, but also stressed the need to focus on providing alternatives to unhealthy behaviours to avoid being paternalistic.

The Director of Public Health thanked the Scrutiny Committee for their work on this topic and the focus given to the range of contributory issues. The importance of working with partners to improve the effectiveness of lobbying for change was highlighted as there was more limited scope for the Council to overcome the challenges presented by the practices of large multi-national companies, for example.

The following comments were made/ issues raised:-

·           Developing cooking skills and self-sufficiency in food preparation was an important tool in reducing dependency on unhealthy foods. The difficulties in accommodating this within the school timetable was acknowledged, as was the potential that many parents lacked the skills or time to pass these on to children.

·           It was important not to focus exclusively on food as a contributory factor for obesity, given the impact alcohol also had. It was also commented that convenience food, as well as takeaway food, could also contain unhealthy amounts of salt, sugar and fats. Ensuring choice and affordability was key to driving change as some of the most vulnerable members of the community often had fewer affordable alternatives.

·           Children walking to school was emphasised as a simple way of increasing physical activity of young people (and parents) and would also reduce traffic and parking problems near schools and so improve safety.

RESOLVED – That the response be noted.

To consider a report of the Cabinet Member for Health.

On 2 October 2018 the Cabinet considered a report of the Adult Social Care and Health Scrutiny Committee into a Whole System Approach to Healthy Weight. Cabinet received the report which included findings and a series of recommendations, and requested that the Director of Public Health prepare a response to the recommendations. The attached report provides the proposed response to each of the recommendations.

The Cabinet is recommended to adopt the attached response to the Scrutiny Review.

Officer contact: Dr Donna Sager, 0161-474-3928, donna.sager@stockport.gov.uk

The Cabinet Member for Health submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) inviting the Cabinet to consider a proposed response to the recommendations made by the Adult Social Care & Health Scrutiny Committee in its Scrutiny Review ‘A Whole System Approach to Healthy Weight’.

The Cabinet Member emphasised the complexity of the challenge that obesity presented to public services and how collaboration with other agencies was vital to encouraging lifestyle and behavioural change.

Cabinet Members discussed the challenge of finding the right balance between encouraging development and discouraging unhealthy activity, such as fast food or less healthy food outlets. It was commented that the Council and its partners had a range of tools available, such as the Local Plan, to encourage choice and variety as opposed to preventing certain providers. The choices people made were often determined by factors such as convenience and cost rather than the health benefits of those options.

RESOLVED – That the response to ‘A Whole System Approach to Healthy Weight’ Scrutiny Review Final Report and recommendations be approved.