Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from;

Dr Paul Bishop

Helen Charlesworth-May, Executive Director Adults, Health and Integration

Dawn Godfrey, Executive Director of Children's Services

Emily Dowle, Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service

Councillor Laura Crane

Councillor Sarah Bennett-Wake was present as a substitute.

To provide an opportunity for Members and Officers to declare any disclosable pecuniary and non-pecuniary interests in any item on the agenda.

There were no declarations of interest.

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 20 January 2026.

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the previous meeting held on 20 January 2026 were approved as a correct record.

In accordance with paragraph 2.24 of the Council’s Committee Procedure Rules and Appendix on Public Speaking, set out in the Constitution, a total period of 15 minutes is allocated for members of the public to put questions to the committee on any matter relating to this agenda. Each member of the public will be allowed up to two minutes each to speak, and the Chair will have discretion to vary this where they consider it appropriate.

Members of the public wishing to speak are required to provide notice of this at least three clear working days’ in advance of the meeting.

There were no public speakers.

To receive an update on the key findings and recommendations from the Loneliness and Social Isolation Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) review.

The Board received a detailed presentation which presented the findings of the newly published Loneliness and Social Isolation Joint Strategic Needs Assessment.

The Board noted that the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment had been identified as a priority for the 2023–24 work programme and had since undergone a robust governance process, receiving approval from the Loneliness and Social Isolation Working Group, the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment Steering Group, the Public Health Senior Management Team, and the Executive Director of Adults, Health and Integration. The JSNA was published on 16 February 2026, with a subsequent version released on 9 March 2026 to clarify that certain living alone data referred specifically to the GP registered population.

The Joint Strategic Needs Assessment identified several protective factors that help mitigate loneliness, including physical activity, good social connections (in person or digital), access to transport, volunteering opportunities, and good general health. Five overarching recommendations were proposed, focusing on promoting protective factors, tackling stigma through public awareness, fostering professional curiosity across sectors, strengthening strategic partnership working, and ensuring targeted support for populations at greatest risk.

The Board queried the reliance on Sports England as the primary data source and raised concerns about loneliness among younger people, questioning the influence of social media and post pandemic effects. The Board noted that a more robust national approach to data collection was needed and noted that a question on loneliness had been added to the current year’s resident survey. It was reiterated that multiple factors contribute to youth loneliness, including exclusions, bullying, and social media. 

The Board raised concerns regarding the relationships between bullying, isolation and long term wellbeing. The Board suggested that educational settings should adopt stronger approaches to fostering social cohesion. The Board was updated that the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment would act as a basis for further conversations with education and community colleagues. 

The Board supported the emphasis on neighbourhood level action and highlighted the critical role of small community groups and noted that while volunteering is recognised as beneficial, Cheshire East lacks a dedicated referral pathway for matching people to volunteer opportunities.

The Board made a suggestion regarding the bereavement sector, specifically that funeral directors could be encouraged to signpost widows and widowers to support services, recognising moments when people may be particularly vulnerable to loneliness. 

The Board discussion emphasised that enabling people to remain mentally and physically active is crucial for preventing both social isolation and deterioration in frailty, noting the valuable role of sport and recreational volunteering as a route to social connection.

RESOLVED:

That the Board note the update.

To receive an update on the Cheshire East Joint Outcomes Framework Update 2026.

The Board received an update on the Joint Outcomes Framework, explaining its purpose as a concise set of indicators that assess progress against the Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy and related delivery plans at a Cheshire East level. It was highlighted that the indicators complement the more detailed, ward level Tartan Rug. The updated data, drawn from the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities as of January 2026, showed several positive trends.

The Board was advised that the area had seen improvements in smoking status at the time of delivery, with Cheshire East moving from a position significantly worse than England to one significantly better. Hospital admissions for alcohol specific conditions had also improved, shifting from significantly worse than England to similar. Additionally, child development outcomes at age 2 to 2½ had improved from being similar to the England average to significantly better.

The Board discussed the fall in male healthy life expectancy. Factors identified included post pandemic effects, cost of living pressures, changes in self reported health, demographic shifts, and gender differences in risk related behaviours. The Board noted that national increases in suicide among men and greater exposure to occupational hazards continue to influence the trend.

The Board raised concerns about youth vaping. It was noted that current smoking indicators do not include vaping and that further work is underway to capture local patterns, including enforcement activity against underage sales.

RESOLVED:

That the Board note the update.

To receive an update on the Local Plan.

The Board received a presentation on the development of the new Cheshire East Local Plan and its alignment with national planning reforms and emerging Spatial Development Strategies. It was outlined that Spatial Development Strategies would introduce a statutory requirement to include public health considerations at the strategic level, creating a stronger link between national policy, regional priorities, and the Local Plan.

The Board expressed concern around the need for appropriate policy coverage on care homes, children’s homes and supported accommodation, noting challenges for both residents and the workforce. The Board was updated about the forthcoming Housing and Economic Development Needs Assessment that would identify local needs and inform future policy.

The Board raised issues relating to affordability in the north of the borough, the quality of housing in older terraced areas of Crewe, and the importance of providing homes appropriate for disabled residents and people at different stages of life. The Board emphasised the importance of engaging directly with communities, particularly in Crewe where large scale growth is frequently proposed. 

The Board discussed the need for the Local Plan to integrate transport, green space, community connectivity and health infrastructure planning, including the anticipated redevelopment around the Leighton Hospital site.

The Board noted that a new Design Code will be developed, drawing on international best practice such as Dutch and German models of healthy urban design. Officers welcomed continued engagement with the Board as the Local Plan progresses.

RESOLVED:

That the Board note the update.

To receive the Better Care Fund quarter two for 2025/26 report.

The Board received an update on the Quarter 2 Better Care Fund monitoring report, covering July to December 2025. It was outlined that approximately 60% of the plan expenditure had been committed, with 27 schemes reporting monthly on performance and finance. Governance arrangements had been strengthened, including monthly scheme highlight reports, benchmarking and a renewed focus on value for money.

The Board noted strong performance in reducing emergency admissions for older people, attributed to mental health input in care homes, care community interventions and high intensity support for frequent attenders. Improvements were also noted in discharge delays, supported by substantial reablement activity (around 4,000 packages), increased social work capacity and effective transfer of care hubs. 

Long term care home admissions were slightly above target by 27 placements, which was linked to a data lag rather than a confirmed trend. Supporting schemes included Disabled Facilities Grants (supporting around 2,000 people), community equipment and extended reablement pathways. The Board noted that underspend reported for social workers was due to reporting delays rather than a genuine underspend.

RESOLVED:

That the Board note the update.

To receive the Better Care Fund end of year report for 2025-26.

The Board received an update on the year to date overview for the Better Care Fund, covering April to December 2025. It was highlighted that the 27 Better Care Fund schemes had delivered approximately 41,000 episodes of support, expected to rise to around 55,000 by year end. Using the Better Care Fund logic model, the partnership estimated that for every £1 spent through the Better Care Fund, approximately £5 in system wide cost avoidance had been achieved.

The Board noted highlights from the year which included a review of discharge to assess beds, strengthened winter planning arrangements, improved benchmarking practices and updated Section 75 documentation. The Board heard that the primary goals of the Better Care Fund —keeping people well at home, reducing avoidable hospital admission and reducing long term care need—continued to shape investment decisions.

The Board raised questions regarding expectations of families during discharge, the risk of early or inappropriate discharge, and how the system prevents repeated admissions. The Board noted assurances about the daily operational oversight in place, including general nursing assistants, multi disciplinary reviews, six week statutory reassessments and 91 day monitoring. It was highlighted that the aim was building a preventative neighbourhood model of care, using the Knutsford Integrated Neighbourhood Team as an example of best practice. 

The Board also received wider system context on current emergency department pressures. Although ambulance handovers locally are among the best in the country, increasing emergency department attendances continue to strain capacity. These trends mirror national patterns.

RESOLVED:

That the Board note the update.

To consider the report on the refreshed Digital Inclusion Plan 2026-2030.

The Board received the updated Digital Inclusion Plan, explaining that it replaces the original 2023 plan and reflects new national guidance, Government policy and research from digital inclusion bodies such as the Good Things Foundation. It was emphasised that digital exclusion encompasses affordability as well as skills, affecting residents' ability to access services, maintain social connections and manage financial commitments.

The Board noted that the partnership comprises over fifty organisations across the sector and relies heavily on voluntary collaboration. It was noted that the refreshed plan integrates updated intelligence and national frameworks for ensuring that online services are accessible to those with limited skills, confidence or connectivity.

The Board endorsed the plan while stressing the need to retain non digital access routes for residents who do not wish to use digital channels or who lack confidence. Practical concerns were raised around the shift from analogue to digital telephony, with examples of older residents experiencing distress. The Board agreed that local, personalised support remains essential.

RESOLVED:

That the board considered and approved the refreshed Digital Inclusion Plan 2026-2030