Agenda item

For the Board to provide Richard Benyon MP with information regarding the community conversations being held in West Berkshire.

The Health and Wellbeing Board considered a presentation (Agenda Item `4) concerning an update on community conversations. Susan Powell advised that the Board had set a strategic focus for 2017/18 to ‘increase the number of communities where community conversations had successfully run and local action plans had been jointly developed’.

The Building Communities Together Partnership and Team were leading on the work to start new community conversations and join in conversations where they were already happening. The aim was to nurture sustainable communities which made the most of their assets.

A recent community conversation was held with rough sleepers and was attended by 30 people. They had expressed concerns regarding mental health and the desire to have a hub where they could express their needs once. The benefits of the community conversation would be taken forward by the new Making Every Adult Matter (MEAM) Coordinator, once in post.

The partnership had become aware that young peoples’ voices had not been present in many of the conversations and subsequently a workshop was held with peer mentors. Many of their concerns had been around anxiety, stress and social isolation; these were fed back to health and education services.

Susan Powell noted that the Board received an update at its previous meeting in September 2017 which set out a detailed update regarding the work of the Hungerford Multi-Professional lens. She reported that Suzanne Taylor, the community anchor, managed the meetings well to keep to the group’s aims, whilst ensuring all attendees contributed. There had been a meeting the previous Tuesday on the subject of mental health which had revealed concerns regarding the language used to describe mental health in the community and also revealed a wish to know more about the possible connections between sleep deprivation and attachment behaviours.

Overall community conversations sought to change peoples’ perspectives to consider how they could contribute or get involved in resolving issues within the community. Susan Powell advised that her experience with Neighbourhood Watch groups had been that coordinators were satisfied to take on a larger role but almost felt as though they needed permission.

In response to a question from Councillor Fredrickson, Susan Powell further explained the work in Hungerford, adding that by coming together in a forum, professionals working in the area had built capacity to provide better and more streamlined support. They had also empowered the community to build provision to support children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Councillor Fredrickson offered a reflection on his experiences at community conversations. He admitted that before he had attended one he would assume that it would be another event with talk but no action, however he felt it was a form of community engagement which removed bureaucratic consultation processes and involved the community in problem solving. He encouraged all Board members to attend a community conversation.

Jim Weems added that he had found community conversations to be a modern and vibrant way of working. He thanked Susan Powell and her team in their role to support these events.

Rachael Wardell recommended that Board members read Community: The Structure of Belonging by Peter Block which illuminated the ways that organisations could engage differently with communities.

Councillor Fredrickson asked how the Board could support community conversations further. Susan Powell advised that elected Members could support them through parish councils and other organisations could best support them by attending them.

Councillor Fredrickson thanked Board members and Richard Benyon for their attendance at the meeting.

RESOLVED that the presentation be noted.