The Head of Policy Culture and Communications has submitted a report which details what the Council is and will be doing to support people with mental health conditions. 

Officer Recommendations: That the City Executive Board:

1.    Note the response to the motion, including the proposed action plan 

2.    Agrees that the Challenge Panel of Elected Member Champions for mental health and wellbeing should act as an informal advisory group to the Executive Board Member for Health and undertake the other actions proposed in the response and action plan

3.    Asks the Member Challenge Panel to play an active role in monitoring progress on the action plan

The Head of Policy Culture and Communications submitted a report (previously circulated, now appended) which detailed what the Council is and will be doing to support people with mental health conditions.

Cllr Turner, Board Member for Finance, Asset Management and Public Health presented the report. The strategy focuses on how council can support people with mental health issues, elements of the strategy include:

·         Council being a leader and showing greater consideration of mental health conditions

·         Making sure that people with mental health conditions have equal access to council services

·         Becoming a mindful employer and being more attentive of mental health issues in the workplace.

Cllr Fooks endorsed the strategy but asked how the members on the panel would be chosen. This will be through the Cross Party Working Group.

Cllr Simm mentioned that there were lots of resourceful groups able to assist with training on how to work with people with mental health issues. She asked that these groups be involved in any officer or member training that comes out of this strategy. The Policy Manager noted this suggestion and will include it in the action plan.

Cllr Turner went through the recommendations of the Scrutiny Committee’s report. He explained that the member’s challenge panel would consist of 6 members that would reflect the political balance of the Council. It would be member led and informal. The Policy team would support the challenge panel and would pass on any ideas from the panel to the rest of the Council. No additional resources would be required to support the panel.

Cllr Turner agreed with recommendations 2 to 5.

The City Executive Board resolved to:

a) Note the response to the motion, including the proposed action plan

b) Agree that the Challenge Panel of Elected Member Champions for mental health and wellbeing should act as an informal advisory group to the Executive Board Member for Health and undertake the other actions proposed in the response and action plan

c) Ask the Member Challenge Panel to play an active role in monitoring progress on the action plan

Contact Officer: Val Johnson; Tel 01865 252209, vjohnson@oxford.gov.uk

The Policy Manager presented the report (previously circulated, now appended) which detailed the proposed action plan for how the Council will support the mental wellbeing of its staff and members. Most of the actions in the plan can be completed within existing budgets.

The Committee went through the action plan and made the following comments:

Backbench councillors should be appointed onto the Mental Health and Wellbeing Challenge Panel.  However, the Committee raised a concern that this new panel will need officer support which may result in resources being diverted away from other member support services such as Scrutiny.

There were a few actions that hadn’t been costed and these needed to be worked out before the budget process started in December 2014.

The Committee felt that service personnel and veterans are important groups who should not be overlooked in efforts to improve mental health and wellbeing in Oxford.

The Committee suggested that the role of ethnic minority groups and faith leaders could also be considered and set out in this action plan. 

The Committee agreed not to monitor the implementation of the action plan as this would duplicate the work of the challenge panel.