Issue - meetings

Recommendations

1)    That Executive notes the content of the Director of Public Health Annual Report 2024-2025.

2)    That Executive considers the recommendations made within the report and how these relate to the whole local authority.

Considered – A report of the Director of Public Health presenting the Director of Public Health (the DPH) Annual Report 2024-2024: ‘Working Together for Yorkshire’.

The Executive Member for Health and Adult Services, Councillor Michael Harrison, welcomed the report and reminded Members that the report was an independent report, which the Council had a statutory duty to publish.  Andy Jefferson submitted a public question which was read out at the meeting and a response provided by Councillor Harrison, as detailed at Minute 802.

The Director of Public Health, Louise Wallace, outlined that this was her fifth annual report, which this year focussed on the work of the council and partnership working across portfolios and sectors, and made the following key points:

·       Opportunities had been maximised to improve and protect the health of the population, not only through the Public Health team but also via wider partnerships across all service areas.

·       Emphasis was placed on the importance of partnerships beyond the Council, acknowledging the contribution of statutory partners, community groups and the voluntary sector in achieving shared public health outcomes.

·       The voice of local communities had been incorporated alongside quantitative data to inform priorities and actions.

·       A voluntary peer review exercise had been undertaken earlier in the year, facilitated by the Association of Directors of Public Health, which provided valuable feedback to support continuous improvement.

·       The report included updates on previous recommendations, notably in relation to healthy ageing, and set out new recommendations for collaborative working across North Yorkshire.

Members welcomed the accessible read and cross-disciplinary working evidenced in leisure, housing, libraries, and planning, and the Executive Member for Children and Families welcomed the partnership work with Children’s Services and the positive impacts of a number of initiatives. 

Resolved (unanimously)

1)    That the content of the Director of Public Health Annual Report 2024-2025 be noted

2)    Consideration be given to the recommendations made within the report and how these relate to the whole local authority.

Reasons for recommendations

The recommendations were made on the basis that the report provided a valuable overview of the benefits of partnership working to reduce health inequalities for the population of North Yorkshire, and that publication of the report would meet the local authority’s legal duties to so publish.

Alternative options considered

No alternative options had been considered, for the reasons outlined in paragraphs 6.1 and 9.1 of the report.