Agenda and minutes

Councillor Calum Watt, Chair of the Community Leadership Scrutiny Committee, opened the meeting with a warm welcome to all attendees.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor(s) Biff Bean and Aiden Wells.

Councillor Natasha Chapman was in attendance as a substitute.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 15 October 2024 be confirmed and signed by the Chair as an accurate record.

No declarations of interest were received.

Councillor Calum Watt, Chair of the Community Leadership Scrutiny Committee advised members that apologies had been received from Krishna Vyas, Health Inequalities Improvement Manager - NHS Lincolnshire Integrated Care Board.

RESOLVED that the item be deferred to a future meeting of the Community Leadership Scrutiny Committee, a date to be agreed in consultation with Emily Holmes, Assistant Director of Strategic Development and Democratic Services.

Councillor Calum Watt, Chair of the Community Leadership Scrutiny Committee, introduced the topic of discussion which was Poverty and Health Inequalities - Mental Health and Physical Health.

The Committee received a presentation from Dr Lucy Gavens, Consultant in Public Health - Lincolnshire County Council. During consideration of the presentation, the following points were noted:

• Poverty occurred when a person’s resources, mainly their material resources, were not sufficient for their minimum needs to be met (including social participation)
• Material possessions and finances included:
  • income (from employment, benefits, pension, interest on savings, gifts)
  • financial assets (savings, a home)
  • material goods (washing machine, car, computer)
• An individual’s resources could be affected by a lack of formal in-kind goods, commodities or services which included:
  • most health services
  • children’s education
  • passported benefits (additional benefits that some groups of people were automatically entitled to as a result of receiving an initial benefit, for example income based free school meals)
• Material goods impacted feelings and affected poverty, for example a child who lacked access to a phone or tablet in order that their homework be completed
• Formal in-kind goods, such as access to health services, especially across Lincolnshire was dependent on where a person resided. Health care was free at the point of access, however travel to healthcare providers was not always affordable
• There was a significant difference in the education offered at different schools in Lincolnshire
• Informal resources played a significant role in the poverty an individual experienced. The ability to borrow money from family and friends could be very important. Similarly, help with household repairs and childcare was very important
• Poverty could measured by single items such as income or through composite measures such as indices of multiple deprivation
• Other important concepts included the dynamic nature of poverty; some individuals were born into poverty, and some people fell in and out of poverty
• It may be the case that an individual lived in a household that wasn’t poor but that individual may not have access to the same resources as the other within the home
• Seven domains comprised the composite measure of indices of multiple deprivation which included income, employment, education, health, crime, barriers to housing and services and living environment. Across the seven domains, the entirety of England had been ranked in terms of deprivation, ranked from 1^st most deprived area to 32,844^th least deprived area
• There were no small areas within Lincoln that were in the affluent 20% nationally. Lincoln had more communities scoring higher across the seven domains of composite measure of indices of multiple deprivation than the rest of England
• The Marmot Review report looked at the impact of poverty on children throughout their childhood. There was a gradient across the level of income deprivation. The more deprived an individual was, the higher the likelihood was of a disability and death to be experienced at a younger age. In the most deprived communities, 73 was the average age of death
• The Health Foundation considered the proportion of population younger  ...  view the full minutes text for item 88b

Martin Walmsley, Assistant Director - Shared Revenues & Benefits had given his apologies for being unable to attend tonight’s meeting. He provided a written report on financial inclusion and mental health which was presented by Emily Holmes, Assistant Director, Transformation and Strategic Development.

Emily Holmes, Assistant Director, Transformation and Strategic Development:

a)    presented a report to Members regarding the links between financial inclusion and mental health

b)    confirmed that the update provided information regarding the Lincolnshire Financial Inclusion Partnership and explained how financial inclusion activity was co-ordinated in the county

c)    added that Lincolnshire Financial Inclusion Partnership (LFIP) had been in existence for more than ten years, with membership growing exponentially in the last two years. City of Lincoln Council and North Kesteven District Council’s Assistant Director Shared Revenues and Benefits was currently the chair of LFIP

d)    highlighted that LFIP brought together organisations and partners to promote and raise the profile of financial inclusion and aimed to ensure that everyone had the capability and opportunity to access appropriate financial services and products needed to participate fully in society

e)    explained that LFIP activity was focussed through a steering group, which comprised of colleagues from; Lincolnshire local authorities, Alford Hub, Citizens Advice Lincoln & Lindsey, Department for Work & Pensions, GamCare, KTR Consultancy Services, LAT Charity, Lincolnshire Community Foundation, Money & Pensions Service, and Notts and Lincs Credit Union

f)      added that LFIP activity could be followed through a range of social media including LinkedIn, TikTok, Instagram and Facebook

g)    stated that mental health and money problems were inextricably linked.  One problem could feed off of the other whereby a vicious cycle of growing financial problems and worsening mental health that could be hard for people to escape was created

h)    highlighted that the annual medium income for people with common mental health conditions was estimated to be £8,400 less than that for the wider population

i)      confirmed that was key that those suffering money problems sought help from a wide range of organisations that provided assistance, support and advice.  A section on ‘Financial advice and support’ was included on City of Lincoln Council’s (CoLC) website through the Cost-of-Living Support ‘button’ which appeared on the home page. This information was also available in the Council’s Cost of Living Support leaflet, which was available in hard copy also

j)      concluded that the area was complex, however through a co-ordinated programme of activity, LFIP and its’ members aimed to tackle and reduce the links between money and mental health

k)    welcomed comments and questions from Members of the Committee.

l)      invited comments and questions from Members on the content and presentation of the report

Members discussed the content of the report in further detail. The following questions and comments emerged:

Comment from Councillor Debbie Armiger: Thanks were offered to Martin Walmsley for his kindness and help which had been commented on by residents further to a referral made for support.

Comment: Some residents that were referred for support were very low and struggled with  ...  view the full minutes text for item 88c

Consideration was given to the Committee’s Work Programme. Further to scoping discussions, the Assistant Director - Strategic Development, confirmed that the focus of the Committee’s upcoming work would include further attendance in relation to Anti-Poverty Strategy Development.

It was agreed that an invitation be offered to Charlotte Brooks - Local Motion, to attend Committee in March to update Members on the Lincoln Against Poverty Assembly.

It was agreed that an invitation be offered to Karen Harvey, MBE - Founder of Toiletries Amnesty, to attend Committee to present to Members information on hygiene poverty.

The Democratic Services Officer confirmed that scoping discussions would take place further to the meeting in relation to the Anti-Poverty Strategy Proposals project. It was further agreed that the arrangement of additional attendees be delegated to officers.

RESOLVED that:

1. Charlotte Brooks - Local Motion be invited to the next meeting.

2. That the arrangement of further attendees be delegated to officers.

3. The content of discussions be noted with thanks.

Date of Next Meeting: Tuesday 11 March 2025 (18:00)