Agenda item

Consider summary of the Strategic Plan and current position under each of the 5 key inequalities themes, including actions and performance measures.  (Copy attached.)

With reference to paragraph 4 of the Minute of 26 November 2015, there had been circulated copies of the ‘Reducing Inequalities in the Scottish Borders 2015 – 2025 Strategic Plan Summary, June 2016’.   The SBC Depute Chief Executive (People) explained that the actions within the comprehensive draft Plan which had been considered by the Board in November 2015 had required further definition to ensure that the Board would be able to see, over time, the progress being made on reducing inequalities.  The Summary gave the Reducing Inequalities Delivery Team’s current position under each of the 5 key inequalities themes – Employment & Income; Health & Well-being; Attainment, Achievement & Inclusion; Housing & Neighbourhoods; and Keeping People Safe – presenting a set of clear actions and performance measures.  SBC Corporate Performance and Information Manager, Sarah Watters, advised that she had met with each of the lead officers for the 5 key themes to ensure that the key strategies/plans to achieve objectives were in place and how they focussed on reducing inequalities; what more needed to be done; and what outcomes should be achieved.  A further 16 actions were laid out over and above those contained in other plans, along with a set of performance measures.  However, it needed to be recognised that many of these were long-term actions. In response to a question, Ms Watters advised that the Health & Social Care Integration Joint Board was likely to pick up on the outcome of the Scottish Government consultation on social isolation through their dedicated locality officers.  In terms of social isolation experienced by younger people, Ms Smith gave an example of young people in Jedburgh who had attended a recent seminar and made it clear they did not want to rely on their parents for transport and this had been picked up through the Health and Social Care locality officers and the Children and Young People’s Leadership Group. It was anticipated that an action plan would be produced for Cheviot as a pilot locality which would feed in to the Locality Outcomes Improvement Plan.  There was an improvement in reducing inequalities compared to 2 years previously, but more jobs were needed and average house prices did not fit into the 5 locality areas as the Borders housing market areas were different (northern housing market close to Edinburgh; disparity in south and west) which meant that an average Borders house price was not especially meaningful.  In terms of housing inequality, this was reflected more in bad housing and lack of affordable housing.  Ms Watters confirmed there would be further investigation of the housing market area references, and commented that wages had not risen but prices had.  Information should come through the Local Housing Strategy and feed in to the Local Outcomes Improvement Plan.  There was a correlation between house prices and travel to work areas.  The key was disposable income, with fuel poverty often related to private rented accommodation and also linked to child deprivation.    

DECISION

NOTED the Reducing Inequalities in the Scottish Borders 2015 – 2025 Strategic Plan Summary, June 2016.