Agenda item

The item was introduced by Councillor Platts, drawing attention of the meeting to the worsening of Barnsley’s relative position in the revised Index of Multiple Deprivation.  The committee discussed the role that the Anti-Poverty Action Plan had to play in redressing this.

Members commented on the need to incorporate performance targets against each of the performance measures and acknowledged that work continued to populate this.  The meeting noted the correlation between poverty and poor mental health and that measures to deal with had not been included in the Action Plan.

The meeting noted the emphasis within SWYPFT to focus on improving the employment prospects of people with mental health issues. It was acknowledged that mental health needed to be a cross cutting theme in all strategies partners developed, and the meeting noted the emphasis to be placed in the Community Safety and Stronger Communities Strategies in this respect. 

Noted were the specific arrangements in place for mental health under the Crisis Care Concordat.

RESOLVED that:-

(i) the Anti-Poverty Action Plan be approved subject to further work to develop performance targets for each of the measures;

(ii) the connection between poverty and mental health be noted and the work to focus on mental health in the development of strategies and plans be welcomed.